Ricerc@Sapienza

In this work the HPLC and NMR analysis of the phenyl-ethanoid glycosides (PhGs) pattern of a cultivated exemplar of Verbascum thapsus L. (Scrophulariaceae) from the Etnean area (Sicily, Italy) was performed in order to verify their possible presence. Wild V. thapsus is well-known in ethnopharmacology due to the several beneficial effects that it is able to exert and which are primarily due to these compounds. So, it’s extremely important that also cultivated exemplars of this species biosynthesize them in order to maintain their pharmacological properties.

Verbascum thapsus L., commonly known as great mullein or common mullein, is a biennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Scrophulariaceae family [1].
It has a long tradition of use in ethnopharmacology since it is well know to posses several medicinal properties going from the expectorant and demulcent to the diuretic, anti-inflammatory, sedative, astringent, antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal ones and for these it has been long used in several parts of the world to treat respiratory problems as well as earache, eczema, hemorrhoids, diarrhea, fever, tumor and allergies [2].

In this work an effective method to start axenic cultures of Verbascum thapsus L. was developed. This allowed to obtain a high percentage of callus generation from leaf explants (around 70%) and to start the cultivation of suspension cultured cells rapidly growing in liquid culture medium. Moreover, the production in these materials of the phenylethanoid glycoside compound verbascoside was verified and quantified ascertaining that both calli and cultured cells maintain the ability to accumulate it at levels similar or superior to those found in plant leaves.