Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus L) Anthocyanins as Ingredients for Functional Foods

Abstract

In the recent years many studies on anthocyanins have revealed their strong antioxidant activity and their possible use as chemotherapeutics. The finding that sour cherries (Prunus cerasus L) (also called tart cherries) contain high levels of anthocyanins that possess strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties has attracted much attention to this species. Here we report the preliminary results of the induction of anthocyanin biosynthesis in sour cherry callus cell cultures. The evaluation and characterization of the in vitro produced pigments are compared to those of the anthocyanins found in vivo in fruits of several sour cherry cultivars. Interestingly, the anthocyanin profiles found in whole fruit extracts were similar in all tested genotypes but were different with respect to the callus extract. The evaluation of antioxidant activity, performed by ORAC and TEAC assays, revealed a relatively high antioxidant capacity for the fruit extracts (from 1145 to 2592 $\mu $ mol TE/100 g FW) and a lower one for the callus extract (688 $\mu $ mol TE/100 g FW).

Figure 1

Trolox concentration effect on FL fluorescence decay curve. Data is pooled from two runs.

Figure 2

Callus culture of sour cherry (P cerasus L) cv Amarena Mattarello on callus induction medium, after ten days of light exposure.

Figure 3

HPLC profile of sour cherry (P cerasus L) cv Amarena Mattarello fruit extract (A) and callus extract (B). Chromatographic conditions as reported in the test. Identification peaks: cyanidin 3-sophoroside (t_r 10.133); cyanidin 3-glucosylrutinoside (t_r 11.300), cyanidin 3-glucoside (t_r 12.200), cyanidin 3-rutinoside (t_r 13.967).

Figure 4

Overlapped spectra of cyanidin 3-glucoside chloride standard with the spectra of peaks eluting at times 10.133; 11.300; 12.200; 13.133; 13.967 minutes.

Figure 5

ORAC value of sour cherry (P cerasus L) fruit and callus extracts. The results are expressed as micromole Trolox equivalents per gram of fresh weight. Data is expressed as means ± SD of two assays per extract. Fruits are taken from the cultivars Amarena Mattarello, Visciola Ninno, and Visciola Sannicandro. Callus has been generated in vitro from the leaves of sour cherry cv Amarena Mattarello.

Figure 6

TEAC value of sour cherry (P cerasus L) fruit and callus extracts. The results are expressed as micromole Trolox equivalents per gram of fresh weight. Data is expressed as means ± SD of two assays per extract. Fruits are taken from the cultivars Amarena Mattarello, Visciola Ninno, and Visciola Sannicandro. Callus has been generated in vitro from the leaves of sour cherry cv Amarena Mattarello.