Composition and thermal stability of anthocyanins from chinese purple corn ( Zea mays L.)

Chinese purple corn extracts ( Zea mays L., Zhuozhou, Hebei, China) (EZPC) were selected among five Chinese purple corn hybrids due to their higher anthocyanin content, and their thermal stability was evaluated. The total anthocyanin content and total phenolic content of EZPC were 304.5 +/- 16.32 mg of cyanidin-3-glucoside equiv/100 g of dry seeds and 489.8 +/- 24.90 mg of gallic acid equiv/100 g of dry seeds, respectively. Moreover, the individual anthocyanins of EZPC were determined by HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS analysis. Seven main compounds were determined, including cyanidin-3-(malonylglucoside), cyanidin-3-O-glucoside-2-malonylglucoside, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, peonidin-3-O-glucoside, peonidin-3-(malonylglucoside), pelargonidin-3-(6'-malonylglucoside), and peonidin-3-(dimalonylglucoside). The thermal stability of EZPC was studied by differential scanning calorimetry. Thermodynamic analysis showed that the conversion of EZPC followed an Arrhenius relationship, where the delta enthalpy (H) and activation energy (E(a)) were 97.0 J/g and 204 +/- 2.72 kJ/mol, respectively. Furthermore, the relationships between the degree of conversion of EZPC and time or temperature were reported. This study demonstrated that the evaluated Chinese purple corn hybrids are a natural source of anthocyanins and are stable over a wide range of temperatures and times.     

Soluble and bound phenolic compounds in different Bolivian purple corn ( Zea mays L.) cultivars

In nine Bolivian purple corn ( Zea mays L.) varieties the content of phenolic compounds as well as the anthocyanin composition has been determined. The phenotypes under investigation included four red and five blue varieties (Kulli, Ayzuma, Paru, Tuimuru, Oke, Huaca Songo, Colorado, Huillcaparu, and Checchi). In purple corn, phenolic compounds were highly concentrated in cell walls. Thus, simultaneous determination of soluble and bound-form phenolics is essential for analysis, extraction, and quantification. The present study reports the determination of soluble and insoluble-bound fraction of phenolic compounds by HPLC-DAD and HPLC-ESI-MS(n) in Bolivian purple corn varieties. Enzymatic, thermal, and alkaline hydrolyses were used to obtain the cell wall-linked phenolic compounds. Ferulic acid values ranged from 132.9 to 298.4 mg/100 g, and p-coumaric acid contents varied between 251.8 and 607.5 mg/100 g dry weight (DW), respectively, and were identified as the main nonanthocyanin phenolics. The total content of phenolic compounds ranged from 311.0 to 817.6 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 g DW, and the percentage contribution of bound to total phenolics varied from 62.1 to 86.6%. The total monomeric anthocyanin content ranged from 1.9 to 71.7 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents/100 g DW. Anthocyanin profiles are almost the same among the different samples. Differences are observed only in the relative percentage of each anthocyanin. Cyanidin-3-glucoside and its malonated derivative were detected as major anthocyanins. Several dimalonylated monoglucosides of cyanidin, peonidin, and pelargonidin were present as minor constituents.     

Phenolic composition and antioxidant activity in seed coats of 60 Chinese black soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) varieties

Phenolics in black soybean seed coat (BSSC) are considered to be responsible for the health benefits of black soybean. BSSCs of 60 Chinese varieties were examined for phenolic contents, anthocyanin profiles, and antioxidant activity. Total phenolic and condensed tannin contents ranged from 512.2 to 6057.9 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g and from 137.2 to 1741.1 mg (+)-catechin equivalents/100 g, respectively. Six anthocyanins (delphinidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-galactoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, petunidin-3-glucoside, peonidin-3-glucoside, and malvidin-3-glucoside) were detected by HPLC. Total anthocyanin contents (TAC) were from 98.8 to 2132.5 mg/100 g, and cyanidin-3-glucoside was the most abundant anthocyanin in all varieties, with a distribution of 48.8-94.1% of TAC. Antioxidant properties detected by DPPH, FRAP, and ORAC methods all showed wide variations ranging from 4.8 to 65.3 μg/100 mL (expressed as EC(50)), from 17.5 to 105.8 units/g, and from 42.5 to 1834.6 μmol Trolox equivalent/g, respectively. Sixty varieties were classified into four groups by hierarchical clustering analysis, and group 4 consisting of nine varieties had the highest phytochemicals content and antioxidant activity.     

Phenolic composition and antioxidant activities in flesh and achenes of strawberries (Fragaria ananassa)

High performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array and coulometric array detectors were used to characterize and quantify phenolic compounds in achenes and flesh of ripe strawberries (cv Totem and Puget Reliance). Total phenolics and total monomeric anthocyanins were measured and antioxidant activities were evaluated by the FRAP and the ORAC assays. Strawberries contained 1% achenes on a fresh weight basis; however, they contributed to about 11% of total phenolics and 14% of antioxidant activities in strawberries. Ellagic acid, ellagic acid glycosides, and ellagitannins were the main contributors to the antioxidant activities of achenes. The major anthocyanin in flesh was pelargonidin-3-glucoside, whereas achenes consisted of nearly equal amounts of cyanidin-3-glucoside and pelargonidin-3-glucoside. Phenolic content and antioxidant activity of strawberry achenes were reduced by industrial processing. However, the levels were still high and strawberry waste byproduct could thus be a possible source of nutraceuticals or natural antioxidants.     

Assessment of the differences in the phenolic composition of five strawberry cultivars (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) grown in two different soilless systems

The phenolics from different strawberry cultivars (Aromas, Camarosa, Diamante, Medina, and Ventana) cultivated in two different soilless systems (with and without recycling nutrient solution) were quantified to assess differences in their profiles as a function of both the variety and the cultivation system. Considering groups of phenols, it was found that either anthocyanins (including pelargonidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-rutinoside, pelargonidin-3-acetylglucoside, and two unidentified pelargonidin derivatives) or phenolic acids (including caffeic, ferulic, p-coumaric, p-hydroxybenzoic, and ellagic acid) were quantitatively more important than those of flavonols (quercetin and kaempferol); the ranges of values were 78.81-198.88, 49.77-128.37, and 12.85-43.04 microg/g, respectively. Considering individual compounds and after applying relevant pattern recognition techniques, it was concluded that the contents of cyanidin-3-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-rutinoside, p-coumaric acid, and pelargonidin-3-glucoside were the most appropriate variables to discriminate among varieties, whereas those of p-hydroxybenzoic acid and pelargonidin-derivative 1 were the most appropriate to discriminate between cultivation systems. The first factor of PCA was mainly linked to anthocyanins and quercetin, whereas the second principal component (PC) was related to kaempferol and p-coumaric acid.     

Isolation and determination of anthocyanins in seed coats of black soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.).

Anthocyanin pigments in seed coats of black soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) were extracted with 1% HCl-CH(3)OH, and the crude anthocyanin extract was purified by Shepadex LH-20 and Lichroprep RP-18 open-column chromatography. Three major anthocyanins were isolated, and their chemical structures were identified by spectroscopic methods (UV-visible, FABMS, (1)H and (13)C NMR, and by TLC). The complete structures of these anthocyanins were elucidated as delphinidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, and petunidin-3-glucoside. Among them, petunidin-3-glucoside was identified as a new anthocyanin in black soybeans. On the basis of RP-HPLC with a UV-vis detector, the contents of delphinidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, petunidin-3-glucoside, and total anthocyanins in seed coats of 10 black soybeans were found in the ranges of 0-3.71, 0.94-15.98, 0-1.41, and 1.58-20.18 mg/g, respectively. The results obtained in this study imply that the seed coats of black soybean can be used as a good source for cyanidin-3-glucoside and delphinidin-3-glucoside.     

Anthocyanin composition of wild bananas in Thailand

Anthocyanins were isolated from male bracts of 10 wild species of bananas (Musa spp. and Ensete spp.) distributed in Thailand. Six major anthocyanin pigments were identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), mass spectrometry (MS), and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). They are delphinidin-3-rutinoside (m/z 611.2), cyanidin-3-rutinoside (m/z 595.8), petunidin-3-rutinoside (m/z 624.9), pelargonidin-3-rutinoside (m/z 579.4), peonidin-3-rutinoside (m/z 608.7), and malvidin-3-rutinoside (m/z 638.8). On the basis of the types of pigment present, the wild bananas can be divided into 5 groups. The first group comprises M. itinerans, Musa sp. one, Musa sp. two, and M. acuminata accessions, which contain almost or all anthocyanin pigments except for pelargonidin-3-rutinoside, including both nonmethylated and methylated anthocyanins. The second group, M. acuminata subsp. truncata, contains only malvidin-3-rutinoside while the third group, M. coccinea, contains cyanidin-3-rutinoside and pelargonidin-3-rutinoside. The forth group, M. acuminata yellow bract and E. glaucum do not appear to contain any anthocyanin pigment. The fifth group consists of M. balbisiana, M. velutina, M. laterita, and E. superbum which contain only nonmethylated anthocyanin, delphinidin-3-rutinoside, and cyanidin-3-rutinoside. Total anthocyanin content in the analyzed bracts ranged from 0-119.70 mg/100 g bract fresh weight. The differences in the type of anthocyanin and variation in the amounts present indicate that wild bananas show biochemical diversity, which may be useful for identifying specific groups of bananas or for clarifying the evolution of flavonoid metabolism in each banana group.     

Improving the screening process for the selection of potato breeding lines with enhanced polyphenolics content

Efficient selection of potato varieties with enhanced nutritional quality requires simple, rapid, accurate, and cost-effective assays to obtain tuber chemical composition information. Our objective was to develop simple protocols to determine phenolics, anthocyanins, and antioxidant capacity in polyphenolic extracts of potatoes using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy combined with multivariate techniques. Lyophilized potato samples (23) were analyzed. Polyphenolic compounds were extracted from potatoes and applied directly applied onto a three-bounce ZnSe crystal for attenuated total reflectance measurements in the infrared region of 4000 to 700 cm (-1). Robust models were generated (r > or = 0.99) with standard error of cross-validation values of 4.17 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g (total phenolics), 0.87 mg pelargonidin-3-glucoside/100 g (monomeric anthocyanins), and 130.8 mumol Trolox equivalent/100 g (antioxidant capacity) potato powder. In addition, classification models discriminated potato samples at the species and variety level. Application of a simple infrared spectroscopic protocol allowed simultaneous rapid quantification of specific nutritional components in potatoes and efficient selection of value-added potato varieties.     

Fruit quality, antioxidant capacity, and flavonoid content of organically and conventionally grown blueberries

The effect of cultivation practices on fruit quality and antioxidant capacity in highbush blueberries var. Bluecrop (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) was evaluated from random samples of commercial late harvest fields in New Jersey. Results from this study showed that blueberry fruit grown from organic culture yielded significantly higher sugars (fructose and glucose), malic acid, total phenolics, total anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity (ORAC) than fruit from the conventional culture. In organically cultured fruit, the average values for the ORAC, total anthocyanins, and total phenolic content were 46.14 micromol of Trolox (TE)/g of fresh weight (fwt), 131.2 mg/100 g of fwt, and 319.3 mg/100 g of fwt, respectively. In conventionally cultured fruit, the average values for the ORAC, total anthocyanin, and total phenol content were 30.8 micromol of TE/g of fwt, 82.4 mg/100 g of fwt, and 190.3 mg/100 g of fwt, respectively. The organic culture also produced fruit with higher contents of myricetin 3-arabinoside, quercetin 3-glucoside, delphinidin 3-galactoside, delphinidin 3-glucoside, delphinidin 3-arabinoside, petunidin 3-galactoside, petunidin 3-glucoside, and malvidin 3-arabinoside than conventional culture. There was a significant correlation between the ORAC values and total phenolics and total anthocyanins. These results indicate that even though there were variations in phytonutrient content among individual farms within each cultural system, significant differences between two cultivation practices were evident.     

Isolation and identification of strawberry phenolics with antioxidant and human cancer cell antiproliferative properties

Studies suggest that consumption of berry fruits, including strawberries ( Fragaria x ananassa Duch.), may have beneficial effects against oxidative stress mediated diseases such as cancer. Berries contain multiple phenolic compounds, which are thought to contribute to their biological properties. Comprehensive profiling of phenolics from strawberries was previously reported using high-performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) detection. The current study reports the isolation and structural characterization of 10 phenolic compounds from strawberry extracts using a combination of Amberlite XAD16-resin and C18 columns, HPLC-UV, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy methods. The phenolics were cyanidin-3-glucoside ( 1), pelargonidin (2), pelargonidin-3-glucoside (3), pelargonidin-3-rutinoside (4), kaempferol (5), quercetin (6), kaempferol-3-(6'-coumaroyl)glucoside) (7), 3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl-acrylic acid (8), glucose ester of ( E)- p-coumaric acid (9), and ellagic acid . Strawberry crude extracts and purified compounds 1- 10 were evaluated for antioxidant and human cancer cell antiproliferative activities by the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and luminescent ATP cell viability assays, respectively. Among the pure compounds, the anthocyanins 1 (7156 microM Trolox/mg), 2 (4922 microM Trolox/mg), and 4 (5514 microM Trolox/mg) were the most potent antioxidants. Crude extracts (250 microg/mL) and pure compounds (100 microg/mL) inhibited the growth of human oral (CAL-27, KB), colon (HT29, HCT-116), and prostate (LNCaP, DU145) cancer cells with different sensitivities observed between cell lines. This study adds to the growing body of data supporting the bioactivities of berry fruit phenolics and their potential impact on human health.     

Saskatoon and wild blueberries have higher anthocyanin contents than other Manitoba berries

Studies have shown that anthocyanins present in berry fruits have some beneficial health effects such as reducing age-associated oxidative stress and possessing anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, six Manitoba berries (wild blueberry, Saskatoon berry, raspberry, chokecherry, strawberry, and seabuckthorn) were studied for their anthocyanin compositions (mg/100 g) on dry weight basis. Saskatoon berry and wild blueberry showed a high content of total anthocyanins (562.4 and 558.3 mg/100 g, respectively) that were not significantly (P>0.05) different from each other. The corresponding values for other berries: raspberry (365.2 mg/100 g), chokecherry (177.39 mg/100 g), and strawberry (97.5 mg/100 g) were significantly different from each other (P<0.05), and the total anthocyanin content of seabuckthorn was negligible (0.84 mg/100 g). Fifteen major anthocyanins were isolated from Manitoba berries. Saskatoon berry and wild blueberry contained higher amounts of delphinidin 3-glucoside (Dp-3-glc), malvidin 3-glucoside (Mv-3-glc), and malvidin 3-galactoside (Mv-3-gal). Dp-3-glc was 263.8 (mg/100 g) in Saskatoon berry and 84.4 (mg/100 g) in wild blueberry, whereas the corresponding values for Mv-3-glc in these berries were 47.4 and 139.6 (mg/100 g), respectively. Raspberry, strawberry, and chokecherry contained higher amounts of cyanidin 3-glucoside (Cy-3-glc), cyanidin 3-rutinoside (Cy-3-rut), and pelargonidin 3-glucoside (Pg-3-glc). The total anthocyanin content of Manitoba fruits followed the order: Saskatoon berry and blueberry (high anthocyanin berries), raspberry and chokecherry (medium anthocyanin berries), strawberry (low anthocyanin berries), and seabuckthorn (negligible anthocyanin berries). This study demonstrated that Saskatoon berries and wild blueberries have high potential value for fruit growers as well as the food and nutraceutical manufacturers because of their high anthocyanin contents.     

Ellagitannins,flavonoids, and other phenolics in red raspberries and their contribution to antioxidant capacity and vasorelaxation properties

Analysis of extracts of Glen Ample raspberries (Rubus idaeus L.) by gradient, reverse phase HPLC with diode array and tandem mass spectrometry identified eleven anthocyanins, including cyanidin-3-sophoroside, cyanidin-3-(2(G)-glucosylrutinoside), cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-rutinoside, pelargonidin-3-sophoroside, pelargonidin-3-(2(G)-glucosylrutinoside), and pelargonidin-3-glucoside. Significant quantities of an ellagitannin, sanguiin H-6, with an M(r) of 1870 were detected along with lower levels of a second ellagitannin, lambertianin C, which has an M(r) of 2804. Other phenolic compounds that were detected included trace levels of ellagic acid and its sugar conjugates along with one kaempferol- and four quercetin-based flavonol conjugates. Fractionation by preparative HPLC revealed that sanguiin H-6 was a major contributor to the antioxidant capacity of raspberries together with vitamin C and the anthocyanins. Vasodilation activity was restricted to fractions containing lambertianin C and sanguiin H-6.     

Direct intestinal absorption of red fruit anthocyanins, cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3,5-diglucoside, into rats and humans.

We determined red fruit anthocyanins, cyanidin-3-glucoside (Cy-g) and cyanidin-3,5-diglucoside (Cy-dg), incorporated into plasma and liver of rats and human plasma by UV-HPLC. Fifteen minutes after an oral supplementation of a mixture of 320 mg of Cy-g and 40 mg of Cy-dg/kg of body weight, rats showed an increase to a maximum of 1563 microg (3490 nmol) of Cy-g/L and 195 microg (320 nmol) of Cy-dg/L in plasma and 0.067 microg (0.15 nmol) of Cy-g/g and a trace of Cy-dg together with methylated metabolites such as peonidin-3-glucoside in liver. In human plasma, 30 min after intake (2.7 mg of Cy-g and 0.25 mg of Cy-dg/kg of body weight), an average of 11 microg (24 nmol) of Cy-g/L and a trace of Cy-dg were found. Cyanidin as aglycone of Cy-g and Cy-dg was not found in such plasma samples, neither were conjugated and methylated anthocyanins. The results indicated that anthocyanins are incorporated keeping structurally intact glycoside forms, from the digestive tract into the blood circulation system in mammals.     

Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and phenolic and anthocyanin concentrations in fruit and leaf tissues of highbush blueberry

Antioxidant capacity, as measured by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), and total phenolic and total anthocyanin contents were evaluated in fruit tissues of 87 highbush blueberry (Vacciniumcorymbosum L.) and species-introgressed highbush blueberry cultivars. ORAC and phenolic levels were evaluated in leaf tissues of the same materials. Average values for ORAC, phenolics, and anthocyanins in fruit were 15.9 ORAC units, 1.79 mg/g (gallic acid equivalents), and 0.95 mg/g (cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents), respectively. Cv. Rubel had the highest ORAC per gram of fresh weight values, at 31.1 units, and cv. Elliott had the highest values on the basis of ORAC per square centimeter of surface area. In leaf tissue, values for both ORAC and phenolics were significantly higher than in fruit tissue, with mean values of 490 ORAC units and 44.80 mg/g (gallic acid equivalents), respectively. Leaf ORAC had a low, but significant, correlation with fruit phenolics and anthocyanins, but not with fruit ORAC. An analysis of ORAC values versus calculated midparent values in 11 plants from the 87-cultivar group in which all parents were tested suggested that, across cultivars, ORAC inheritance is additive. An investigation of ORAC values in a family of 44 cv. Rubel x Duke seedlings showed negative epistasis for ORAC values, suggesting Rubel may have gene combinations contributing to ORAC that are broken up during hybridization.     

High-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (HPLC-DAD)/HPLC-mass spectrometry (MS) profiling of anthocyanins from Andean Mashua Tubers (Tropaeolum tuberosum Ruíz and Pavón) and their contribution to the overall antioxidant activity

Mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum Ruíz and Pavón), an Andean tuber with high antioxidant activity, has sparked interest because of its traditional medicinal use. In this study, we evaluated the anthocyanin composition for three purple mashua genotypes and their contribution to the overall antioxidant activity of the tuber. Mashua anthocyanins, total phenolics, and 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) antioxidant activity ranged from 45.5 to 131.9 mg of cyanidin 3-glucoside equivalents/100 g fresh weight (FW), 174.9 to 275.5 mg of gallic acid equivalents/100 g of FW, and 16.2 to 45.7 micromol of Trolox equivalents/g of FW, respectively. The high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and HPLC-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI/MS-MS) profiles revealed the presence of 11 different anthocyanins. The two major pigments (56.4-73.0% total area range at 520 nm) were identified as delphinidin 3-glucoside-5-acetylrhamnoside and delphinidin 3-sophoroside-5-acetylrhamnoside. Other pigments were delphinidin 3-glucoside-5-rhamnoside, delphinidin 3-sophoroside-5-rhamnoside, delphinidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-sophoroside, and cyanidin 3-sophoroside-5-rhamnoside. Cyanidin 3-glucoside and cyanidin 3-rutinoside were only found in two genotypes, while pelargonidin 3-sophoroside and pelargonidin 3-sophoroside-5-rhamnoside were only found in the third one. Anthocyanins from mashua were the major contributors to the total ABTS values for only one of the three genotypes, suggesting that other phenolics present are playing a major role in the antioxidant power of mashua tubers. Results from this study provide important information for the Nutraceutical and Functional Food Market for the use of mashua anthocyanins not only as a source of natural colorants but also as a source of phytonutrients.     

Anthocyanin absorption and antioxidant status in pigs

The effect of a simultaneous intake of food or flavonoids on anthocyanins absorption and antioxidant status in pigs was investigated. Twelve male pigs at 27.1 +/- 0.7 kg BW fitted with jugular venous cannulae were maintained in individual metabolic crates. The animals were each given one of three dietary treatments in random order: blackcurrant powder (BC) to give a dose of 100 mg total ACNs/kg BW mixed either with water and sugar (Diet A), cereal (Weet-Bix), milk, and sugar (Diet B), or cereal, milk, sugar, and an additional flavonol (rutin, approximately 100 mg/kg BW) (Diet C). The four major anthocyanins of BC, delphinidin-3-glucoside, delphinidin-3-rutinoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, and cyanidin-3-rutinoside, were identified and quantified by HPLC-PDA in all three diets. In the pig plasma, four peaks with a reversed pattern to those of anthocyanins in the BC extract were detected. The total amount of anthocyanins absorbed was not significantly different between the three diets, but the rate of absorption and subsequent decline was slower following administration of diet B and C than diet A. All three diets increased antioxidant capacity when measured by the FRAP assay but not when measured by the ORAC and non-protein ORAC assay. However, the increase was delayed and did not appear until 4 h after ingestion, at a time when plasma anthocyanin levels had returned to baseline. The present study demonstrates that the simultaneous intake of food or other flavonoids delays the absorption profile for anthocyanins. Our results also suggest that the increase in antioxidant capacity is not due to dietary anthocyanins but may be due to metabolites that result from anthocyanin consumption.     

Biochemical profiling and chemometric analysis of seventeen UK-grown black currant cultivars

Black currant fruits are recognized as being an important dietary source of health-related compounds, such as anthocyanins and ascorbic acid. In the present study, the biochemical composition (viz., nonstructural carbohydrates, individual anthocyanins, total anthocyanins, total phenolics, and organic acids, including ascorbic acid) from 17 UK-grown black currant cultivars was analyzed. Berry composition was significantly affected by genotype. Nonstructural carbohydrates ranged from 85.09 to 179.92 mg g(-1) on a fresh weight (FW) basis, while concentration for organic acids ranged from 36.56 to 73.35 mg g(-1) FW. Relative concentrations of cyanidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-rutinoside, delphinidin 3-glucoside and delphinidin 3-rutinoside were 3.1-7.9%, 35.4-47.0%, 7.6-12.5% and 36.9-50.9%, respectively. Differences in the biochemical profile among cultivars were emphasized by principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). PCA was able to discriminate between cultivars, especially on the basis of health-related compounds. Initial exploration revealed that individual anthocyanins, total phenolics, and ascorbic acid could be used to characterize and classify different cultivars. HCA showed that the biochemical composition of the different cultivars was related to parentage information.     

Phenolic composition and antioxidant properties of Polish blue-berried honeysuckle genotypes by HPLC-DAD-MS, HPLC postcolumn derivatization with ABTS or FC, and TLC with DPPH visualization

In this study, different Polish cultivars of blue-berried honeysuckles (Lonicera caerulea L.), wild and bog bilberry, were analyzed for bioactive compounds. The chemical properties verified included composition of anthocyanins and other polyphenols, antioxidant activity, and profiles of antioxidants by HPLC postcolumn derivatization or TLC. The antioxidant activities of different blue-berried honeysuckle cultivars were similar to that of wild-growing bilberries (ranging from 170 to 417 μmol TE/g dm in ABTS and from 93 to 166 μmol TE/g dm in DPPH and Folin-Ciocalteu tests). The major anthocyanin in the blue-berried honeysuckle was cyanidin-3-glucoside, which constituted 84-92% of the total anthocyanins. The TLC and HPLC postcolumn antioxidant profiles indicated that anthocyanins are the major antioxidants in all berries studied. Wild berries and the cultivars of the blue-berried honeysuckles are also a similar source of such minerals as K, Mg, and Ca.     

Characterization and quantification of anthocyanins and polyphenolics in bluehHoneysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L.)

Anthocyanins and phenolics of 10 blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L.) genotypes were characterized and quantified by HPLC-DAD. Peak assignments were confirmed by low-resolution electrospray mass spectrometry. Six anthocyanins were detected with the major peak identified as cyanidin 3-glucoside. Five additional anthocyanins were characterized as cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside, cyanidin 3-rutinoside, pelargonidin 3-glucoside, peonidin 3-glucoside, and peonidin 3-rutinoside. Four polyphenolics were identified as chlorogenic acid, neochlorogenic acid, quercetin 3-rutinoside, and quercetin 3-glucoside. Two additional unidentified phenolics were characterized as flavonol and hydroxycinnamic derivatives based on UV-vis spectra. Hydroxycinnamate levels ranged from 30.4 to 156.2 mg/100 g, whereas the flavonol content ranged from 12.6 to 32.8 mg/100 g. The L. caerulea subspecies boczkarnikovae contained the highest amounts of hydroxycinnamic derivatives and flavonols.     

Anthocyanin profile of Korean cultivated kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

This investigation was conducted to determine the structures and amounts of anthocyanins obtained from seed coats of kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivated in Korea. Anthocyanins in the seed coat of kidney bean were extracted with 1% HCl/20% CH(3)OH, and the crude anthocyanin extracts were purified by semipreparative HPLC. Five major anthocyanins were isolated, and their chemical structures were identified by spectroscopic methods (UV-vis, LC/ES-MS, and 1H and 13C NMR). The structures of these five anthocyanins were elucidated as cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside, delphinidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-glucoside, petunidin 3-glucoside, and pelargonidin 3-glucoside. Using RP-HPLC with photodiode array detection, each of the five anthocyanins was separated within 12 min by using a gradient elution. It was proved that the application of RP-HPLC could be an excellent method for determining the composition and contents of anthocyanins in kidney bean. The preponderance of pelargonidin 3-glucoside and delphinidin 3-glucoside are observed in red and black kidney beans, respectively. However, in this study, it is reported for the first time that the contents and composition of anthocyanins in speckled seed depend on the classes of speckle color. The contents of cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside, delphinidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-glucoside, petunidin 3-glucoside, pelargonidin 3-glucoside, and total anthocyanins in seed coats of 16 kidney beans cultivated in Korea were in the ranges of 0-0.04, 0-2.61, 0-0.12, 0-0.17, 0-0.59 and 0-2.78 mg/g of dried seed coats, respectively.