Fruit Quality Characterization of New Sweet Cherry Cultivars as a Good Source of Bioactive Phenolic Compounds with Antioxidant and Neuroprotective Potential

Abstract

Sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) are highly appreciated fruits for their taste, color, nutritional value, and beneficial health effects. In this work, seven new cultivars of sweet cherry were investigated for their main quality traits and nutraceutical value. The phytochemical profile of three classes of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity of the new cultivars were investigated through high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and spectrophotometric assays, respectively, and compared with those of commonly commercialized cultivars. Cyanidine-3-O-rutinoside was the main anthocyanin in all genotypes, and its levels in some new cultivars were about three-fold higher than in commercial ones. The ORAC-assayed antioxidant capacity was positively correlated with the total anthocyanin index. The nutraceutical value of the new cultivars was investigated in terms of antioxidant/neuroprotective capacity in neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells. Results demonstrated that the new cultivars were more effective in counteracting oxidative stress and were also able to upregulate brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a pro-survival neurotrophin, suggesting their potential pleiotropic role in counteracting neurodegenerations.

Antioxidant and Neuroprotective Activity of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Extracts Obtained from Quercetano Cultivar Trees Grown in Different Areas of the Tuscany Region (Italy)

“…Cells were treated with different concentrations of plain and hill extracts (1 µg/mL–500 µg/mL) for 24 h. The induction of oxidative stress was achieved with 700 µM of H 2 O 2 for 1 h. Cell viability was evaluated by measuring formazan formation as previously reported [ 41 ]. Cells were incubated with 0.5 mg/mL of MTT solution for 1 h at 37 °C.…”

“…Cells were treated with different concentrations of plain and hill extracts (1 µg/mL-500 µg/mL) for 24 h. The induction of oxidative stress was achieved with 700 µM of H 2 O 2 for 1 h. Cell viability was evaluated by measuring formazan formation as previously reported [41]. Cells were incubated with 0.5 mg/mL of MTT solution for 1 h at 37 • C. After incubation, MTT was removed and 100 µL of DMSO were added, the absorbance was recorded at λ = 595 nm using a microplate spectrophotometer (VICTOR3 V Multilabel Counter; PerkinElmer, Wellesley, MA, USA).…”

Heme Degradation in Pathophysiology of and Countermeasures to Inflammation-Associated Disease

“…Additionally, Prunus cerasus and/or avium extract and its components are an alternative medicine used traditionally for the amelioration of oxidative stress in neuropathy and various inflammatory processes including gastrointestinal and cardiovascular systems. The components of Prunus cerasus and/or Prunus avium are very active phytochemicals utilized in “in vitro and in vivo” biological models to explore their possible mechanisms of action in various tissues and diseases [ 114 ]. Studies show that a reduction in the proinflammatory TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels and an elevation in the anti-inflammatory factor of IL-10 and oxidative stress amelioration can be important mechanisms responsible for the anti-inflammatory potential of the components of Prunus cerasus .…”

“…Studies show that a reduction in the proinflammatory TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels and an elevation in the anti-inflammatory factor of IL-10 and oxidative stress amelioration can be important mechanisms responsible for the anti-inflammatory potential of the components of Prunus cerasus . Prunus cerasus ’ components, separately or together, may significantly reduce inflammatory processes and pain thresholds in various tissues [ 114 , 115 ].…”

Antioxidants of Natural Products

“…Further, the extract of Platycodon grandiflorum root protected against Aβ-induced cognitive dysfunction and pathology in female models of Alzheimer's disease [8]. Besides, the extract from new cultivars of sweet cherry(Prunus avium L.) containing cyanidine-3-O-rutinoside as a major anthocyanin, where the antioxidant capacity was positively correlated with total anthocyanin index, demonstrated an antioxidant/neuroprotective action through downregulation of oxidative stress and upregulation of BDNF in neuronlike SH-Sy5Y cells [9]. Taken together, these plant extracts could be used as phytomedicine, which protects against neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, etc.…”