Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
EPILOBIUM HIRSUTUM
LINNAEUS
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Myrtales
Family: Onagraceae
Common name: Hairy willow herb
Distribution: Europe, North America, Asia
Habitat: Marshland, banks of rivers and streams
Description: It is a perennial plant growing to a maximum height of 2 m. The
stems are robust, and branched with much hair. Leaves are also hairy (10
cm long and 4 cm wide) and have sharply toothed edges, but without stalk.
Flowers (15 mm long) are large and purple-pink with four notched petals.
Compounds and activities: The values of its bioactive compounds, viz., caffeic
acid, p-coumaric acid, and ferulic acids (phenolic acids), were found to be
23.1 ± 0.03, 38.3 ± 0.09, and 10.9 ± 0.29 mg/100 g dw, respectively. The
values of quercetin and myricetin (lavonoids) of this species were found to
be 214 ± 0.03 and 191 ± 0.24 mg/100 g dw, respectively. The proportional
relation of lavonoid's content to that of phenolic acids in this species has
been estimated as 82.5%. This species showed the highest scavenging of
DPPH (antioxidant activity) due to its signiicant content of catechins and
procyanidins (102 mg/100 g dw). The values of antioxidant activity of this
species (total equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC)) (µm trolox/100 g
dw) obtained by ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP were found to be 69.5 ± 1.22,
2021 ± 22.1, and 275 ± 1.11, respectively (Wojdylo et al., 2007).
