The composition of the essential oils and the furanocoumarin profiles of CH2 Cl2 extracts from underground parts and fruits of nine Heracleum taxa (Apiaceae) from Southeastern Europe were statistically analyzed to evaluate their chemosystematic significance. Eight investigated taxa (H. orphanidis and members of H. sphondylium group: H. sphondylium, H. sibiricum, H. montanum, H. ternatum, H. pyrenaicum subsp. pollinianum, H. pyrenaicum subsp. orsinii and H. verticillatum) belong to the type section of the genus. Additionally analyzed taxon, H. austriacum subsp. siifolium, belongs to H. sect. Wendia. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the essential oils was performed by GC-FID and GC/MS, and of the furanocoumarins by LC/MS. Furanocoumarins were identified using standards and/or based on UV, MS, 1 H- and ROESY NMR spectra. Multivariate statistics (PCA, nMDS, UPGMA) of analyzed metabolites showed that the investigated taxa were grouped according to their taxonomic classification. PCA revealed the significance of some monoterpenes and (Z)-falcarinol of the underground parts oils, octyl esters of the fruit oils, and most of the total of 12 identified furanocoumarins.
Keywords: Heracleum taxa; chemosystematic significance; essential oils; furanocoumarins; multivariate statistics; phytochemistry.
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