Research of the chemical composition of some plants from Gentianaceae family

. In the world flora Gentianaceae family comprises approximately 100 genera and over 1800 species, among which 24 species, belonging to 6 genera, grow on theterritory ofUkraine. The plants of the family are predominant in subtropical and temperate warm areas of each hemisphere, and also distribute in the mountainous regions of the tropics. For medical purposes, basically, roots, less herb plants, have been used.There is not enough information in our accessible scientific sources of literature about the chemical composition of such representatives of the family Gentianaceae as Gentiana cruciata L. and Centaurium erythraea Rafn. Therefore, the aim of our study was to learn the content of organic acids, including ascorbic acid, and xanthones in these species.Research Methods. The detection of organic acids was performed by thin layer chromatography (TLC); the quantitative content was determined by titrimetric method of analysis. The quantitative content of ascorbic acid and xanthones was determined by spectrophotometric method using Lambda 25 Perkin Elmer spectrometer (USA) with wavelengths of 520 nm and 369 nm, respectively.Results and Discussion. As a result of TLC-analysis oxalic, citric and benzoic acids were identified in Centaurium erythraea Rafn, in Gentiana cruciata L. malic, salicylic, citric and tartaric acids were presented. Content of organic acids, ascorbic acid and xanthones in Centaurium erythraea Rafn was (1.27 ± 0.01) %, (0.37 ± 0.01) % and (1.10 ± 0.01) %, in Gentiana cruciata L. (1.13 ± 0.01)%, (0.51 ± 0.01)% and (0.82 ± 0.01)% respectively.Conclusions. Phytochemical analysis of plants of the family Gentianaceae was carried out. Oxalic, citric and benzoic acids were defined in Centaurium erythraea Rafn; in Gentiana cruciata L. malic, salicylic, citric and tartaric acids were identified by TLC method. The quantitative content of organic acids, which was determined by titrimetric method, was (1.13 ± 0.01) % in Gentiana cruciata L. and (1.27±0.01) % in Centaurium erythraea Rafn. The quantitative content of ascorbic acid, which was identified by spectrophotometric method, was (0.37 ± 0.01) % in Centaurium erythraea Rafn and in Gentiana cruciata L. – (0.51 ± 0.01) %. The quantitative content of xanthones in Centaurium erythraea Rafn was set at (1.10 ± 0.01) %; in Gentiana cruciata L. – (0.82 ± 0.01) %.