Molecules, Vol. 25, Pages 4256: Optimization of Light Intensity, Temperature, and Nutrients to Enhance the Bioactive Content of Hyperforin and Rutin in St. John ’s Wort

Molecules, Vol. 25, Pages 4256: Optimization of Light Intensity, Temperature, and Nutrients to Enhance the Bioactive Content of Hyperforin and Rutin in St. John’s Wort Molecules doi: 10.3390/molecules25184256 Authors: Chia-Hung Kuo Yi-Chin Chou Kuo-Chun Liao Chwen-Jen Shieh Tzu-Shing Deng St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) is a medicinal plant that alleviates depression and other disorders due to its abundance of active ingredients. Hyperforin, rutin, and melatonin are the main active, and important, ingredients in St. John’s wort that alleviate depression. In order to investigate the optimal conditions for accumulating these active ingredients, design of experiments and response surface methodology (RSM) was employed in this study. Two-month-old St John’s wort plants were cultivated in growth chambers at varying temperatures, light intensities, and nutrient solution concentrations before analysis by HPLC, for determining differences in hyperforin, rutin, and melatonin content. The results showed that hyperforin and rutin contents were significantly influenced by temperature (18–23 °C) and light intensity (49–147 μmol m−2 s−1 photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD)), whereas Hoagland’s nutrient solution concentration (25–75%) had little effect. The accumulation of melatonin might not be influenced by cu...
Source: Molecules - Category: Chemistry Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research