Comparison of the chemical composition of four yarrow (Achilea millefolium L.) morphotypes

Abstract

Four morphotypes – white, pink, deep pink and red – of Achillea millefolium L. are cultivated in the collection of medicinal plants at the Kaunas Botanical Garden of Vytautas Magnus University. The colour of linguiform flowers may be affected by a different phenotype or genotype of plants, therefore phytochemical investigations of four yarrow morphotypes were started. The main goal in this work was to evaluate differences in the total content of flavonoids and essential oils and to identify and quantify principal components of essential oils in various Achillea millefolium L. morphotypes. Gas chromatography was used for quantifying essential oil components in flowers and herb. Flowers contained more essential oils than did herb in all morphotypes of Achillea millefolium L. The total content of flavonoids ranged within 0.05–0.07%. The highest content of flavonoids was determined in the deep pink morphotype, and the content of essential oil was highest in the white morphotype of Achillea millefolium L. The total content of flavonoids and the essential oil composition of the white morphotype of Achillea millefolium L. were determined at different vegetation periods. Keywords: Achillea millefolium L., gas chromatography, gas chromatography mass spectrometry, essential oil components, flavonoids