Abstract
At present, the consumption of medical plants and functional foods is growing in the whole world. Rosebay willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium (L.) Holub) is an important medicinal plant that has various pharmacological effects (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and others), can improve the state of health and well-being, and reduce the risk of various diseases. The aim of this work was to investigate volatile compounds, polyphenols, and antioxidant activity in rosebay willowherb leaves fermented for 24 and 48 h in solid state fermentation under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for polyphenols and the spectrophotometric method for antioxidant activity determinations were used. To recognize and identify the leaves’ fragrances, electronic nose (Alpha M.O.S) measurement technology was used. The results showed that the highest amounts of total polyphenols in dried matter were after 48 h aerobic solid state fermentation (SSF). Antioxidant activity was higher under 48 h SSF compared to the control. The most abundant flavoring compound groups were esters, terpenes, and aldehydes. In unfermented leaves, (z)-3-hexen-1-ol, acetate, hexyl acetate, and trans-hex-2-enyl acetate prevailed, characterized by fragrances of greenery, flowers, and fruits. The undesired esters group compounds, ethyl butyrate and butyl acetate, with pungent odor, were detected after 48 h anaerobic SSF.
Highlights
Plants, as sedentary organisms, have to adjust to the surrounding environment during their life cycle
According to the obtained results, solid state fermentation (SSF) changed the quantities of polyphenols in fermented rosebay willowherb leaves in aerobic and anaerobic conditions
We found that antioxidant activity in rosebay willowherb leaves significantly decreased after 24 h in aerobic SSF (19.23%) and after 24 h in anaerobic SSF (11.14%), but increased after 48 h in aerobic
Summary
As sedentary organisms, have to adjust to the surrounding environment during their life cycle To compensate for their immobility, plants have evolved various mechanisms for their interactions with the environment, including the release of arrays of volatile compounds from their leaves, flowers, and fruits into the atmosphere and from roots into the soil. The rosebay willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium (L.) Holub) takes a place in traditional and folk medicine, and is increasingly used in the diet for humans, due to its high antioxidant capacity and therapeutic properties [2,3]. This medicinal plant is a source of polyphenolic substances found mainly in flavonoids, phenolic acids, and hydrolyzed tannins (ellagitannins) [4]. These herbs are known for their anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antispasmodic effects, for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, and for the prevention of urinary problems [5,6,7]
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