Planta Med 2008; 74 - PH28
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1084873

Antiradical efficiency and aldose reductase inhibitory capacity of Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) fruits' extracts

P Tsatalas 1, P Alexiou 2, V Demopoulos 2, E Kokkalou 1
  • 1Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmacognocy-Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece
  • 2Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece

Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas, Cornaceae), is a shelf shown tree in northern Greece with edible fruits, used for the preparation of marmalades, beverages, liqueurs and distillates. Fruits were found rich in anthocyanins and ursolic acid, substances preventive against diabetes and heart disease [1–4]. Aqueous extracts showed significant antioxidant activity in vitro, in various antioxidant systems [5, 6]. The aim of the study was the estimation of the antiradical efficiency (DPPH· assay and Co(II)/EDTA -induced luminol chemiluminescence test) [7] as well as the inhibitory capacity of aldose reductase enzyme (AR, ALR2, E.C. 1.1.1.21) [8] of several extracts and fractions of increasing polarity. For these tests, well matured fruits were exhaustively extracted with methanol and the dry remaining was partitioned with solvents of increasing polarity (diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, water). According to the DPPH test the initial methanolic extract, the diethyl ether and the ethyl acetate fractions had significant antioxidant capacity in comparison to the standards used (quercetin and trolox), while only the diethyl ether fraction was effective according to the CL test. The diethyl ether and ethyl acetate fractions were efficient ALR2 inhibitors in comparison to sorbinil at a concentration of 25µg/ml, indicating a strong potential of Cornus mas fruits against the long term diabetic complications [9].

References: 1. Jayaprakasam, B. et al. (2006)J.Agric.Food Chem. 54: 243–248. 2. Vareed, S. et al. (2006) Life Sci. 78: 777–784. 3. Char-Thanh, D. et al. (1973) Phytochem. 12: 2487–2489. 4. Seeram, N. et al. (2002)J. Agric.Food Chem. 50: 2519–2523. 5. Gulcin, I. et al (2005) Act. Alimentaria 34: 193–202. 6. Pantelidis G.E. et al. (2007) Food Chem. 102: 777–783. 7. Termentzi, A. et al. (2006) Food Chem. 98: 599–608. 8. Nicolaou, I. et al. (2004)J. Med. Chem. 47: 2706–2709. 9. Matthew, J. et al. (2002)J Amer Med Assoc 288: 2579–2582