Comparative Analysis of Phenolic Content and Profile, Antioxidant Capacity, and Anti-inflammatory Bioactivity in Wild Alaskan and Commercial Vaccinium Berries

Abstract

Wild Alaskan Vaccinium berries, V. vitis-idaea (lowbush cranberry) and V. uliginosum (bog blueberry), were investigated in parallel to their commercial berry counterparts; V. macrocarpon (cranberry) and V. angustifolium (lowbush blueberry). Lowbush cranberry accumulated about twice the total phenolics (624.4 mg/100 g FW) and proanthocyanidins (278.8 mg/100 g) content as commercial cranberries, but A-type proanthocyanidins were more prevalent in the latter. Bog blueberry anthocyanin and total phenolic contents of 220 and 504.5 mg/100 g, respectively, significantly exceeded those of the lowbush blueberry. Chlorogenic acid, however, was quite high in lowbush blueberry (83.1 mg/100 g), but undetected in bog blueberry, and the proanthocyanidins of lowbush blueberry had significantly higher levels of polymerization. Antioxidant capacity (DPPH, APTS and FRAP) correlated with phenolic content for each berry. A polyphenol-rich fraction from lowbush cranberry exhibited dose-dependent inhibition of LPS-elicited induction of IL-1β in RAW 264.7 cells, indicative of strong anti-inflammatory activity. These results corroborate the historic use of wild Alaskan berries as medicinally-important foods in Alaska Native communities.

Bioactive Capacity, Sensory Properties, and Nutritional Analysis of a Shelf Stable Protein-rich Functional Ingredient with Concentrated Fruit and Vegetable Phytoactives

“…The higher anti-inflammatory activity of muscadine-SPI matrix can be attributed to higher total phenolic content of this ingredient. The anti-inflammatory activity of fruit and vegetable phytoactives has been previously described [19,20]. These results demonstrate that the fortified ingredient matrices, at reasonable dietary levels, contained phytoactives that suppressed activation of key pro-inflammatory genes triggered by an inflammatory stimulus.…”

Phenolic and tocopherol content of autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellate) berries

“…Previous studies of berries using similar analytical methods reported proanthocyanidin content (per 100 g FW) from 4.3 to 18.6 mg in aronia berry, 71.2 to 85.5 mg in blueberry, and 132.7 to 278.8 in cranberry (Grace, Esposito, Dunlap, & Lila, 2014;Taheri et al, 2013). Thus, AOB appears to have similar proanthocyanidin content to blueberry.…”

Vaccinium angustifolium Root Extract Suppresses FcεRI Expression in Human Basophilic KU812F Cells.

“…V. angustifolium has been previously used for the treatment of diabetic symptoms, and it has been shown to exert a variety of physiological effects including antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-microbial effects (9–16). Methanol was found to be the most suitable solvent for the extraction of polyphenolic compounds from plant materials (25).…”

“…Among the Vaccinium genus, the lowbush blueberry, Vaccinium angustifolium , is native to Eastern and Central Canada, and the North East of the United States. This species has been used for the treatment of diabetic symptoms, and it is evidenced to possess a variety of physiological properties including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer activities (9–16). We previously reported that V. angustifolium root extract (VAE) inhibited A23187 and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced degranulation via down-regulation of protein kinases C translocation (17).…”