Analytical characterization and in vivo anti-oxidant activity evaluation of the polyphenolic fraction of Prunus avium L.

Virginia Brighenti, Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena And Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy (virginia.brighenti@unimore.it)
Davide Bertelli, Department Of Life Sciences, University Of Modena And Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
Ana Marìa González-Paramás, Facultad De Farmacia, Universidad De Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
Lucia Marchetti, Department Of Life Sciences, University Of Modena And Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
Stefania Benvenuti, Department Of Life Sciences, University Of Modena And Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
Celestino Santos-Buelga, Facultad De Farmacia, Universidad De Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
Federica Pellati, Department Of Life Sciences, University Of Modena And Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

Prunus avium L. (commonly known as sweet cherry) is a tree belonging to the Rosaceae family. It fruit is a well-known edible product, rich in nutrients and antioxidant compounds [1,2]. This fruit is considered to exert beneficial effects on human health: indeed, its consumption has been associated with the prevention of cell oxidative injury and inflammation, thanks to its free radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory activities [2]. These beneficial effects are closely related to the rich polyphenolic composition of sweet cherry fruit, which encompasses numerous chemical classes of compounds [1-3]. Therefore, sweet cherry fruit represents a source of bioactive natural compounds to be exploited in the nutraceutical field [1-3].In the light of all the above, the development of efficient analytical methods, together with the establishment of suitable extraction procedures, are crucial features in order to highlight the great nutraceutical potential of this product.

In this view, the aim of the present study was the development of a new analytical method for the comprehensive multi-component analysis of polyphenols in sweet cherry. In particular, a RP-HPLC-UV/DAD and HPLC-ESI-MSn method was successfully optimized for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of sweet cherry polyphenolic compounds. Sample preparation was based on two sequential dynamic maceration steps. The optimized analytical method was finally applied to different sweet cherry samples. Four anthocyanins were identified in sweet cherry extracts, with cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside being the most abundant one. Caffeoyil-quinic and cumaroyil-quinic acids were also identified as the most representative phenolic acids.

Given the high biological value of the polyphenolic fractions of sweet cherry fruit, the extracts were submitted to in vivo antioxidant assays using the Caenorhabditis elegans model to test their capacity to increase the worm resistance to oxidative and thermal stress.

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Abstract Reference & Short Personal Biography of Presenting Author

Abstract References

[1] N. Aceroa, A. Gradillas, M. Beltran, A. García, D. Muñoz Mingarro, Food Chemistry, 279 (2019) 260-271
[2] P. Crupi, G. Bleve, M. Tufariello, F. Corbo, M.L. Clodoveo, Luigi Tarricone, Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 73 (2018) 103-111.
[3] A. Nemes, E. Szőllősi, L. Stündl, A. Biró, J.R. Homoki, M.M. Szarvas, P. Balogh, Z. Cziáky, J. Remenyik, Molecules, 23 (2018) 3278.

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Short Personal Biography of Presenting Author

Dr. Virginia Brighenti graduated in 2013 in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology at the Department of Life Sciences of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. In 2018 she got a PhD degree in Clinical and Experimental Medicine. Currently she covers a post-doctoral fellowship position in Medicinal Chemistry at the Department of Life Sciences of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.

The research activity of Dr. Brighenti is mainly focused on the development of innovative techniques for the extraction and analysis of bioactive natural products, and on the isolation of new bioactive compounds of natural origin with antioxidant and antiproliferative activity. Dr. Brighenti is the author of 18 papers in ISI indexed international journals, and more than 20 congress communications (oral and poster).