Abstract
The aim of this work was the qualitative and quantitative determination of selected phenolic compounds in three Crataegus species grown in Bosnia. Crataegus plants are consumed for medicinal purposes and as foodstuff in the form of canned fruit, jam, jelly, tea, and wine. Two samples of plant material, dry leaves with flowers, and berries of three Crataegus species—Crataegus rhipidophylla Gand., Crataegus x subsphaericea Gand., and Crataegus x macrocarpa Hegetschw.—were analyzed. Twelve ethanolic extracts were isolated from the selected plant material using Soxhlet and ultrasound extraction, respectively. Soxhlet extraction proved to be more effective than ultrasound extraction. A simple and sensitive method, high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection, HPLC-ED, was used for the simultaneous determination of phenolic acids and flavonoids in Crataegus species. The content of gallic acid in the extracts ranged from 0.001 to 0.082 mg/g dry weight (DW), chlorogenic acid from 0.19 to 8.70 mg/g DW, and rutin from 0.03 to 13.49 mg/g DW. Two flavonoids, vitexin and hyperoside, commonly found in chemotaxonomic investigations of Crataegus species, were not detected in the examined extracts. In general, leaves with flowers samples are richer in gallic acid and rutin, whereas the berries samples are richer in chlorogenic acid. Distinct similarities were found in the relative distribution of gallic acid among the three species. Extracts of C. x macrocarpa had the highest content of all detected compounds, while significant differences were found in rutin content, depending on the plant organ. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting content of phenolic compounds in Crataegus rhipidophylla Gand., Crataegus x subsphaericea, and Crataegus x macrocarpa from Bosnia.
Highlights
The genus Crataegus L., commonly called hawthorn, is a large genus that comprises low trees or shrubs and is widespread mainly in the native temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere [1,2].The subcontinental species of Crataegus rhipidophylla Gand. is native to the area extending fromScandinavia and the Baltic region to France, the Balkan Peninsula, Turkey to the Caucasus and the Crimea [1]
Since phenolic compounds are the main bioactive components found in leaves, flowers, and fruits of different official medicinal hawthorn species [26], the aim of this work was to determine phenolic acids and the flavonoid pattern responsible for chemotaxonomic markers, differentiating species and varieties
The plant material of Crataegus rhipidophylla, Crataegus x subsphaericea, and Crataegus x macrocarpa were collected in June and September on mountain Trebević, near
Summary
The subcontinental species of Crataegus rhipidophylla Gand. Scandinavia and the Baltic region to France, the Balkan Peninsula, Turkey to the Caucasus and the Crimea [1]. This species often crosses with other species of hawthorn in nature, forming hybrid complexes. It has long been known of and is common. This hybrid is widespread from southern Scandinavia to the Baltic region and Central Europe [1]. X C. rhipidophylla) spreads naturally from southern Scandinavia, Foods 2018, 7, 66; doi:10.3390/foods7050066 www.mdpi.com/journal/foods The hybrid Crataegus x subsphaericea Gand. (C. monogyna Jacq. x C. rhipidophylla) spreads naturally from southern Scandinavia, Foods 2018, 7, 66; doi:10.3390/foods7050066 www.mdpi.com/journal/foods
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