Carotenoids, Flavonoids, Total Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Two Creeping Cotoneaster Species Fruits Extracts

Dan Razvan Popoviciu,Ludmila Motelica,Ticuta Negreanu-Pirjol,Bogdan Stefan Negreanu Pirjol

doi:10.37358/rc.20.3.7981

Abstract

Cotoneaster horizontalis Decne. and Cotoneaster microphyllus Wall. ex Lindl. species are two creeping bushes, commonly used as ornamental plants in gardens and parks. The aim of this paper was to assess the concentrations of some classes of bioactive compounds classes, carotenoids, flavonoids and total phenolic compounds, in fresh fruits of these species. Carotenoids and flavonoids were determined through acetone and methanol extraction followed by spectrophotometry. For total phenolics, methanol extraction and a spectrophotometric Folin-Ciocalteu method was used. The total antioxidant capacity was quantified through photochemiluminescence method by comparison with the standard substance used for calibration, Trolox� as tocopherol analogue (ACL procedure) using Photochem apparatus, Analytik Jena AG, Germany. Average values found in Cotoneaster horizontalis and Cotoneaster microphyllus fruit tissue were 380.63 mg/kg, respectively 179.63 mg/kg, carotenoids; 8036.07 mg/kg, respectively 6888.06 mg/kg flavonoids; and 16342.06 mg/kg GAE, respectively 18631.35 mg/kg GAE total phenolic compounds. These values are comparable to those found in other wild and cultivated related Rosaceae, including domestic rowans. Cotoneaster microphyllus fruits emphasized an increased antioxidant activity (up to 39.69 μmol Trolox equivalent/g dry weight).

Highlights

Cotoneaster is a genus of Rosaceae (Amygdaloideae subfamily, Maleae tribe), comprising 70-300 species worldwide
The aim of this paper is to determine the concentrations of some key classes of phytochemicals in fresh fruit tissue of Cotoneaster horizontalis Decne. and Cotoneaster microphyllus Wall. ex Lindl. species
Few data concerning the carotenoids content of Cotoneaster species are found in literature

Summary

Introduction

Cotoneaster is a genus of Rosaceae (Amygdaloideae subfamily, Maleae tribe), comprising 70-300 species worldwide. All species are woody (shrubs and small trees), most being native to West China and the Himalayan region. Cotoneasters are widely grown as ornamental plants throughout the world, due to their attractive evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage and their dense and bright-colour fruits. Some of them are increasingly common in Romania, including prostrate species, commonly known as “rocksprays”. (wall/rock cotoneaster, rockspray, wall-spray), is a dwarf shrub, less than 1 m tall, with long prostrate branches, numerous lateral twigs (Figure 1). Elliptic, semi-deciduous and glossy with a rounded apex. White-pink flowers are grouped in compact inflorescences and fruits are small, globosely, bright-red pomes. It is native to Western of China, and grown in parks and gardens throughout temperate areas, including Romania. In some areas of the world, it is considered invasive [1]

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