Selected phenolic compounds in fruits of wild growing Cornus mas L.

The aim of the present study was to determine the content of six phenolic compounds, natural anti-oxidants, in fruits of wild growing Cornus mas L. Fruits were sampled from two different locations. The extracts were obtained from fresh fruits and subjected to LC-MS/MS analysis to identify and quantify the content of neochlorogenic acid and five derivatives of quercetin. All of the analyzed phenolic compounds were detected in total sample of C. mas fruits, and their occurrence and content were clearly locality-dependent. Out of analyzed compounds, the prevailing was neochlorogenic acid (5-O-CQ) in samples from Avala, whereas glucuronide (Q-3-O-GlcA) dominated in samples from Zlatar lake. These results showed that wild growing populations are rich source of natural antioxidants, especially those with proved pharmacological activity in humans, such as glucuronide. As indicated by data on traditional usages and ethnopharmacological knowledge, C. mas fruits collected in wild are valuable source of natural antioxidants and deserve attention in preservation of genetic and biological diversity

First evidence and quantification of quercetin derivatives in dogberries (Cornus sanguinea L.)

Aim: C. sanguinea L. is a widespread European shrubby species. It is a potential source of biologically active compounds, especially antioxidants, as indicated by the dogberries’ black color. The aim of the present study was to determine the content of several quercetin derivatives in the dogberries and to evaluate phytogeographical variability of these compounds. Materials and methods: The dogberries were collected in the middle of September at two natural habitats of this species: Mt. Avala and Lake Zlatar, Serbia. The extract obtained from fresh fruits was subjected to LC-MS/MS analysis to identify and quantify the content of five quercetin derivatives: quercetin-3-O-glucuronide (Q-3-O-GlcA), quercetin-3-O-galactoside (Q-3-O-Gal), quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (Q-3-O-Rut), quercetin-3-O-glucoside (Q-3-O-Glc) and quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside (Q-3-O-Rha). Results: All of examined quercetin derivatives were detected in extract of fresh dogberries and their contents were in the following order: Q-3-O-GlcA > Q-3-O-Gal > Q-3-O-Rut > Q-3-O-Glc > Q-3-O-Rha. The average amount of Q-3-O-Rut varied significantly and depended on the geographic origin of the fruit sample. Conclusions: These results indicate that dogberries could be a potential source of natural antioxidants, and encourage further investigation of this species considering that it has not yet been exploited in either nutrition or as a source of important pharmacological compounds.Turkish Journal of Biochemistry (2017), 42(4): 513-51

Geographic variability of selected phenolic compounds in fresh berries of two Cornus species

The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical variability of Cornus mas and Cornus sanguinea on the basis of the content of six selected phenolic compounds in fruit extracts. Fruits were sampled at the time of full ripening, mid-September, from two localities that differed in terms of orographic and environmental conditions. Fresh fruit extracts were analyzed by LC–MS/MS to determine the presence and contents of neochlorogenic acid, quercitrin, isoquercetin, hyperoside, rutoside and querciturone. While all of the tested compounds were detected in both species, their content was several times higher in C. sanguinea. Locality-dependent differences were tested by appropriate statistical tests, which confirmed that the contents of all compounds significantly differed in C. mas, whereas the content of only one compound differed in C. sanguinea. Differences between populations were also revealed by PCA analyses. Both species showed clear separation of populations based on the analyzed phenolic compounds. The results showed that a specific environment can significantly affect the contents of certain secondary metabolites, as in the case of C. mas, and/or that the synthesis of these compounds can be to a lesser extent influenced by external factors, as in the case of C. sanguinea.This is a pre-print of an article published in Trees. The final authenticated version is available online at: [https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-017-1624-5]Trees, 201