Abstract
Arbutus unedo L. berries have traditionally been used as edible and medicinal fruits in folk medicine for the treatment of some pathologies. Besides their good nutritional properties, these berries are rich in bioactive compounds. Accordingly, a HPLC-triple quadrupole (TQ)-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the first time to characterize the changes produced in the phenolic composition profile of A. unedo L. fruits through three ripening stages. Several hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids were detected, gallic acid being the highest phenolic acid quantified. Quercetin, quercetin-3-β-glucoside, rutin, and kaempferol were found in similar amounts at the different maturity stages. High amounts of (+)-catechin, procyanidin B2, epigallocatechin, and (−)-epigallocatechin gallate were observed in the unripe fruits. Naringin and vitexin were also quantified. Stilbenes, such as trans-resveratrol and trans-piceid, were identified for the first time in these fruits. Total phenolic compounds, total anthocyanin compounds, and radical scavenging activity were also determined in the fruits harvested at different years in several locations of the Iberian Peninsula at different ripening stages. The results confirmed that these fruits are an excellent source of these bioactive compounds (mainly flavanols) with high antioxidant activity, which could be used as a new source for preparation of nutraceutical or functional foods.
Highlights
Arbutus unedo L., known as the strawberry tree, is a widespread evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean region and North Africa, belonging to the Ericaceae family
A compromise between the values obtained for the total PC (TPC), the total anthocyanin compounds (TAC), the radical scavenging activity (RSA), the time, and the consumption of reagents in the extraction procedure was considered to select the most suitable extraction conditions
Among the other three solvents tested (MeOH, EtOH, and MeOH: H2O 1% HCl (6:1, v/v)), MeOH was selected as the extraction solvent for further analysis, because it provided similar extraction efficiency of TPC and RSA values than the other solvents, it seemed to provide slightly better extraction of TAC
Summary
Arbutus unedo L., known as the strawberry tree, is a widespread evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean region and North Africa, belonging to the Ericaceae family. The consumption of fresh strawberry tree berries has been rare, and instead they are commonly used for the production of alcoholic beverages, such as wines, liqueurs, and brandies, or for the elaboration of prepared foods, such as jellies, compotes, and jams [1,2,3] These wild berries have excellent nutritional value [4,5,6,7] and are rich in bioactive components like phenolic compounds (PC), vitamins, and carotenoids, which are directly related to many beneficial health effects thanks to their high antioxidant capacity [5,8,9]. The leaves and berries of A. unedo L. are used in natural medicine as antiseptics, diuretics, and laxatives [2,10,11], as well as in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and thrombosis [12,13,14] These pharmacological effects can be associated with the bioactive compounds previously mentioned, mainly the PC
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