Phytochemical Research and Antimicrobial Properties of Lipophylic Extracts of Some Species of Salix L. Genus from Ukraine

Willows are indispensable for the creation of anti-erosion plantations, preliminary soil-improving crops in the reclamation of disturbed lands, as well as for energy plantations designed to produce the biomass suitable for biofuels. In the process of care and thinning of these plantations, there are a huge amount of waste remains - young willow branches and leaves, which would be advisable to use in medical and pharmaceutical practice to create new supplements and medicines. They are known to possess antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral properties.

The aim of the current paper is to determine the chemical composition of lipophylic extracts of some species of Salix L. genus and to study their antimicrobial properties.

The lipophylic extracts from Salix cinerea L., S. incana Schrank, S. cаprea L., S. sachalinensis F. Schmidt, S. acutifolia L., S. fragilis L., S. caspica Pall., S. rosmarinifolia L. and S. myrsinifolia Salisb. fresh shoots were obtained using chloroform in the Soxhlet apparatus. The composition of volatile components and carboxylic acids was determined using quantitative content of chlorophylls and carotenoids was measured spectrophotometrically. The antibacterial activity was studied by the agar diffusion method.

The methods used allowed identifying 46 volatile compounds in the lipophylic extracts from the shoots of the plants of Salix L. genus, where eugenol and squalene dominated; as well as 42 organic acids, among which benzoic, methoxybenzoic, salicylic acids prevailed, and palmitic, linoleic and linolenic acids were found to prevail among fatty acids. All lipophylic extracts studied showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis and Candida albicans.

The results obtained indicate the possibility of the creation of a novel antimicrobial agent using the lipophylic extracts from the shoots of Salix L. genus rich in different biologically active substances.