The morpho-physiological characteristics and accumulation of phenolic compounds in some species of Aloe
In spite of numerous researches of plants of an aloe, still there are not enough data on their ability for accumulation of phenolic compounds - one of the secondary metabolites most widespread in the higher plants with high biological and antioxidant activity. Research objective was studying of morpho-physiological characteristics and content of such phenolic compounds as fenilpropanoids and flavonoids at five species of the genus Aloe (A. arborescens, A. bakeri, A. vera, A. pillansii, A. spinosissima) which are grown in the conditions of a greenhouse. Morpho-physiological status of plants was estimated by their height, length and width of leaves and on water contents in its. Phenol compaunds were extracted by 96% ethanol. Content of flavonoids was determined by reaction with 1% AlCh solution (415 nm), the contents of fenilpropanoids by method of a direct spectrophotometry of extracts (330 nm). Differences in the morpho-physiological characteristics and water content of the leaves of various aloe species are revealed. It is shown that the highest content of flavonoids was in the leaves of A. spinosissima and the lowest in A. arborescens and A. vera. The content of phenylpropanoids was high in A. arborescens, A. pillansii and A. spinosissima and the lowest in A. vera. The conclusion is drawn that concerning accumulation of flavonoids were perspective A. bakeri and A. spinosissima, and on the contents of fenilpropanoids - A. spinosissima and A. pillansii. These species of an aloe can be the perspective sources of the biologically active phenolic compounds which are not to be inferior to A. vera - and A. arborescens.