Determination of the flavonoid content in flowers, leaves and shoots of Crataegus L

Relevance. The medicinal preparations based on the raw materials of hawthorn (Crataegus sp.) are successfully used as cardiotonic agents both in the Russian Federation and abroad. However, only flowers and fruits are used as raw materials of hawthorn in our country, whereas foreign experience shows the possibility of using hawthorn cormus collected at the flowering stage of the plant as raw materials. Crataegus sanguinea Pall., Crataegus monogina Jacq. and Crataegus submollis Sarg. can serve as sources of a new type of raw materials. As studies conducted earlier have shown, the leaves of the Crataegus sanguinea Pall. have a cardiotonic effect and a diuretic effect, and the cormus of the Crataegus submollis Sarg. can be used as antidepressants. The aim of the study was a comparative study of the flavonoid composition of flowers, leaves and shoots of some species of the genus hawthorn (Crataegus L.). Material and methods. The flowers, leaves and cormus of Crataegus sanguinea Pall., Crataegus monogina Jacq. and Crataegus submollis Sarg. were collected during the flowering period of plants on the territory of the Botanical Garden of Samara University in May 2021. The content of flavonoids was determined in all types of raw materials. Qualitative analysis was carried out by thin-layer chromatography and UV-spectrophotometry. Differential spectrophotometry was chosen as the method of quantitative analysis. Results. The comparative analysis of hawthorn flowers, leaves and cormus showed that the hawthorn flowers of the studied are similar in flavonoid composition, whereas the leaves and shoots differ markedly, although within the same species their flavonoid composition is similar. In all types of raw materials, the content of chlorogenic acid and hyperoside is noted. Conclusions. The flavonoid composition of hawthorn cormus and leaves is similar in the corresponding species, therefore, quantitative analysis of hawthorn leaves and shoots should be carried out by differential spectrophotometry. In the case of leaves and cormus of Crataegus submollis Sarg., it is advisable to determine the total flavonoids calculated on hyperoside (wavelength 412 nm), and in the case of Crataegus sanguinea Pall. and Crataegus monogina Jacq, to determine the content of the total flavonoids calculated on of 211-O-rhamnoside of vitexin (wavelength 392 nm). Hawthorn leaves and cormus are promising types of medicinal plant raw materials. Crataegus submollis Sarg. is a promising source of medicinal herbal preparations.