Sea Buckthorn Cultivars Research Articles

A Study on the Fruiting and Correlation between the Chemical Indicators and Antimicrobial Properties of Hippophae rhamnoides L.

Sea buckthorn is a promising species that, under the conditions of Eastern Europe, has shown high productivity and is also a good and possible source of a wide range of bioactive compounds that have a positive effect on the human body, especially polyphenols and carotenoids. Due to the content of biologically active substances in sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.), the species is of growing interest to scientists, the food industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the cosmetics industry and consumers. The aim of this study is to investigate the productivity and the correlation between the chemical composition and the antibacterial effect of four cultivars of sea buckthorn (Clara, Dora, Cora, Mara), cultivated in the Republic of Moldova. Sea buckthorn fruits were harvested at the stage of full ripening. Berry samples were frozen at minus 25 °C, stored for 6 months and whole fruits of sea buckthorn were studied. All quantitative characteristics were calculated in terms of absolutely dry raw material (dry weight). The sea buckthorn cultivars tested were found to have a different carotenoid contents (1.79–48.92 mg/100 g), ascorbic acid contents (74.36–373.38 mg/100 g), organic acids (malic acid 5.8–13.4 mg/100 g, citric acid 0.08–0.321 mg/100 g, succinic acid 0.03–1.1 mg/100 g), total dry matter contents (16.71–24.54%), titratable acidities (2.15–8.76%) and pH values (2.73–3.00). The antimicrobial activity of sea buckthorn, evaluated by the diameter of the inhibition zone, constituted for Bacillus pumilus 3.70–15.91 mm/g−1 for whole sea buckthorn fruits and 13.33–26.67 mm/g−1 for sea buckthorn purees.

A comparative assessment of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) pruning waste as a potential source of serotonin

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) twigs, remaining after harvesting and pruning, are an underutilized and little-explored biomass resource. This study investigated the content of serotonin in 10 sea buckthorn cultivars (‘Maria Bruvele’, ‘Botanicheskaya Lubitelskaya’, ‘Tatiana’, ‘Otto’, ‘Leikora’, ‘Duet’, ‘Clara’, ‘Lord’, ‘Eva’, ‘Tarmo’) for the first time, and for further adjustment of the extraction conditions, cultivar ‘Maria Bruvele’ was extracted by water and water/ethanol solution with 20-25, 50, 70, and 96% ethanol at different temperatures. The results showed that 50% water/ethanol solutions are the most suitable for extraction, which makes it possible to increase the yield of serotonin. The 2-year-old twigs and bark from ‘Maria Bruvele’ collected in autumn contained higher serotonin content compared to spring-collected biomass. Serotonin sequential purification allowed the serotonin content in the fraction to increase to 26%/DM. The serotonin-rich fraction showed antimicrobial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. In tests with salivary amylase, a serotonin-rich fraction at the amount of 0.1-0.4 mg/mL of saliva, under normal physiological conditions, tended to increase amylase activity, resulting in acceleration of starch degradation to glucose. Thus, the results support further study of the serotonin fraction for the treatment of people having underweight, malnutrition, and malabsorption conditions.

Comparison of nutrient composition, phytochemicals and antioxidant activities of two large fruit cultivars of sea buckthorn in Xinjiang of China

Although the basic nutritional composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of different cultivars of sea buckthorn fruit have been reported, the contents of sugars, acids, antioxidant components and antioxidant activities of two large fruit cultivars, ZhuangYuanHuang (ZYH) and ShenQiuHong (SQH), sea buckthorn fruits from Xinjiang of China have not been studied. In this study, we found that the soluble sugars were mainly glucose and fructose, and no significant difference in soluble sugars content was found between the two cultivars. ZYH exhibited higher contents of total acids, malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid and succinic acid, but lower quinic acid compared to that in SQH. ZYH owned higher total phenolics and total flavonoids contents than that in SQH. A total of 12 phenolics were found in the two cultivars, isorhamnetin and quercetin contents were considerably higher in ZYH than in SQH, while protocatechuic acid, catechin, ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid contents were lower than in SQH. VC and VE (γ-VE, α-VE, δ-VE) were much higher in ZYH than in SQH. The contents of total carotenoids, β-carotene and lycopene in ZYH were considerably higher than those of SQH. In addition, the DPPH and FRAP scavenging activity and cellular antioxidant activity of ZYH were significantly higher than those of SQH. Taken together, the higher antioxidant activities of ZYH may be due to its higher levels of phenolics, flavonoids, VC, VE and carotenoids.

Granulated Animal Feed and Fuel Based on Sea Buckthorn Agro-Waste Biomass for Sustainable Berry Production

The industrial harvesting of sea buckthorn (SBT) berries with twigs and subsequent pruning creates a large volume of lignocellulosic agro-waste. This study aimed to valorize this agro-waste as a raw material for animal feed and fuel granules, for developing a sustainable cascading SBT production scheme. Five SBT cultivars’ biomasses were characterized by analytical pyrolysis, mass spectrometry, and GC analysis. Condensed tannins, which are undesirable components for animal feed, were separated by extraction. The residue was analyzed for total protein, vitamins (A, C, and E), ash, crude fat, wood fiber, and macroelements (P, K, Ca, and Na), and showed great potential. The heavy metal (Cd, Hg, and Pb) content did not exceed the permitted EU maximum. Granulation regimes were elaborated using a flat-die pelletizer, KAHL 14-175. The digestibility and the amount of produced gas emissions were determined using in vitro systems that recreate the digestion of small ruminants. The investigation proved that SBT leaves and stems are a unique underutilized source of animal feed, used alone or in combination with others. Twigs, due to their thorns, were granulated and valorized according to standards for application as fuel. The scheme offered in this study enables SBT agro-waste utilization and sustainable SBT berry production.

The insulinotropic activity of oleosomes prepared from various sea buckthorn cultivars in mouse and human pancreatic β cell lines

Sea buckthorn berries contain numerous bioactive lipids such as fatty acids, carotenoids, tocols, and sterols. Among fatty acids, a high concentration of rare in nature palmitoleic acid is characteristic of sea buckthorn pulp oil. We previously showed the potency of pulp oil from the Luczystaja cultivar to augment glucose-induced insulin secretion in pancreatic β cells. Since the composition of sea buckthorn berries varies depending on the cultivar, here we compared the activity of oleosomes from Botaniczeskaja Ljubitelskaja, Golden Rain, Prozracznaja, Maryna and Luczystaja cultivars in two different pancreatic cell lines, a mouse MIN6 and human EndoC-betaH1. Besides the characterization of particle size and ζ-potential, we evaluated the influence of crude and digested oleosomes on cell viability, insulin secretion, and intracellular calcium mobilization. Additionally, the antioxidant activity measured with the 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS•+) radical cation-based assay was determined and compared.

Results of sea buckthorn breeding in the Southern Urals

Cultivation of adaptive fruit and berry crop varieties ensures environmental sustainability of horticulture. In the period of 2016–2020, sea buckthorn cultivars developed in Chelyabinsk and the Altai were assessed for adaptability, environmental plasticity, and stability under the conditions of Chelyabinsk Province. Sea buckthorn cultivars of local breeding appeared most adapted to the conditions of the Southern Urals. Among them, 1 accession was of the intensive type: 18-42-41 (70,4 ц/га; bi = 1,51; Si 2 = 4,9); 9 cultivars combined environmental plasticity and stability: ‘Yantarnoye ozherelye’ (7.74 t/ha; bi = 0,89; Si 2 = 8,5), 18-41-27n (7.17 t/ha; bi = 1.09; Si 2 = 3.1), ‘Chelyabinskaya’ (7.07 t/ha; bi = 0.98; Si 2 = 7.1), 18-42-40n (7.07 t/ha; bi = 1.01; Si 2 = 12.0), ‘Koster’ (7.04 t/ha; bi = 1.06; Si 2 = 8.9), ‘Damskiye palchiki’ (6.88 t/ha; bi = 0.72; Si 2 = 1.1), ‘Karotinnaya’ (6.85 t/ha; bi = 0.92; Si 2 = 6.1), 18-6-22 (6.78 t/ha; bi = 0.83; Si 2 = 7.7), and 18-6-18n (6.75 t/ha; bi = 0.86; Si 2 = 3.9); and 6 accessions were of the neutral type: ‘Lisichka’ (6.91 t/ha; bi = 0.51; Si 2 = 15.9), 18-2-38 (6.78 t/ha; bi = 0.49; Si 2 = 3,6), ‘Fantaziya’ (6.69 t/ha; bi = 0.69; Si 2 = 0.7), ‘Solnyshko’ (6.66 t/ha; bi = 0.69; Si 2 = 3.0), ‘Ryzhik’ (6.46 t/ha; bi = 0.63; Si 2 = 3.6), and 18-40-27 (6.40 t/ha; bi = 0.52; Si 2 = 4.4). The studied sea buckthorn cultivars bred in the Altai belong to the intensive-type genotypes: ‘Chuyskaya’ (5.22 t/ha; bi = 1.88), ‘Prevoskhodnaya’ (5.18 t/ha; bi = 1.55), ‘Obilnaya’ (5.09 t/ha; bi = 1.37), ‘Panteleevskaya’ (4.77 t/ha; bi = 1.51), and ‘Lyubimaya’ (4.16 t/ha; bi = 1.31). Their cultivation in Chelyabinsk Province is possible only with advanced agricultural practices.

Sea buckthorn cultivars promising for mechanized harvesting by cutting fruit-bearing branches

Background. Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is the main berry crop in the horticultural production of Altai Territory and occupies the largest growing area among berries in Russia. Meanwhile, further expansion of commercial plantations is limited by known bottlenecks in harvesting. In this context, new technological solutions in harvest mechanization are considered one of the primary tasks. A promising way is the cutting of fruit-bearing branches. At the same time, the development of cultivars suitable for such harvesting technique is very important.Materials and methods. Thirteen cultivars and selected forms of sea buckthorn developed at the Federal Altai Scientific Center of Agro-Biotechnologies were taken as research material. To evaluate the productivity of top branches, three of them with a length of 70–100 cm were cut from the plants of each accession. Fruit detachment force was assessed using a Dina-2 device. Dispersion analysis was applied for statistical interpretation.Results. Productivity of top branches as well as agronomic and biological characteristics of sea buckthorn fruits were studied. Accessions 87-93-1, 111-05-3 and 378-06-1 were identified for high productivity of their top branches and for predomination of the generative part over the vegetative one. The highest number of berries per bud (5.4–5.9 pieces) was observed in accessions 87-93-4, 32-01-1, 378-06-1 and 111-05-3. Cv. ‘Afina’ demonstrated for its high level of vegetative and generative productivity. Selected forms 111-05-3, 32-01-1 and 4-93-11 with low fruit detachment force (136.8–155.1 g) are promising for shaking without prior freezing.Conclusion. Selected forms 111-05-3, 378-06-1 and 32-01-1 were recognized as most promising for harvesting by branch cutting.

Identification of the key flavonoid and lipid synthesis proteins in the pulp of two sea buckthorn cultivars at different developmental stages

BackgroundSea buckthorn is an economically important woody plant for desertification control and water soil conservation. Its berry pulp is rich in flavonoids and unsaturated fatty acids. Cultivars containing high oil and flavonoid contents have higher economic value and will increase in the planting area. However, the cause of the differences in oil and flavonoid contents among cultivars is still unclear. The influence of key enzymes in the lipid and flavonoid synthesis pathways on their content needs to be explored and clarified.ResultsThe flavonoid content in XE (Xin’e 3) was 54% higher than that in SJ (Suiji 1). Rutin was the main flavonoid in sea buckthorn pulp, and the differences in the rutin content could cause flavonoid differences between the two cultivars. The oil content of XE was 31.58% higher than that of SJ, and the difference in oil content was highest at 50–70 DAF. High-throughput proteomics was used to quantify key enzymes of flavonoid and lipid synthesis pathways in two cultivars at three developmental stages. By functional annotation and KEGG analysis, 41 key enzymes related to phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, fatty acid biosynthesis and TAG biosynthesis were quantified. CHS, F3H, ANS, fabD, FATA, FAB2, LPIN and plcC showed significant differences between the two cultivars. In addition, we quantified 6 oleosins. With the exception of a 16 kDa oleosin, the other oleosins in the two cultivars were positively correlated with oil content.ConclusionsIn the flavonoid synthesis pathway, CHS and F3H were the main enzymes responsible for the difference in flavonoid content between the two cultivars. In the lipid synthesis pathway, LPIN, plcC and MGD were the main enzymes with different contents in the middle to late stages. Higher contents of LPIN and plcC in XE than in SJ could cause DAG to generate TAG from PC, since the difference in DGAT between the two cultivars was not significant. Investigating the causes of flavonoid and oil content differences among different cultivars from the perspective of proteomics, could provide a basis for understanding the regulatory mechanism of flavonoids and lipid synthesis in sea buckthorn pulp.

Rooting green cuttings of Altai seabuckthorn cultivars in industrial-scale experiment

Green cutting propagation technologies of seabuckthorn ( Hippophae rhamnoides L.) are well developed and highly effective under optimal parameters of implementation. Differences in root development in most cases are connected with varietal specificity. In conditions of uncovered greenhouses, weather particularities can influence significantly on development of cuttings. Hence, the aim of investigation was to study the cultivar difference in root development of seabuckthorn green cuttings in a long-term industrial-scale experiment in conditions of uncovered greenhouse facilities. The experiments were carried out in forest-steppe area of Altai krai in 2018-2021. Seventeen seabuckthorn cultivars developed by Federal Altai Scientific Center of Agrobiotechnologies were taken as research objects. Significant varietal specificity of rooting ability of green cuttings has been established. The experiments showed that season particularities just slightly affect this parameter, indicating significant homeostasis of seabuckthorn cultivars in this regard. Altaiskaya, Ognivo, Gnom, Ethna, Elizaveta and Athena varieties showed the highest level of rhizogenesis with everage rooting percentage from 91.2 to 95.5 %. Group of low rooted cultivars included Azhurnaya, Aurelia, Zlata, Sudarushka and Avgustina with rooting percentage from 70.5 to 79.7 %. Other cultivars showed intermediate figures. High correlation level (0.590.21) was shown between total root quality and rhizogenesis ability. Cultivars which demonstrated high rooting percentage also formed high level of first grade seedlings. In this regard, the best cultivars were Altaiskaya, Gnom and Ognivo, which formed 79.1, 82.1 and 83.8 % of first-grade seedlings, respectively. Low rooting ability was observed in cultivars Avgustina, Sudarushka and Zlata, which provided only 55.464.4 % of first-grade planting material. The variation coefficient of seabuckthorn standard seedlings was low and did not exceed 9.7 % for Avgustina cultivar. The variation of seedlings quality was at a higher level - u p to 27.3 % for cv. Sudarushka, however, for the rest of the cultivars it was low or medium and ranged from 2.7 to 18.7 %. According to the results of cluster analysis, the seabuckthorn cultivars were divided into three separate groups - slow-, medium- and fast-to-root genotypes.

Composition of flesh lipids and oleosome yield optimization of selected sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) cultivars grown in Poland

Sea buckthorn berries contain lipids rich in palmitoleic acid, carotenoids, tocols and sterols, but their composition varies greatly depending on the cultivar and region of cultivation. Therefore, the current study presents the chemical composition of fruit flesh oils of cultivars grown in Poland and compares them with plants grown worldwide. Among tested cultivars, the highest shares of palmitoleic acid were determined in Golden Rain and Luczystaja cvs. Ten grams of sea buckthorn flesh oil provides at least 28% of vitamin A, 50% of vitamin E and 5% of sterols of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) values for adults. The final part of this study is dedicated to a preliminary study of the optimization of the oleosome yield by the centrifugation method. The maximum oleosome yield can be obtained at a relatively low centrifugal force (below 8000×g), while optimal temperature and time should be laboratory determined for each cultivar.

Triterpenoids, phenolic compounds, macro- and microelements in anatomical parts of sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) berries, branches and leaves

This study aimed to identify and quantify triterpenoids, phenolic compounds (by UPLC/ESI-Q/TOF-MS) and minerals (by FAAS) of the anatomical berry parts (skin, flesh, endocarp, seed), branches and leaves of seven sea buckthorn cultivars. The flavonols exceeded 0.7 g/100 g dry weight of leaves and skins. The ratio of quercetin to isorhamnetin derivatives was higher than 1.0 for skins, flesh, branches and leaves. The most flavan-3-ols and polymeric procyanidins were found in branches, and phenolic acids in leaves. 11 triterpenoids were identified, including some new ones such as pomolic acid dominating in berry parts. Triterpenoids were five times more abundant in the flesh than the leaves, where ursolic acid constituted 46 % of these triterpenes. High contents of corosolic acid and betulinic acid were specific for branches, and betulin and oleanolic and ursolic acids for skins. The best sources of sodium were endocarp and leaves, potassium – flesh and endocarp, calcium – leaves, and magnesium – seeds. Leaves and branches were rich in iron and copper, while seeds were rich in zinc. A characteristic feature of leaves was an iron to manganese ratio of 1:1. Diverse fractions of sea buckthorn give the potential of non-waste food production with the desired profile of pro-health components.

Применение плодово-ягодного сырья в рецептурах горячих напитков

The article presents research on the development of organoleptically compatible recipes and technologies for hot drinks of the pronounced antioxidant properties based on fruits and berries of varieties growing in the Sverdlovsk region with the addition of English Breakfast black tea, Earl Gray black tea, Tie Guan Yin green tea, Milk Oolong green tea, and Sencha green tea, as well as various brands of tea blends and tea-bags. In addition, we used dried medicinal and technical raw materials and spices. It was found that the values of the antioxidant activity (AOA) of tea bags and tea drinks are in the range from 0.274 to 12.809 mmol-eq/dm3; in the pekoe teas they are in the range from 9.375 to 14.531 mmol-eq/dm3; in the raw materials of plant origin growing in the Sverdlovsk region they are from 0.513 to 8.227 mmol-eq/dm3. The greatest total antioxidant activity has been observed in: Prevoshodnaya sea buckthorn cultivar– 2.204 mmol-eq/dm3; Vladimirskaya cherry variety – 4.971 mmol-eq/dm3; Chernoplodnaya aronia variety – 8.026 mmol-eq/dm3; Globus black currant variety– 8.227 mmol-eq/dm3. According to the research results, the total AOA value for developed hot drinks prepared from fresh fruits and berries was from 13.641 to 20.815 mmol-eq/dm3, and for hot drinks prepared on the basis of Frozen semi-finished product from fruits and berries – from 13.576 to 20.772 mmol-eq/dm3, which is 42-65% of the recommended daily consumption rate in terms of ascorbic acid (ascorbic acid AOA values – 32.024 ± 0.350 mmol – eq/dm3). The developed hot drinks have high values of antioxidant activity, which means that they can increase the amount of antioxidants in the diet of consumers and thereby reduce the negative impact of oxidative stress. The proposed technique of hot drinks manufacturing with the use of frozen semi-finished product allows to increase the rate of technological process significantly.

Phytochemical Composition and Biological Activity of Berries and Leaves from Four Romanian Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae Rhamnoides L.) Varieties.

Hippophae rhamnoides L. is an important source of natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agents. Phytochemical compounds, antioxidant and antibacterial properties of berries, and leaf extracts from four Romanian sea buckthorn cultivars were investigated. Large differences in the content of total polyphenols and flavonoids between the varieties were observed. HPLC analysis of the polyphenolic compounds showed greater differences in content in leaves than in berries. This study confirmed that sea buckthorn leaves and berries are a rich source of phenolic compounds, especially quercetin derivatives and hydrocinnamic acid derivatives. Five carotenoid compounds were identified in the berries: lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, cis-β-carotene, and β-carotene. From the results obtained in this study, it can be stated that the varieties whose berries yielded the highest quantities of polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity, can be ranked as follows: SF6 > Golden Abundant > Carmen > Colosal, and for leaf extracts the ranked order is SF6 > Golden Abundant > Colosal > Carmen. A strong correlation between the total flavonoid yield and antioxidant activity (r = 0.96), was observed. All extracts showed antibacterial activity against S. aureus, B. cereus, and P. aeruginosa, however extracts from berries were less potent than extracts from leaves.

Untargeted metabolic fingerprinting reveals impact of growth stage and location on composition of sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides) leaves.

Sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides) is increasingly cultivated to produce raw materials for food and nutraceuticals. There is little knowledge on composition of sea buckthorn leaves (SBLs) and the key factors influencing the composition. This research aims to unravel the metabolic profile of SBLs and the effects of cultivar, location and stage of growth, and climatic conditions on the metabolic profile of SBLs. Leaves of two sea buckthorn cultivars grown in the south and north of Finland during two consecutive growth seasons were studied using untargeted nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics. The highest variance in the metabolic profile was linked to the growth stage, wherein leaves from the first 7 weeks of harvest were characterized with higher abundance of polyphenols, while relatively higher abundance of carbohydrates and sugars was observed in the later weeks. The growth location attributed for the second highest variation, wherein the north-south comparison identified fatty acids and sugars as discriminatory metabolites, and the potential association of metabolome to natural abiotic stressors was revealed. An inverse correlation between carbohydrate/sugar content as well as fatty acids of higher carbon chain length with the temperature variables was evident. The supervised chemometric models with high sensitivity and specificity classified and predicted the samples based on growth stage and location, and cultivar. Nontargeted NMR-metabolomics revealed the metabolic profile of SBLs and their variation associated with various biotic and abiotic factors. Cultivar and growth stage are key factors to consider when harvesting SBLs for use in food and nutraceuticals. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Globally, sea buckthorn cultivation has been rapidly increasing due to the known health-promoting benefits of the berries and leaves of the plant. The current research obtained new comprehensive information on the compositional profile of sea buckthorn leaves as well as the impact of major contributory factors, such as cultivars, the advancement of growth stage, geographical location, and weather parameters. The findings of this research provide new knowledge and guidance for plant breeding, cultivation and commercial utilization of sea buckthorn leaves as raw materials for food, feed, and nutraceuticals.

Anti-Oxidant and Anti-Enzymatic Activities of Sea Buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) Fruits Modulated by Chemical Components.

The aim of this study was to analyze in vitro biological activities as anti-oxidant, anti-α-amylase, anti-α-glucosidase, anti-lipase, and anti-lipoxygenase activity, relative to bioactive components (phenolic acids, flavonols, xanthophylls, carotenes, esterified carotenoids, tocopherols, tocotrienols, and fatty acids) and the basic chemical composition (sugars, organic acid, dry matter, soluble solid, pH, titratable acidity, ash, pectins, and vitamin C) of Hippophaë rhamnoides berries. Six sea buckthorn cultivars commonly grown in Poland were analyzed including Aromatnaja, Botaniczeskaja-Lubitelskaja, Józef, Luczistaja, Moskwiczka, and Podarok Sadu. Berries contained 1.34–2.87 g of sugars and 0.96–4.22 g of organic acids in 100 g fresh weight, 468.60–901.11 mg of phenolic compounds, and 46.61–508.57 mg of carotenoids in 100 g dry mass. The fatty acid profile was established: palmitic > palmitoleic > oleic and linoleic > stearic and linolenic acids. The highest anti-oxidant (34.68 mmol Trolox/100 g dry mass) and anti-α-amylase potential (IC50 = 26.83 mg/mL) was determined in Aromatnaja, anti-α-glucosidase in Botaniczeskaja-Lubitelskaja (IC50 = 41.78 mg/mL), anti-lipase in Moskwiczka and Aromatnaja (average IC50 = 4.37 mg/mL), and anti-lipoxygenase in Aromatnaja and Podarok Sadu fruits (100% inhibition). The studied sea buckthorn berries may be a raw material for the development of functional foods and nutraceutical products rich in compounds with high biological activity.

Impact of phenolic compounds and vitamins C and E on antioxidant activity of sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) berries and leaves of diverse ripening times

Bioactive compounds demonstrating antioxidant activity were analyzed in berries and leaves of nine cultivars of sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) of various ripening times. Total polyphenols were ranging between 0.70–3.62 g GAE.kg−1 (berries) and 1.88–3.72 g GAE.kg−1 (leaves). Leaves were significantly richer source of total flavonoids (14.40–49.44 mg RE.kg−1) in comparison with berries (0.55–4.11 mg RE.kg−1). Phenolic compounds, carotenoids and vitamins were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography with a diode array detection. The content of vitamin C was 0.98–3.65 g.kg−1 in berries and 22.81–46.32 g.kg−1 in leaves, vitamin E content was 6.98–29.91 g.kg−1 in berries and 71.54–153.99 g.kg−1 in leaves. Distribution of individual phenolic compounds varied, their total content in berries was considerably lower (76.1–205.2 mg.kg−1) than in leaves (1477.7–8709.0 mg.kg−1). Regarding antioxidant activity, Raisa and Slovan (berries) and Bojan and Maslicnaja (leaves) were evaluated as the best cultivars.

UPLC-PDA-Q/TOF-MS profiling of phenolic and carotenoid compounds and their influence on anticholinergic potential for AChE and BuChE inhibition and on-line antioxidant activity of selected Hippophaë rhamnoides L. cultivars

This study aimed to identify by UPLC-PDA-Q/TOF-MS and quantify by UPLC-PDA phenolic compounds (26 flavonols and 2 phenolic acids) and carotenoids (16) from berries of different cultivars of Hippophaë rhamnoides and determine correlations between these variables and in vitro anticholinergic and on-line antioxidant potential. Isorhamnetin derivatives presented over 65% of total flavonols, but quercetin and kaempferol derivatives were also determined. Carotenes accounted for 19 to 47%, xanthophylls 16 to 81% of total carotenoids. Pearson’s correlations between AChE and BuChE inhibition and phenolic acid content were low (r = 0.388 and 0.355), moderate for carotenoids (0.504 and 0.437) and high for flavonols (0.851 and 0.614). The PCA biplot showed the highest correlation between anticholinergic activity and all-trans-ß-cryptoxanthin, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-(2-rhamnosyl)glucoside, kaempferol-3-O-hexoside-7-O-rhamnoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-(6-rhamnosyl)hexoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside, and isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside concentrations. The results obtained can be used to identify sea buckthorn cultivars, develop crops and production, and design functional products rich in flavonols and carotenoids with anticholinergic properties.

Identification and expression analysis of critical microRNA-transcription factor regulatory modules related to seed development and oil accumulation in developing Hippophae rhamnoides seeds

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) seed oil is rich in omega fatty acids and various other bioactive compounds, which not only have high antioxidant activity but may also prevent cardiovascular diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms of oil biosynthesis and fatty acid accumulation in developing sea buckthorn seeds remain unknown. Altering the levels of certain miRNAs and transcription factors can affect the expression of multiple genes involved in seed development and fatty acid biosynthesis, resulting in changed seed oil contents. Considering that previous studies have focused mainly on these two regulators separately, we attempted to combine the study of miRNAs and transcription factors to construct a coregulatory network. In the present study, we generated cDNA libraries and small RNA libraries from the seeds of high-oil-content and low-oil-content sea buckthorn cultivars at four developmental stages, and then used high-throughput sequencing technology and bioinformatics methods to identify 140 differentially expressed transcription factors, 137 known miRNAs, and 250 novel miRNAs. Through target relationship prediction, 31 potential transcription factors were found to be associated with 27 miRNAs in 18 independent networks, showing the multiplicity of the regulators. In particular, 9 miRNAs and 5 transcription factors were found as hubs in the network. Furthermore, we hypothesized that 12 regulatory modules might play combinatory regulatory roles in seed development and oil accumulation. In developing seeds, the expression levels of these miRNAs and transcription factors were significantly different between the two cultivars. Taken together, these data describe the first miRNA-transcription factor coregulatory network in developing seeds of sea buckthorn. These findings will be helpful for understanding seed development and oil accumulation at the molecular level in sea buckthorn.

Analysis of bioactive compounds of three sea buckthorn cultivars (Hippophaë rhamnoides L. ‘Askola’, ‘Leikora’, and ‘Orangeveja’) with HPLC and spectrophotometric methods

Analysis of bioactive compounds of three sea buckthorn cultivars (Hippophaë rhamnoides L. ‘Askola’, ‘Leikora’, and ‘Orangeveja’) with HPLC and spectrophotometric methods

Attractants for Rhagoletis Batava Obseuriosa, a Fruit Fly Pest of Sea Buckthorn

Sea buckthorn, Hippophae rhamnoides, is a widely distributed tree that contributes to soil and water conservation. Its fruit, seeds and leaves are also raw materials for many health products. Rhagoletis batava obseuriosa (RBO) is a fruit fly that attacks sea buckthorn berries; outbreaks have recently been reported on some large-berried cultivars of sea buckthorn in northern China. In order to develop tools to monitor and control of RBO, male lures and food-based attractants of other fruit fly species were evaluated with RBO. Results of the first field bioassays showed that ammonium acetate (AA) was a strong attractant for RBO adults. The subsequent results also showed a trend for ammonium bicarbonate (AB) and ammonium carbonate (AC) trapping an higher number of RBO adults than AA. Mixtures of AA and AC were no more attractive than AC used individually. Further research on attract and kill techniques using these ammonium-based compounds is now required.