Abstract Book - 3rd International Symposium on Medicinal Plants ...

3.3 Investigation of Secondary Metabolites (Flavonoids) of the Genus
Ranunculus
Ahlam Hachelaf, Ahmed Touil, Ammar Zellagui, and Salah Rhouati
Laboratory of Natural Products from plants origins and organic synthesis chemistry, University of
Constantine Algeria.
<strong>Abstract</strong>: Ranunculus L. Gray, a group of something over 20 species of aquatic buttercups with
a fluctuating number of sub-specific taxa, is notoriously difficult taxonomically. The species present
today may well be the result of secondary speciation resulting from natural selection acting on the
products of hybridization. Previous phytochemical studies of the genus Ranunculus revealed the
presence of flavonoids alkaloids, triterpene saponins and lactones such as ranunculin and
protoanemonin. However, no report of biological or phytochemical investigation on this plant was
found apart from a general study regarding its macroscopic and microscopic characteristics.
Flavonoids are widely distributed and recognized as taxonomic markers in the genus
Ranunculus.The dried aerial parts of R. chinensis were extracted with 95% EtOH. After
concentration under reduced pressure, the extract was suspended inH2O and partitioned
successively with petroleum ether, AcOH, and BuOH. The BuOH-soluble fraction was separated
by repeated chromatographic procedures to give flavonoid glycosides. The Flavonoids were
detected on dried papers and plates by examination in ultraviolet light alone and in the presence of
ammonia. The extracts were chromatographed one dimensionally on Whatman no. 1 paper in four
solvents - butanol:acetic acid: water 4: 1 : 5 (v: v: v) (BAW), n-butanol fraction was separated on a
polyamide gel column (Toluene – MeOH), was fractionated on a Sephadex LH-20 column (MeOH-
H2O, 1:9 to 1:0), followed by chrommatographie CCM, using a mixture of MeOH-H2O as elution
system, to give glycosids flavonoids. As mentioned above, there is currently a growing interest in
products derived from sour orange, as a result of their increasing commercial diffusion. In this
context, the present study demonstrates that the richness and variety of the flavonoid pool of C.
aurantium makes sour orange juice an excellent source of healthpromoting compounds with the
potential to act as preventing agents for carcinogenesis and cardiovascular diseases.
Key words: Flavonoids, ranunculus, secondary metabolites, sour orange.
3.4 Quality Assurance of Medicinal Plants
Alli Inteaz
Food Science Department, McGill University, Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada.
<strong>Abstract</strong>: Quality assurance serves to provide confidence that products and services that are
offered to consumers meet certain expectations and requirements. Some of the current critical
aspects of quality assurance in the cultivation, storage, processing and distribution of plants for
food, herbal, and medicinal uses include quality, safety, and traceability activities and practices
throughout the supply chain, and management systems-based standardization processes; this is
in addition to national regulatory programs and framework for medicinal plants in many countries
and internationally recognized guidelines of the World Health Organization. In the case of
medicinal plants as a general category of products which are intended for both general and
specific uses by consumers, the quality assurance requirements and expectations include
regulatory issues, product efficacy, performance, acceptance, stability, labeling and label claims,
and adverse effects and product safety. These attributes must be assessed for medicinal plants or
herbal medicines since they are can be (a) consumed directly as materials considered as food or
beverage or extracted for use in items considered as foods, beverages, food supplements, herbal
products, natural health products or (b) used as herbal medicines or drugs or as chemical agents
in the preparation or synthesis of drugs, both over-the-counter and prescription drugs. Quality
assurance aspects for medicinal plants are addressed at both the international level by WHO
guidelines and at national levels by government regulations; however government regulations vary
from country to country and all medicinal plants are not subjected to the same national regulations.
Generally, quality assurance activities cover the entire supply chain and include good practices
throughout the supply chain from cultivation to the point of use by the consumer. In some
companies, good manufacturing practices and HACCP systems are used to address food safety
requirements of medicinal plants and herbal medicines, primarily during the processing of
harvested medicinal plants for conversion into products intended for consumer use. This
presentation will cover current perspectives for addressing all aspects for supply chain quality
assurance of medicinal plants from cultivation to intended consumer use.
Key words: Assurance, medicinal plant, quality.
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