High Performance Liquid Chromatographic Analysis of Rutin in Allium Species from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Rutin is quercetin heteroside widely present in plants that exhibit many health-beneficial effects, such as strengthening the capillary walls, reducing the harmful effects of LDL cholesterol, and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Rutin was determined from three <i>Allium</i> species (<i>A. cepa</i>, <i>A. sativum</i>, and <i>A. ursinum</i>) collected in Bosnia and Herzegovina by the HPLC method associated with electrochemical detection. The analysis was performed from methanol extracts of bulb and leaf of garlic, bulb and leaf of onion, and leaves of wood garlic. Rutin was present in all of the examined samples. The highest rutin content was found in garlic leaves (0.78 ± 0.09 mg g<sup>–1</sup>), and the lowest in onion bulbs (0.04 ± 0.10 mg g<sup>–1</sup>). The contents of rutin were higher in leaf samples, suggesting that leaves of onion and garlic are recommended as a better natural source of this glycoside.