Study of Chemical Composition of Extract from Beta Vulgaris Seeds and its Cytotoxic Activity

Abstract

Nowadays, a variety of plants is being investigated with the aim of developing new medicines with improved properties and expanding the range of efficient and safe preparations. Modern studies of representatives of the family Amaranthaceae (Beta vulgaris) have revealed medicinal properties in plants that were used previously only as food. Many medicinal properties are due to the presence of betalains and phenols in the roots and the stems of red beetroot (Beta vulgaris L. var. conditiva). Along with this, there is a lack of information on the chemical composition and biological activity of seeds of this species. The purpose of our research was to study the chemical composition of Beta vulgaris seeds and to assess the cytotoxic activity. The research objects: CO₂ extracts of beetroot seeds: Thick POCO₂ (1), liquid POCO₂ (2) and liquid alcohol extract POC₂H₅. Determination of the component composition of the extract was performed on the gas chromatograph Clarus 580 (PerkinElmer) with the mass spectrometric detector Clarus-SQ. To determine the cytotoxic activity, the marine crustaceans Artemia salina were taken. Based on the results of the analysis of the chemical composition of the thick CO₂-extract, 25 compounds were identified and the liquid CO₂-extract-11 components were identified. The dominant compounds in both extracts are phenol and creosol. The results of determining the cytotoxic activity allow determining that liquid CO₂ extract of beetroot seeds POC₂H₅ at a concentration of 10 mg/mL exhibits cytotoxicity (68%) and does not exhibit activity at concentrations of 5 and 1 mg/mL; thick CO₂ beetroot seed extract POCO₂ (1) at all tested concentrations does not exhibit cytotoxicity; liquid alcohol extract of beetroot seeds at all tested concentrations does not exhibit cytotoxicity.