Harvest time affects antioxidant capacity, total polyphenol and flavonoid content of Polish St John\u2019s wort\u2019s (Hypericum perforatum L.) flowers

Krzysztof Gogolewski,Katarzyna Zawada,Natalia Dobros,Michał Aleksander Ciach,Anna Gambin,Joanna J Sajkowska-Kozielewicz,Hélène Freichels,Ewa Olchowik-Grabarek,Katerina Makarova,Paulina Ciechowicz

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-83409-4

Krzysztof Gogolewski, Katarzyna Zawada + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83409-4

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Abstract

The polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity of hyperforin and hypericin-standardized H. perforatum L. extracts may vary due to the harvest time. In this work, ethanol and ethanol–water extracts of air-dried and lyophilized flowers of H. perforatum L., collected throughout a vegetation season in central Poland, were studied. Air-dried flowers extracts had higher polyphenol (371 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid (160 mg CAE/g) content, DPPH radical scavenging (1672 mg DPPH/g), ORAC (5214 µmol TE/g) and FRAP (2.54 mmol Fe2+/g) than lyophilized flowers extracts (238 mg GAE/g, 107 mg CAE/g, 1287 mg DPPH/g, 3313 µmol TE/g and 0.31 mmol Fe2+/g, respectively). Principal component analysis showed that the collection date influenced the flavonoid and polyphenol contents and FRAP of ethanol extracts, and DPPH and ORAC values of ethanol–water extracts. The ethanol extracts with the highest polyphenol and flavonoid content protected human erythrocytes against bisphenol A-induced damage. Both high field and benchtop NMR spectra of selected extracts, revealed differences in composition caused by extraction solvent and raw material collection date. Moreover, we have shown that benchtop NMR can be used to detect the compositional variation of extracts if the assignment of signals is done previously.

Highlights

The polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity of hyperforin and hypericin-standardized H. perforatum L. extracts may vary due to the harvest time
Ethanol–water extracts prepared from the air-dried material had the highest total polyphenol (TP) content, followed by the ethanol extracts prepared from the air-dried material (Fig. 1a, Table S1)
Ethanol and ethanol–water extracts of dried and lyophilized flowers of H. perforatum L. from Poland showed the dependency of TP and total flavonoid (TF) contents, as well as of the antioxidant properties, on the collection time

Summary

Introduction

The polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity of hyperforin and hypericin-standardized H. perforatum L. extracts may vary due to the harvest time. Ethanol and ethanol–water extracts of air-dried and lyophilized flowers of H. perforatum L., collected throughout a vegetation season in central Poland, were studied. The ethanol extracts with the highest polyphenol and flavonoid content protected human erythrocytes against bisphenol A-induced damage. Both high field and benchtop NMR spectra of selected extracts, revealed differences in composition caused by extraction solvent and raw material collection date. St. John’s wort antidepressant activity has been related to the synergetic effect of hypericin and phenolic compounds[2]. John’s wort antidepressant activity has been related to the synergetic effect of hypericin and phenolic compounds[2] The latter modulate the key cellular processes such as redox, metabolic and energetic homeostasis, proteostasis, signaling and oxidative stress, decreasing the risk of cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases, as well as of some forms of cancers[3]. To the best of our knowledge, only one such study is available, comparing the hot-air and freeze drying approach in relation to antioxidant properties[21]

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