SEPARATION OF POLYPHENOLIC GLYCOCONJUGATES ISOLATED FROM Filipendula ulmaria (L.) MAXIM. BY SIZE EXCLUSION CHROMATOGRAPHY

The medicinal plant Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim., commonly known as the Meadowsweet, is a plant of Rosaceae family. This plant can be found whole over the world - mostly in Europe, North America and Western Asia. Meadowsweet usually grows in semi-shady and sunny areas, on moist and wet soil, close to river banks, around ponds and in meadows(1,2). This plant has been recognized for its wide applications in folk medicine. It was used for rheumatic diseases, gastrointestinal tract disorders and in range of digestive problems, including diarrhea(2-4). It also acts carminative, astringent and was used as a source of salicylic acid, popular medicine since the XIX century, which derivatives are currently used as the components of many drugs, among which the most popular is aspirin. The name "aspirin" is a combination of "acetyl" and "spirin" derived from second Latin name of F. ulmaria-Spiraea(2,5). This plant is an object of many researches due to lots of active substances present in the tissues of this plant. Flowers of Filipendula ulmaria are rich in polyphenolic constituents including salicylates (e.g. spiraein, salicylic acid and methyl salicylate), flavonols (e.g. spiraeoside, hyperoside, rutin, kaempherol 4'-O-glucosides, quercetin-4'-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside and quercetin-3-O-beta-glucopyranoside) and ellagitannins (tellimagrandins I and II, and rugosin D) presenting valuable antioxidant properties(6-11).