Polyphenol Content of Ononis arvensis L. and Rhinanthus serotinus (Schönh. Ex Halácsy & Heinr.Braun) Oborny Used in the Transylvanian

This study aimed at systematic and historic collecting of ethnomedicinal plants in 3 villages in Transylvania, part of Romania in 2011-2013, and detecting polyphenol compounds of the selected Ononis arvensis and Rhinanthus serotinus by LC-MS. The aerial part of Ononis arvensis was mentioned for diarrhea, liver and stomach disorders, and Rhinanthus serotinus against stomach diseases. In O. arvensis, nineteen polyphenolic compounds were identified and quantified. The dominant constituent was eriodictiol, and the plant contained large amount of catechin, epicatechin, trans-resveratrol and piceid. In addition, other flavanones, phenolic acids, flavones, flavonols, flavan-3-ols, a dihydrochalcon and stilbenoids compounds were detected in the species. In Rhinanthus serotinus, apigenin was the main component among the detected thirteen other polyphenolic compounds. These preliminary results highlight the necessity of documentation of traditional use of plants in the region, and the need of further analyses of the plants to determine their effect and safety in the future.