Catecholamines are active plant-based drug compounds in Pisum sativum, Phaseolus vulgaris and Vicia faba Species

Introduction: Catecholamines (L-DOPA and dopamine) are the key metabolites found in nervous system and their endogenous deficiency is associated with different patho-physiological disorders. Therefore, it is important to screen the new herbal sources of catecholamines for drug preparation. In this study, the amount of L-DOPA and dopamine were investigated in the leaves and roots of three species from legume family such as Pisum sativum (garden pea), Phaseolus vulgaris (haricot bean) and Vicia faba (broad bean); using TLC and HPLC. Methods: The seeds of P. sativum, P. Vulgaris and V. faba were treated and cultured under the glasshouse conditions. The extraction from 1 gram of each plant sample was obtained and assayed for L-DOPA and dopamine using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and reversed-phase HPLC. Results: The results indicated that all cultivars accumulated different levels of L-DOPA and dopamine in leaves and roots. The quantitative results showed that the metabolites concentrations were high in the leaves of P. Sativum and V. faba compared to that in roots. Conclusion: The present study may provide a new avenue for preparation and estimation of L-DOPA and dopamine from plant sources and may be used for further analysis and therapeutic studies.