Variation in Chemical Constituents and Antioxidant Activity in Yellow Himalayan (<i>R</i> <i>ubus ellipticus</i> Smith) and Hill Raspberry (<i>R</i> <i>ubus niveus</i> Thunb.)

Abstract

Phytochemicals and antioxidant activity in the fruits of Rubus ellipticus and Rubus niveus were studied. A significant variation (P < 0.05) in total phenolics, flavonoids, monomeric anthocyanins, ascorbic acid and β-carotene content among genotypes of R. ellipticus was observed. Total phenolics ranged from 2.56 to 3.28 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/gram (g) fresh weight (fw) for R. ellipticus and 3.21 mg GAE/g fw for R. niveus. Gallic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid were the major phenolic compounds identified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Antioxidant activity measured by three in vitro assays (i.e., ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activity and ferric-reducing antioxidant power) demonstrated the utility of both the species as a source of natural antioxidants. Furthermore, the results of this study may provide baseline data for future breeding programs for variety improvement. Practical Applications Rubus ellipticus and Rubus niveus are important wild edible fruits commonly consumed as food and serve as important ingredients in traditional medicine in Asia. These species are directly collected from wild for consumption. The assessment of the antioxidant properties (ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activity and ferric-reducing antioxidant potential), phenolic content and composition of both the species may provide possible role against health benefits and future applications in functional foods and nutraceutical development. Furthermore, the variation in antioxidant properties, phenolic content and other phytochemical composition in different plants may provide baseline data for future breeding programs for variety improvement.