Articles
Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) grown in Lower Austria: exploring the phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of extracts obtained from different organs
Article number
1329_19
Pages
157 – 166
Language
English
Abstract
Besides the high value as a landscape element in agriculture, hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) finds application as a herbal drug in modern medicine and phytotherapy.
Due to the high content of secondary metabolites, Crataegus is used for the treatment of chronic heart disease and high blood pressure.
Phenolic compounds such as proanthocyanidins and flavonoids are notably present.
For medicinal products, all organs of Crataegus are used. 80% of the raw material, which is industrially processed for pharmaceutics and cosmetics, comes from wild collections.
Challenges as meeting the demand for raw material at a high quality and adequate costs need more information and strategies for agronomic cultivation.
This investigation aims to receive an impression of hawthorn’s biochemical potential as a niche crop for farmers as a supplementary source of income in Lower Austria.
Here we studied the content of total phenolic content (Folin-Ciocalteau) and antioxidant capacity (FRAP) in different organs obtained in Spring (flowers, upper and based leaves) and Autumn (fruits). Moreover, a pruning system was tested concerning the effects on production-related factors such as metabolites’ quality and fruit parameters.
In the first year, fruits present no significant difference in total phenolic content (TPC) and total antioxidative capacity (TAC) between pruned plants and non-pruned plants.
Upper leaves with 52.51 mg g‑1 DW and flowers 52.52 mg g‑1 DW showed, on average, the highest concentration of total phenolics.
The fruits had an average value of 20.83 mg g‑1 DW hence a significantly lower TPC than the leaf and flower parts (p<0.05). For TAC, no difference between fruits, leaves and flowers was determined.
However, based leaves posse with 10.15 mg g‑1 DW significantly lower TAC than the other plant organs (p<0.05). Furthermore, no positive relationship between the TPC and TAC of fruits was established, whereas a positive correlation between the TPC and the TAC of the leaf and flower samples were ascertained (p<0.001). The impact of tested pruning on agronomic factors will be adequately measurable in the upcoming vegetation periods.
Hence, this investigation lays the foundation for further research projects related to hawthorn cultivation in Lower Austria.
Due to the high content of secondary metabolites, Crataegus is used for the treatment of chronic heart disease and high blood pressure.
Phenolic compounds such as proanthocyanidins and flavonoids are notably present.
For medicinal products, all organs of Crataegus are used. 80% of the raw material, which is industrially processed for pharmaceutics and cosmetics, comes from wild collections.
Challenges as meeting the demand for raw material at a high quality and adequate costs need more information and strategies for agronomic cultivation.
This investigation aims to receive an impression of hawthorn’s biochemical potential as a niche crop for farmers as a supplementary source of income in Lower Austria.
Here we studied the content of total phenolic content (Folin-Ciocalteau) and antioxidant capacity (FRAP) in different organs obtained in Spring (flowers, upper and based leaves) and Autumn (fruits). Moreover, a pruning system was tested concerning the effects on production-related factors such as metabolites’ quality and fruit parameters.
In the first year, fruits present no significant difference in total phenolic content (TPC) and total antioxidative capacity (TAC) between pruned plants and non-pruned plants.
Upper leaves with 52.51 mg g‑1 DW and flowers 52.52 mg g‑1 DW showed, on average, the highest concentration of total phenolics.
The fruits had an average value of 20.83 mg g‑1 DW hence a significantly lower TPC than the leaf and flower parts (p<0.05). For TAC, no difference between fruits, leaves and flowers was determined.
However, based leaves posse with 10.15 mg g‑1 DW significantly lower TAC than the other plant organs (p<0.05). Furthermore, no positive relationship between the TPC and TAC of fruits was established, whereas a positive correlation between the TPC and the TAC of the leaf and flower samples were ascertained (p<0.001). The impact of tested pruning on agronomic factors will be adequately measurable in the upcoming vegetation periods.
Hence, this investigation lays the foundation for further research projects related to hawthorn cultivation in Lower Austria.
Publication
Authors
S.K. Riedel, A. Spornberger, C. Herrera, A. Forneck, I. Soural, P. Snurkovic, H. Kefeder
Keywords
Crataegus monogyna, total phenolic, hawthorn leaves, hawthorn flowers, hawthorn fruits
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