Red Horse Chestnut and Horse Chestnut Flowers and Leaves: A Potential and Powerful Source of Polyphenols with High Antioxidant Capacity

Abstract

Aesculus flowers and leaves are an excellent source of bioactive compounds, including flavanols, phenolic acids, and anthocyanins, and the leaves also contain antioxidant carotenoids and chlorophylls. The aim of this study was to analyse and compare the amounts of bioactive compounds present in Aesculus hippocastanum and Aesculus × carnea flowers and leaves over two years. These two species from six independent locations (parks and green areas) located in Warsaw were assessed in this study. The dry matter by the scale method and polyphenol, carotenoid, and chlorophyll content by the HPLC method of the flowers and leaves was evaluated. Red horse chestnut flowers contained significantly more total carotenoids (40.6 µg/g FW) and chlorophylls (36.9 µg/g FW) than horse chestnut flowers, and red horse chestnut flowers contained higher levels of anthocyanins (5.41 µg/g FW) than other species. We observed that horse chestnut flowers were characterized by a higher total polyphenols concentration (9.45 µg/g FW) compared to red horse chestnut flowers. In addition, the analysis of leaves showed that all quality parameters were higher in red horse chestnut species. Five individual anthocyanins were identified in both species’ flowers, but a higher concentration was found in red horse chestnut flowers, and pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside was the predominant form among a pool of total anthocyanins. In both experimental years, leaves (109.25 mMol/100 g FW and 112.0 mMol/100 g FW) were characterized by a higher antioxidant activity than flowers (27.0 mMol/100 g FW and 27.5 mMol/100 g FW).

Identification and Quantification of Bioactive Compounds in Organic and Conventional Edible Pansy Flowers (Viola × wittrockiana) and Their Antioxidant Activity

“…Double-pigmented pansy flowers contained significantly more caffeic and p -coumaric acids than single-pigmented yellow pansy flowers ( Table 2 a). Bristly locust and red horse-chestnut flowers with dark (pink) petal colors were characterized by higher contents of phenolic acids such as caffeic acid, gallic acid, or chlorogenic acid compared to those with white flowers (black locust and horse chestnut) [ 55 , 64 ]. In the case of violet/yellow pansy flowers, we observed a significant interaction of experimental factors only in p -coumaric acid concertation.…”

Horse Chestnut Seed Extract: An Opportunity for Creating Evidencebased New Natural Products

“…It has been established that escin primarily accounts for the effectiveness of horse chestnut seed extract in decreasing edema and inflammation. 31 Coveted Pharmacological Properties of Horse Chestnut Extracts According to numerous scientific investigations, A. hippocastanum has major antioxidant, [32][33][34] antiinflammatory, [35][36][37] and anti-edematous 38 properties. The escin acts as an antioxidant via inhibiting hyaluronidase enzyme, but Wilkinson and brown state that this is insufficient to explain the potent venotonic effects of horse chestnut extract on the microvasculature.…”

“…43 The antioxidant proanthocyanidin A2 can be found in the triterpene saponin of escin. 35,[44][45][46] It has been demonstrated that the proteoglycan breakdown enzyme hyaluronidase is inhibited by escin. 47 In animal studies, it was discovered that increased release of prostaglandin F2 in the outer wall of veins inhibited the vasodilator effects of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) and histamine.…”

“…Overall, this study highlighted the potential of horse chestnut extract as a natural remedy for conditions that involve increased capillary permeability, such as edema and inflammation. 35 The protective effects of both inflammatory mediators were discovered to be dosage-dependent, with a 200 mg/kg extract dose producing an 80% increase in dye appearance time. Aescin's modes of action in CVI is presented in Figure 5.…”

A rare cultivar of horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L. ˈBaumaniiˈ) in Slovakia: morphological, molecular and antioxidant analysis

“…Extracts and concentrates are used in the manufacture of creams and ointments with antiinflammatory properties to treat phlebitis and different kinds of cancer. However, culinary properties of horse chestnut flowers have been reported as well (Bielarska et al 2022).…”