Variation in Flavonoid Composition and Radical-Scavenging Activity inGinkgo bilobaL. due to the Growth Location and Time of Harvest

Abstract

The aim of our research is to investigate the qualitative and quantitative composition and antioxidant activity of flavonoids in leaf samples of Ginkgo biloba L. (G. biloba) growing in Lithuania and also to provide practical recommendations for the pharmaceutical industry to determine the optimum harvesting time and growth location of G. biloba leaves. The obtained results indicate that the growth location and time of sample collection have a significant influence ( ≤ 0.05) on the content of active compounds. July and August are the best months to harvest G. biloba leaves for industry. To ensure the rational collection of G. biloba raw material, the location of plantations is recommended in the western and southwestern phytoregions. The obtained results also indicate that the flavonoid content in G. biloba leaf has a significantly positive correlation ( = 0.952, ≤ 0.001) with antioxidant activity. The aqueous acetonic extracts from green leaves scavenge radicals to a greater degree than those from yellow Ginkgo leaves. The results of this investigation provide information regarding the most suitable Lithuanian growing location to produce G. biloba with an optimized content of health-promoting compounds.

Variation in the Phenolic Compounds Profile and Antioxidant Activity in Different Parts of Hawthorn (Crataegus pentagyna Willd.) During Harvest Periods

“…[Routray & Orsat, 2014;Tiwari & Cummins, 2013]. Owing to all the above mentioned, many types of researches have addressed changes in the content of bioactive components of plants [Ben Ahmed et al, 2017;Cezarotto et al, 2017;Hlel et al, 2017;Rimkiene et al, 2017].…”

Optimization of Ginkgo biloba cultivation technology in open soil conditions

“…Studies on determining the antioxidant properties of G. biloba have shown this index is higher in the leaf than the branches (Tewari et al, 2017) and depends on leaf colour (Wojdyło et al, 2007). The medicinal properties of G. biloba plants are significantly influenced by environmenalt abiotic and biotic factors associated with altitude and seasons (Ellnain-Wojtaszek et al, 2003;Kaur et al, 2012), and also the growing site affects active substances (flavanoid) concentration in the leaves (Rimkiene et al, 2017). It has been proved (Sati et al, 2013) that the largest number of phytochemicals and antioxidants is related on autumn and spring (depending on substance type).…”

“…Seeds sprout in autumn and require stratification in spring crops. In culture, G. biloba is propagated by seeds, root cuttings or stem cuttings (Rimkiene et al, 2017).…”

“…G. biloba plants have been grown from seeds, because it has previously been shown this plant is equally successful when cultivated from seed and with vegetative propagation (Rimkiene et al, 2017).…”

“…Currently, in the United States, France, Germany, South Korea, and other countries this relict plant is grown for pharmacological needs (as medicinal tea), on industrial plantations ranging from several dozens to hundreds of hectares each (Rimkiene et al, 2017). At the same time, scientists emphasize the fact that the process of growing plantations of this relic species can affect the productivity and concentration of active substances in the leaf (Yang & Chen, 2014;Guo et al, 2016;Rimkiene et al, 2017). Given the fact that this species is relict, research on the conservation of G. biloba is also being conducted (Tasiu, 2015).…”