Changes of phenolics and antioxidant activity during hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge) fruit ripening

The antioxidant activity, total phenolic compounds and four major phenolics in hawthorn fruits (during three ripening stages) were investigated. Hawthorn has been used as a folk medicine in Korea for the treatment of various cardiovascular disease, arteriosclerosis and hypertension [1]. Many recent clinical studies have demonstrated that hawthorn extract show a protective effect on cardiovascular diseases [2]. In our study, we used Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge fruit to measure the phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. Using HPLC, four phenolic compounds including (–)-epicatechin (EC), chlorogenic acid (ChA), hyperoside (HP) and procyanidin B₂ (PC-B₂), in hawthorn fruit were evaluated. Hawthorn fruits of five clones (selected from different area of Korea, C1, C8, C15, J and P), grown in the Korea Forest Research Institute (Suwon) were utilized. The finding results were that the clone of J had highest EC (1122.6mg/100g) and HP (100.6mg/100g) content at 2nd ripening stage and PC- B₂ (863.9mg/100g) content at 2nd ripening stage in the fruit ripening. C8 had highest ChA (377.0mg/100g) content at 2nd ripening stage. In our research, the free-radical scavenging activities of five clones (C1, C8, C15, J and P) were 51.9, 37.6, 42.2, 70.0, and 25.5% at 2nd stage, respectively. Total phenolic content in fruit at 2nd ripening stage of five clones were 137.6, 102.9, 133.5, 179.0, and 52.5mg/g, respectively.

References: 1. Chang, Q. et al. (2006) Food Chem. 98:426–430.

2. Liu, T. et al. (2010) Food Chem. 119: 1656–1662.