ACCUMULATION OF PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS IN LEAVES AND UNDERGROUND ORGANS OF DROPWORT (FILIPENDULA VULGARIS MOENCH)

Dropwort (Filipendula vulgaris Moench) is an Euro-Asiatic perennial belonging to the family Rosaceae. The raw materials (above- and underground organs) of this plant, rich in phenolic compounds, reveal anti-inflammatory, anti¬rheumatic and diuretic activity. The effect of the summer flowering shoots removal on the yield of basal leaves and underground organs (rhizomes with tuberous roots) and accumulation of phenolic compounds (determined by HPLC) in two-year-old plants was investigated. The shoots removal increased the yield of these organs. The dominant phenolic compounds in the leaves were hyperoside, (-)-epicatechin and gallic acid, whereas in underground organs - catechin derivatives [(+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin]. The shoots removal significantly increased the content of gallic and chlorogenic acids in the leaves, whereas in rhizomes and tubers decreased the content of all determined compounds.