ACTIVE PRINCIPLES WITH POSITIVE EFFECTS ON LIPID METABOLISM

Today attention is given increasingly higher to plants, considering that they represent an inexhaustible source of raw materials that regenerates every year. Plants can be used as raw materials in the preparation of drugs or in industrial extraction of active principles. The advantage of phytotherapy is that plant based drugs have a positive impact not only on a single organ or a specific system, but on the whole body. Experimental research focused on the following plant materials: sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides), hawthorn leaves and flowers (Crataegus oxyacantha), garlic bulbs (Allium sativum) and maple buds (Acer campestre). They were tested in order to characterize, identify and determine the content of active compounds. The analysis of the extracts revealed a high content of lipase in sea buckthorn, 6,3 U/g, as well as in garlic, 4,9 U/g, while the buds maple had a very low lipolytic activity, only 0,4 U/g. The highest content of flavones was determined in leaves and flowers of hawthorn and sea buckthorn. Reducing compounds were determined in large quantities in sea buckthorn, while the other materials tested showed a 50% lower content. The highest content of polyhydroxyphenols was determined in hawthorn and sea buckthorn. Sea buckthorn was also noted by a very high content of vitamin C, 483 mg/100 g. The results obtained in these experiments allowed the selection of plant products rich in many active principles involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism.