Comparative analysis of therapeutically important indole compounds in in vitro cultures of Hypericum perforatum cultivars by HPLC and TLC analysis coupled with densitometric detection.

Five indole compounds (5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan, L-tryptophan, indole-3-acetic acid, melatonin, serotonin) and hypericin were identified and quantified in methanolic extracts of shoot cultures of three Hypericum perforatum cultivars (Helos, Elixir, Topas) growing on two variants of Murashige -Skoog medium differing in concentrations of growth regulators (naphthalene-l-acetic acid and 6-benzylaminopurine). Extracts of the aboveground parts of field-grown plants (Hyperici herba) were also analyzed by HPLC and TLC analysis coupled with densitometric detection. Determination of four compounds was based on our assay described earlier.