Total and individual phenolics in wild and cultivated elderberry during development

Abstract

Compounds which add to bioactivity of elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) are mostly phenolic compounds. One wild edible and two cultivated genotypes (’Haschberg’ and ’Ljubostinja’ selections) have been chosen. Leaves and fruits were collected in four stages (April-September). Total phenolics (TP) content was determined from MeOH extracts by Folin-Ciocalteau method while determination of individual compounds was performed using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn analysis with a DAD at 280, 350 and 530 nm. TP content in leaves varied through developmental stages, being higher in II and III stage. Leaves and fruits (both unripe and ripe) of ’Ljubostinja’ plants had higher content of TP compared to wild ripe fruits (1.5-fold). Leaves had caffeic acid derivatives (0.3-0.7% in wild, 0.2-0.3% in ’Haschberg’ and 0.4-0.6% in ’Ljubostinja’ in dry weigh) and caffeoylquinic acid derivatives, while fruits had more caffeoylquinic acid derivatives, particularly unripe fruits. The major phenolic acid present in leaves, especially during the II stage of development, was chlorogenic acid (approx. 4% dw) and the same was recorded in fruits (0.03% dw in unripe fruits of wild plants). Content of phenolic acids decreased during ripening of elderberry fruits and the similar was detected in the leaves.