A quantitative method for the assessment of ptaquiloside and pterosins A and B in bracken fern has been developed. The technique involves quantitative extraction of fresh plant tissue, base‐induced decomposition of ptaquiloside to pterosin B, followed by prepurification of products on a silica gel microcolumn and quantitative high pressure liquid chromatography. The method has been used to estimate the contents of these norsequiter‐penes in fronds and rhizomes of Pteridium aquilinum var. caudatum from northern South America.
A negative correlation has been found between the amounts of pterosins A and B and ptaquiloside per biomass unit, and the growth stage of the blade of bracken. Their concentration decreased progressively from the crozierto the mature frond, where it attained less than 5% of the initial value. The growth was measured following the total blade length, its height, moisture content, and time of emergence from the soil surface. Quantitation of these compounds was achieved by HPLC using a water extraction, methylene chloride treatment, and silica gel microcolumn cleanup sequence. Pterosins were unevenly distributed in the blade, whereas ptaquiloside maintained a constant concentration throughout. Rhizomes contained only minor amounts of these compounds. Their possible role as semiochemicals in bracken is discussed.
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