Electrochemical Determination of the Antioxidant Potential of Some Less Common Fruit Species.

Zbynek Gazdik,Tunde Pokorna,Vojtech Reznicek,Vojtech Adam,Rene Kizek,Ales Horna,Jan Saloun,Boris Krska

doi:10.3390/s8127564

Abstract

Various berries and fruit types of less common fruit species are known to contain antioxidants. Consumption of high amounts of antioxidant flavonoids, which display a variety of biological properties, including antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory activity, may have a positive impact on human health, particularly for the prevention of cancer and other inflammatory diseases. In these studies, based on the hypothesis that the fruit extract with the highest content would possess significantly higher health benefits, flavonoid-rich extracts were obtained from some less common fruit species – Blue Honeysuckles (Lonicera Kamtschatica and Lonicera edulis, Turcz. ex. Freyn), Saskatoon berry (Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt.) and Chinese Hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida BUNGE) – grown from germplasm held at the Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry in Brno, Czech Republic and then characterized in terms of biological value based on the results from a relative antioxidant capacity assessment. The antioxidant content evaluation was based on the total flavonoid amount, determined by liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ED). A DPPH• test was applied as a reference. The antioxidant content measured in Chinese Hawthorn fruit extract identified it as a potent source of flavonoid antioxidants, with a content 9-fold higher than that seen in Amelanchier fruit. The multifunctional HPLC-ED array method coupled with a DPPH• reference appears to be the optimal analytical progress, accurately reflecting the nutritive-therapeutic properties of a fruit.

Highlights

Fruits and vegetables are examples of a dietetically important group of foodstuffs
This work was focused on the suggestion that electroanalytic determination of total antioxidant capacity might be a useful tool to compare the biological value of berries in the chosen less common fruit species
The antioxidative activity of plant tissue functional substances plays an important role amongst the positive biological effects of foodstuffs on human health and welfare

Summary

Introduction

Fruits and vegetables are examples of a dietetically important group of foodstuffs These components of human diet are not adequately replaceable by any other products. In order to correctly identify less common fruit species that might merit consideration as functional foodstuffs, identification of the biologically active substances they may contain is necessary. Determination of antioxidant activity is one of the possibilities available for expressing the biological value of the foodstuff, concurrently with the assessment of the main bioactive components represented in the berries. This work was focused on the suggestion that electroanalytic determination of total antioxidant capacity might be a useful tool to compare the biological value of berries in the chosen less common fruit species

Results and Discussion

Chemicals

Instruments

Fruit samples originated from less common fruit species

Sample preparation

Conclusions