Polyphenol extraction from eight Perilla frutescens cultivars

Abstract

Eight cultivars of Perilla frutescens (L.) (var. frutescens and var. crispa ) Britt. belonging to red and green varieties were harvested in China and Japan. Water extractions of dried plants were investigated at a small industrial scale, and their polyphenolic contents were determined, identified and compared. Three cinnamic derivatives (coumaroyl tartaric acid, caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid) ranged from 0.1 to 11 mg/g dry weight. Six flavonoids (apigenin 7- O -caffeoylglucoside, scutellarein 7- O -diglucuronide, luteolin 7- O -diglucuronide, apigenin 7- O -diglucuronide, luteolin 7- O -glucuronide, and scutellarein 7- O -glucuronide) ranged from 3.5 to 18.5 mg/g. Six anthocyanins (0.7–2 mg/g) were detected in only red-green or red cultivars, including cis -shisonin, shisonin, malonylshisonin and cyanidin 3- O -( E )-caffeoylglucoside-5- O -malonylglucoside. The eight cultivars were classified into four chemotypes: two rich in phenolic acids (20–43%) and flavones (50–80%), with or without anthocyanins (0–7%) and two with mainly flavones (90–98%), with or without anthocyanins (0–7%). These extracts could be used for colored water beverages or various antioxidant pharmaceutical/biomedical applications.