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Title: RESVERATROL AND NATURALLY OCCURRING ANALOGUES IN VACCINIUM SPECIES

Author
item Rimando, Agnes
item BARNEY, DANNY - UNIV. OF IDAHO, SREC

Submitted to: Acta Horticulture Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/8/2003
Publication Date: 6/1/2005
Citation: Rimando, A.M., Barney, D.L. 2005. Resveratrol and naturally occurring analogues in vaccinium species. Acta Horticulture Proceedings. 6:137-143.

Interpretive Summary: In a continuing study, seventeen samples of berries representing varieties and cultivars of nine Vaccinium species collected from Idaho, Washington, and Wyoming were analyzed for their content of resveratrol, pterostilbene and piceatannol. These naturally occurring stilbenes have been reported to have potential cancer chemopreventive activity, and to possess strong antioxidant activity. Analysis by GC/MS showed contents of 0.26 - 4.67 and 0.12 - 2.74 ug/g lyophilized berry for resveratrol and pterostilbene, respectively. Piceatannol was found in only three species at levels of 0.25 - 0.61 ug/g lyophilized berry. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the extracts using B-D-glucosidase increased resveratrol levels up to 63-fold suggesting, and demonstrating for the first time, that resveratrol also occurs as a glycoside in Vaccinium berries.

Technical Abstract: In a continuing study, seventeen samples of berries representing varieties and cultivars of nine Vaccinium species collected from Idaho, Washington, and Wyoming were analyzed for their content of resveratrol, pterostilbene and piceatannol. These naturally occurring stilbenes have been reported to have potential cancer chemopreventive activity, and to possess strong antioxidant activity. Analysis by GC/MS showed resveratrol content of 0.26 - 4.67 ug/g lyophilized berry, which are comparable to values reported for grapes. The levels of pterostilbene (0.12-2.74 ug/g lyophilized berry) are relatively higher than those that have been reported in grapevine berries. Piceatannol was found in only three species at levels of 0.25 - 0.61 ug/g lyophilized berry. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the extracts using B-D-glucosidase increased resveratrol levels up to 63-fold suggesting that resveratrol also occurs as a glycoside in Vaccinium berries. This is the first report of occurrence of resveratrol as a glucoside (picied) in Vaccinium berries. This finding is significant because it has been reported that resveratrol is absorbed in the small intestines in the form of a glucuronide conjugate. Furthermore, picied has been shown to also exhibit antioxidant activity. The different amounts of stilbenes in Vaccinium berries could produce varying levels of antioxidant activity and provide cancer chemoprevention, further adding to health benefits derived from consumption of Vaccinium fruits which has been attributed to other classes of polyphenols (such as flavonoids and anthocyanins) in the berries.