Spatial and Temporal Variations in Secondary Metabolites Content of the Brazilian Arnica Leaves (Lychnophora ericoides Mart., Asteraceae)

Abstract

The genus Lychnophora (Asteraceae) is a medicinal plant traditionally used as anti-inflammatory or analgesic agent. Its biological properties have been widely investigated and correlated with its chemical composition, which could be different between the species and even accordingly to the place and season of collection. In this work, it was investigated the spatial and temporal variations in the secondary metabolites from five populations of Lychnophora ericoides. Among them, a more diversified secondary metabolism was observed for the plants collected at Ibiraci-MG (Brazil), a city placed between two biomes, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest. The highest concentrations of chlorogenic acids were found in the Cerrado dry season (winter), while the flavonoids were higher during the rainy season (summer). Significant reduction was observed in the contents of all the secondary metabolites in old leaves, and also in flowery branches. These variations detected in L. ericoides leaves could highly influence the intensity of the biological activities of this plant.Keywords: Lychnophora ericoides, Asteraceae, traditional medicine, seasonal variation, secondary metabolites IntroductionTraditional medicine was and has been widely applied around the world for promoting health, and along the history, many drugs have been isolated from medicinal plants. [1][2][3] Due to its large size and great variety of climate and biomes, Brazil has a high biodiversity popularly used to treat different diseases. 4,5 These biological properties are attributed to the secondary metabolite contents, which are ecologically important for the plant to protect against solar radiation, and microbial and herbivore attacks. 6,7 Their accumulation in plants is described in the literature, as being influenced by changes in the environmental conditions, such as temperature, sunlight, water availability, pollution, nutrients, herbivore and microbial attacks and others. [8][9][10] As a strategy to adapt and survive under damaging conditions, plants use many complex biochemical processes to create chemical defense mechanisms, and this behavior cannot be neglected in pharmacology of medicinal plants. Thus, there are many phytochemical studies evaluating seasonal effects in the bioactive secondary metabolite production, [11][12][13] and relating their importance to the environment, 8 to understand the behavior of these plants.The genus Lychnophora (from Asteraceae family) is a plant endemic in Brazil, that has been used as a prospective source of natural products.14 This plant usually grows in the Cerrado, where are found only few arboreous and herbaceous species. 15 Some species of Lychnophora are extensively used in traditional Brazilian herbal medicine as anti-inflammatory, as well as analgesic, antimicrobial and anti-rheumatism agent. 16More specifically, L. ericoides, known as "arnica da serra" or "falsa arnica", is popularly used orally for medical purposes in the form of hydroalcoholic extracts prepared by macerating its leaves with cachaça ("aguardente"). ...

Provenance effect on bioactive phytochemicals and nutritional and health benefits of the desert date Balanites aegyptiaca

“…The effect of geographical distribution and/or environmental conditions on the accumulation of metabolites was reported in several plants species. For instance, variations in biological properties and chemical composition were reported among five populations of Lychnophora ericoides collected from different locations and environments (Gobbo‐Neto et al, 2017). B. aegyptiaca shows considerable phenotypic variation through a wide range of environments and soil types (Sands, 2001).…”

Natural Products Diversity in Plant-Insect Interaction between Tithonia diversifolia (Asteraceae) and Chlosyne lacinia (Nymphalidae)

“…Secondary metabolites (e.g., alkaloids, terpenoids and glucosinolates) have been extensively studied as important plant defensive metabolites, while the role that primary metabolites play in plant-insect interactions remains less explored [8]. Seasonal and spatial effects on plant secondary metabolite contents were associated with variation in the concentrations of chlorogenic acids and flavonoids [9]. Additionally, plants that were collected at the interface between two forest ecosystems exhibited an amplification of defensive compounds, which was related to sesquiterpene lactones (STL) content and then confirmed by the maximal cytotoxic activity [10].…”

TOXICITY OF ALKALOID FRACTIONS FROM Psychotria spp. (RUBIACEAE) AGAINST Atta sexdens FOREL, 1908 (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE)

“…Fractions from P. hastisepala roots showed greater formicidal activities than those obtained from the other parts of the plant (Figure 2). This can be explained by the fact that plants present quantitative and qualitative variations in the profiles of their secondary metabolites, according to the plant tissue studied (Gobbo-Neto et al, 2017;Jeong and Lim, 2018). It can also be highlighted that, for some secondary metabolites, the biosynthesis site differs from the storage site.…”