Comparative determination of ruscogenins content in Butcher’s Broom rhizome samples gathered from the populations grown in different soil conditions in the Marmara Region and attempts for pilot field cultivation of rhizomes

In this study, it was aimed to qualify the rhizome samples of butcher’s broom (Ruscus aculeatus L.) gathered from various populations distributed naturally in The Marmara Region of Anatolia (Asian part of Turkey) based on the methods described in European Pharmacopoeia. For this purpose, rhizomes were sampled from 18 divers populations; namely, 6 from Istanbul, 4 from Bursa, 4 from Adapazarı, 2 from Balıkesir and 2 from Çanakkale. For qualitative analysis HPTLC method was used in order identify ruscogenin and stigmasterol and these were determined in all samples. For quantitative analysis, concentrations of total ruscogenin (mixture of neoruscogenin and ruscogenin) were analyzed by HPLC technique. According to The European Pharmacopoeia, Butcher’s broom rhizomes should contain at least 1% ruscogenins and the rhizome samples obtained from Bahçeköy, Biga, Karacabey, Poyrazlar, Gönen and Kanlıca were found consistent with this limit. For pilot field cultivation trial, rhizome sections were prepared from the selected rhizome samples by cutting carefully from their knuckles. The sections then were planted in the nursery under 3 different crown closures with three replications (one of which to serve control). However, it was observed that the survival ratio of seedlings, which was 1% in the first year in the nursery, declined even further in the 2nd and 3rd years, and finally the seedlings dried up, neither developed a root system nor formed a rhizome. Consequently, further cultivation studies should be carried out under suitable climatic conditions and soil compositions by directly planting the rhizomes.