The content of selected phytochemicals and in vitro antioxidant properties of rose hip (Rosa canina L.) tinctures

Abstract

Eight types of tinctures were produced which differed regarding the raw material (rose hips) treatment i.e. seed content (with or without seeds) and the technique used for rose hip preservation, i.e.: fresh (without preservation), frozen, hot air-dried or freeze-dried. In produced tinctures the following parameters were determined: total phenolic content, polyphenolic composition by HPLC method, the contents of phenylpropanoids, flavonols, anthocyanins, l-ascorbic acid, dehydroascorbic acid, antioxidant activity against ABTS radical and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The results indicate that generally higher extractability of the examined compounds was achieved in tinctures prepared from raw rose hip material without seeds. It was particularly pronounced for the content of selected phenolic compounds as well as ascorbic acid concentration. Removing seeds from rose hips affected also higher antioxidant activity in tinctures. Among all preservation techniques applied in this study, freeze-drying was the best to maintain high bioactive properties of the final product.

Keywords

• Wild rose hip
• Liqueur
• Polyphenols
• Antioxidant activity
• Vitamin C