Antioxidant Activities of Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. Leaves within Cultivars and Their Phenolic Compounds.

Lingonberry leaves are the subject of numerous studies because of antioxidant properties, positive influence on the health and potential use in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. In this work, the radical scavenging, reducing, chelating activities, and phenolic composition of ten lingonberry leaves cultivars, one subspecies, and one variety were investigated. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of individual phenolic compounds, that can be found in lingonberry leaves, were analyzed, and structure-activity relationship was determined. Wide diversity for phenolic profile and antioxidant properties of lingonberry leaves has been observed in the present material. Cultivars 'Kostromskaja rozovaja', 'Rubin', and Vaccinium vitis-idaea var. leucocarpum surpassed all others tested cultivars and lower taxa by contents of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. Leaves of lingonberry cultivars and lower taxa are rich in arbutin, flavonol glycosides, proanthocyanidins, and the latter were considered to be the major contributor to antioxidant properties of lingonberry leaves.

EFFECT OF PERILLA FRUTESCENS EXTRACTS AND ROSMARINIC ACID ON RAT HEART MITOCHONDRIAL FUNCTIONS.

Perilla frutescens L. due to its aromatic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant traits has been traditionally used as medicinal plant in Eastern Asia. Alterations of mitochondria are interconnected with many chronic diseases. Bioactives of herbal extracts can modulate mitochondrial effects and be beneficial in prevention of mitochondrial related chronic diseases. Direct effects of the red-leaf form P. frutescens extract (PFE) and the green-leaf form P. frutescens var. crispa f. viridis extract (PCE) were evaluated investigating activities on the oxidative phosphorylation and antioxidant activity in the rat heart mitochondria in vitro. HPLC-MS analysis was applied for the identification of phenolic compounds. Cell with a Clark-type oxygen electrode was used for mitochondrial respiration measurement. The generation of reactive oxygen species was estimated in isolated rat heart mitochondria and determined fluorimetrically. State 3 respiration rate was not affected by lower concentrations, however, it was inhibited at higher concentrations by 22-70% for PFE and by 45-55% for PCE. PFE containing anthocyanins induced the concentration-dependent stimulation (by 23-76%) of the State 4 respiration rate after addition of cytochrome c due to reducing properties. Significant reduction of H2O2 pro- duction was observed with investigated concentrations of rosmarinic acid and both perilla extracts. Our results demonstrate that the effect of PFE and PCE extracts on rat heart mitochondria depend on the qualitative characteristics of complex of biologically active compounds. Selective effects on mitochondrial function could enable the regulation of apoptosis or another mechanisms occurring in cells.

Phenolic Profiles and Contribution of Individual Compounds to Antioxidant Activity of Apple Powders.

Apples (Malus domestica L.) are the most common source of phenolic compounds in northern European diet. Besides pectins, dietary fibers, vitamins, and oligosaccharides they contain phenolic compounds of different classes. Apple powders are convenient functional forms retaining significant amounts of phenolic antioxidants. In this study reducing and radical scavenging profiles of freeze-dried powders of "Aldas,Ë® "Auksis,Ë® "Connel Red,Ë® "Ligol,Ë® "Lodel,Ë® and "RajkaË® were determined and phenolic constituents were identified using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole and time-of-flight mass spectrometers. A negative ionization mode was applied and seventeen compounds: phenolic acids (coumaroylquinic, chlorogenic), flavonoids (quercetin derivatives), and procyanidin derivatives (B1, B2, and C1) were identified in all tested apple samples. Total values of Trolox equivalents varied from 7.72 ± 0.32 up to 20.02 ± 0.52 and from 11.10 ± 0.57 up to 21.42 ± 0.75 µmol/g of dry weight of apple powder in FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) and ABTS (2,2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) postcolumn assays, respectively. The greatest Trolox equivalent values were determined for apples of "AldasË® cultivar. Chlorogenic acid and procyanidin C1 were the most significant contributors to total reducing and radical scavenging activity in all apple cultivars tested, therefore they could be considered as markers of antioxidant activity.

Phytochemical and antioxidant profiles of leaves from different Sorbus L. species.

Leaves of Sorbus L. have been used in various traditional medicine systems. Phenolic compounds determine the main pharmacological effects of Sorbus L. In this study, phytochemical and antioxidant profiles of Sorbus anglica, Sorbus aria, Sorbus arranensis, Sorbus aucuparia, Sorbus austriaca, Sorbus caucasica, Sorbus commixta, Sorbus discolor, Sorbus gracilis, Sorbus hostii, Sorbus semi-incisa and Sorbus tianschanica were determined. Twenty four constituents were identified in Sorbus L. species using ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadruple and time-of-flight mass spectrometers. Post-column FRAP assay identified compounds with reducing activity and revealed significantly greatest total antioxidant activity of 175.30 µmol TE/g DW, 169.20 µmol TE/g DW and 148.11 µmol TE/g DW in S. commixta, S. discolor and S. gracilis leaf samples, respectively, with neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acids being most significant contributors. Characteristic fingerprints of phytochemical and antioxidant profiles could be applied for the quality evaluation of various raw materials of Sorbus L. species.

Phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of Malus domestica leaves.

The aim of this study was to determine the composition and content of phenolic compounds in the ethanol extracts of apple leaves and to evaluate the antioxidant activity of these extracts. The total phenolic content was determined spectrophotometrically, as well as the total flavonoid content in the ethanol extracts of apple leaves and the antioxidant activity of these extracts, by the ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays. The highest amount of phenolic compounds and flavonoids as well as the highest antioxidant activity was determined in the ethanol extracts obtained from the apple leaves of the cv. Aldas. The analysis by the HPLC method revealed that phloridzin was a predominant component in the ethanol extracts of the apple leaves of all cultivars investigated. The following quercetin glycosides were identified and quantified in the ethanol extracts of apple leaves: hyperoside, isoquercitrin, avicularin, rutin, and quercitrin. Quercitrin was the major compound among quercetin glycosides.

Quality evaluation of different preparations of dry extracts of birch (Betula pendula Roth) leaves.

Qualitatively prepared dry extracts are advantaged over conventional fluid extracts. Extracts of Betula pendula Roth leaves possess mild diuretic effects and anti-inflammatory activity. In this work, the spray-drying and lyophilisation processes were evaluated for producing dry extracts of birch leaves. The purpose was to identify the best drying method that provides the highest content of phenolic compounds and possesses greatest antioxidant activity. Predominant compounds hyperoside and chlorogenic acid were chosen as markers for the quantitative control of phenolic compounds. Their determined amounts in hydroalcoholic birch leaf extract were 15.85 and 8.77 mg/g of dry residue, respectively. Insignificant differences were determined in spray- and freeze-dried extracts. In the antioxidant profile, hyperoside (28.9 µmol TE/g dw) and chlorogenic acid (22.8 µmol TE/g dw) possessed strongest ferric-reducing activity. Also, no significant differences of antioxidant activity were determined in the spray- and freeze-dried extracts.

Optimization and validation of post-column assay for screening of radical scavengers in herbal raw materials and herbal preparations.

On-line method, which combines HPLC distribution and post-column reaction, was designed for the search of individual antioxidants. Optimization of the assay was performed evaluating optimal ABTS(+) radical cation concentration in the reactor, reaction time, impact of flow rate, reaction coil length. HPLC-ABTS assay validation in this work was performed by assessing reference antioxidant negative peak areas in radical scavenging chromatogram. Sample free radical scavenging activity is expressed as trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC). Optimized and validated method was applied in detection of compounds possessing free radical scavenging ability in complex mixtures. Antioxidant compounds were studied in perilla (Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton var. crispa f. viridis) herbal raw material and its preparations. The HPLC-separated antioxidant compounds were identified using HPLC-photodiode array coupled to mass spectrometer, using a reference mass for determining accurate masses. Radical scavenging characteristics of rosmarinic acid, which is the dominant phenolic compound in medicinal herbal raw material of perilla and its preparations, were confirmed by the calculated TEAC values. Compounds responsible for antioxidant effect in herbal raw materials and herbal preparations were identified, evaluated and compared.

Investigation of contribution of individual constituents to antioxidant activity in herbal drugs using postcolumn HPLC method.

The most important attention is paid to the search of natural antioxidants and their evaluation in medicinal and food raw materials of plant origin. A number of plants, their extracts, food products, and medicinal preparations appear to be the objects of scientific research. Effectiveness and informative character of research, undoubtedly, depend on relevance, sensitivity, and efficiency of the methods chosen. The aim of this work was to develop and validate the postcolumn high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-DPPH method as well as its application in the evaluation of antioxidant activity of known and unknown compounds scavenging free radicals and existing in medicinal plant raw materials. HPLC-separated compounds were identified at the wavelength of 275 nm, and then the mobile phase with analytes flowed through a mixing tee to the reaction coil, where DPPH reagent solution was supplied. The solution flow rate was 0.4 mL/min. The reaction coil was connected with UV/VIS type detector, which measured absorption of flowing solution at the wavelength of 520 nm. It was determined that vitexin rhamnoside, the dominant compound in the leaves of Crataegus monogyna, was not a significant radical scavenger. The most active antioxidant in the leaves and flowers of Crataegus monogyna was chlorogenic acid. The most active antioxidant in Origanum vulgare raw material was rosmarinic acid. Identified analytes in the extracts of Achillea millefolium that possessed radical-scavenging properties were chlorogenic acid, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, rutin, and luteolin.