DETERMINATION OF HYPERICINE CONTENT IN NINE HYPERICUM SPECIES

K. Jaimand^* , M.B. Rezaee ,Z. Behrad ,M. Mirza,V.Mozaffarian , R. Azady, M. Nadery, M. Golipur, S. Meshkyzadeh , Sh. Karimi

Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Tehran, Iran

E-mail: Jaimand@rifr-ac.ir

Hypericum genus is one of the most important medicinal plants which contain 17 species in Iran. There are three species of shrub endemic to Iran. In this research, nine species of Hypericum collected in June and August 2010 were studied. For Hypericine content 1 gram of plant was extracted in two steps, chloroform extraction then methanol extraction using a soxhlet device. Hypericin content was measured by HPLC, using the following condition, mobile phase: (methanol 68%, ethyl acetate 20% and sodium hydrosulphate  (۰٫۱ M) 12%)  and stationary phase C₁₈, and UV detector : set on 590 nm. Hypericine content in flowers, leaves and stems was determined H. androsaemum L. detected in H.apricum (in flowers 0.061% and leaves 0.005% ), in H. armenum (flower 0.003% ), in H. asperulum (in flower 0.025% , leaves 0.004%, and stems 0.003% ),  in H. hirsutum L. (flower 0.007% ), in H. linarioides (flower 0.007%), in  H. tetrapterum (flowers 0.008% , leaves 0.014%,  and stem 0.001%), and in  H. vermiculare (flowers 0.005%),  in H. perforatum (flowers 0.124% , leaf 0.028% , stem 0.003).