Phenylethanoids and isoscutellarein derivatives from Lamium album L.

Abstract

Lamium album L., a plant commonly known as white dead nettle, has been used in folk medicine in the treatment of several ailments. Some of their benefitial properties are closely related to its phenolic content, however the exact polyphenolic composition is far from being understood. In this context, the present work aims to determine the phenolic composition of an ethanolic extract of L. album using high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection, electrospray mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The phenolic extract of L. album was mainly composed by the phenylethanoid verbascoside and its isomer isoverbascoside. Still, it also contained significant amounts of isoscutellarein derivatives, which were herein detected for the first time in the genus Lamium. As isoscutellarein derivatives appear as major components of Lamium Album L., it is feasible that they can be correlated to the beneficial human health properties of this plant.