Study of content and composition of anthocyanins in selected plants species

Anthocyanins are heteroglycosides composed of aglycone – anthocyanidine and sugar moiety. They are the final product of flavonoid production in secondary metabolism of plant cells. They are characteristic with antioxidant effects, through which they have positive effect on human organism. There is a large number of anthocyanidins, out of which only six are of the greatest importance, those with hydroxylic group at C-3 location. They are cyanidine, pelargonidine, peonidine, delfinidine, petunidine, malvidine. These are present in large amounts in plant species Vitis vinifera L., Vaccinum corymbosum L. and Sambucus nigra L. In the berries of Vitis vinifera they are accumulated in hypodermal cell layer of peel, or in the pulp of some cultivars. Except for pelargonidine, it contains all important anthocyanidines, with predomination of malvidine. Total content of anthocyanins in fresh berries ranged from 0,50 to 4,99g.kg^-1 and in peels from 20,7 to 66,6mg.g^-1 of peels dry matter. In the anthocyanins of Vaccinum corymbosum there were identified cyanidine, delphinidine, malvidine and peonidine. Their total content varies significantly depending on variety. Total determined content of anthocyanins ranged from 290,16 to 1343,08mg.dm^-3. Sambucus nigra contains five important anthocyanidines: cyanidine 3-sambubiosid-5-glucoside, cyanidine 3,5 diglucoside, cyanidine 3-sambubioside, cyanidine 3-glucoside and cyanidine 3-rutinoside. The content of identified anthocyanins in fruits of this species ranges from 602,9 to 1265,3mg.100g^-1. The amount of accumulated anthocyanins pigments depends on variety, ecological conditions standard of agricultural technology, and particularly on the temperature and solar radiation.

Acknowledgement: The participation is supported by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, the project: 00162–0001 (MS SR-3634/2010–11).