Polyphenols from the Water Avens have antioxidant effects.
The Water Avens (Geum rivale L.), a rosaceous plant widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, is rich in polyphenols, which are expected to have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. With an international team, IPB scientists have now characterized the secondary metabolome of these plants using mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. In doing so, they paid particular attention to the polyphenolic profile of the above-ground plant parts. As part of this inventory, the Halle scientists found 14 new compounds belonging to the phenolic acids, flavonoids and tannins. Afterwards, the team investigated the bioactive properties of the extracted substances and found pronounced antioxidant activities both in the total extract of plant constituents and in the isolated individual compounds. The various extraction fractions also showed strong antibacterial activity against various strains of E. coli and also of Staphylococcus aureus. Interestingly, only the substance mixtures exhibited these antibacterial properties, while the main isolated phenols were individually ineffective against the microorganisms. Previously postulated neuroprotective activities of Water Avens ingredients, however, could not be proven by the Halle scientists. Their conclusion is that the Water Avens is a promising source of polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant activity. A better knowledge of its constituents could open up access to new pharmaceutical substances and functional products.
