Experimental in vitro arterial reactivity and tissue culture solutions alter the time-dependent stability of anthocyanins from elderberry, chokeberry, and bilberry extracts

Abstract

We examined the effect of solutions commonly used for in vitro assessment of blood vessel physiology and pharmacology on the half-lives of monomeric anthocyanins contained in extracts from elderberry, chokeberry, and bilberry. We observed that monomeric anthocyanin degradation in all extracts was accelerated when they were solubilized in an in vitro vascular physiological salt solution (PSS) compared with extracts in purified water. Degradation was accelerated further by increasing the temperature of the PSS to 37°C and bubbling it with 95% oxygen/5% carbon dioxide. A common, complex, tissue culture media yielded similar results to the physiological salt solution at 37°C. We also observed that the percentage polymeric color estimated by bisulfite bleaching corresponded to monomeric degradation in PSS. These results suggest that exposure of anthocyanins to physiological conditions that mimic those in the human body may stimulate the conversion of monomeric anthocyanins to their polymeric forms. Such conversion would probably contribute to the effects of anthocyanins on physiological functions in in vitro experiments and needs to be considered when evaluating effects of these compounds on physiological processes.