Genus Nicotiana (Solanaceae) includes 76 species, among which only N. tabacum L. (common tobacco) is recognized as economically important. Nicotiana species synthesize various secondary metabolites with biological or ecological activities, but many of them still have not been sufficiently studied. The objective of current study was to determine the content of selected groups of metabolites (e.g. phenolic acids, flavonoids, triterpenes) in the leaves and extracts of three Nicotiana species (N. alata Link & Otto, N. rustica L., and N. tabacum L.), grown side by side. The results from the HPLC identification of polyphenols and triterpenes in leaves and extracts showed considerable variations between the species. All of them, however, were characterized as plant materials containing various specialized, bioactive metabolites, which substantiate their consideration as a valuable source for obtaining different phytoproducts. In terms of the studied groups of bioactive metabolites, the results from the study suggest that 50% and 70% ethanol are the most suitable solvent concentrations for the extraction of N. alata, N. rustica and N. tabacum leaves. The high content of polyphenols and triterpenes in the extracts provide grounds for their use in various cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, which could be the subject of future research.
Key words: polyphenols, triterpenes, tobacco, Nicotiana, extracts
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