56 E.J. BOROWSKA et al.: Polyphenols, Anthocyanins and Resveratrol in Cranberry, Food Technol. Biotechnol.

47 (1) 56–61 (2009)

ISSN 1330-9862 original scientific paper

(FTB-2060)

Polyphenol, Anthocyanin and Resveratrol Mass Fractions

and Antioxidant Properties of Cranberry Cultivars

Eulalia J. Borowska1*, Barbara Mazur1, Renata GadzalVa Kopciuch2

and BoguslVaw Buszewski2
1
University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Chair of Food Plant Chemistry and Processing,
Plac Cieszyński 1, PL-10-957 Olsztyn-Kortowo, Poland
2
Chair of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Gagarina 7,
PL-87-100 Toruń, Poland
Received: February 20, 2008
Accepted: July 28, 2008

Summary
The study involved an evaluation of five cranberry cultivars grown in Poland: Ben
Lear, Pilgrim, Stevens, Early Richard and Bergman. The reference sample comprised wild-
-grown common cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccus). The mass fractions of total phenolic com-
pounds, anthocyanins and resveratrol (HPLC-DAD), as well as the antioxidant properties
(DPPH·, ·OH and ABTS+ radical scavenging capacity) were determined. Statistically signifi-
cant differences (p<0.05) were reported as regards the mass fractions of polyphenols and
anthocyanins in the fruit of the analysed cultivars. The highest polyphenol mass fraction
was determined in Ben Lear (374.2 mg per 100 g of fresh mass), while Early Richard was
the richest source of anthocyanins (77.1 mg per 100 g of fresh mass). The fruit of common
cranberry contained the highest quantities of resveratrol (712.3 ng/g of fresh mass), and its
mass fraction in the investigated cultivars ranged from 533.4 (cv. Stevens) to 598.2 ng/g of
fresh mass (Ben Lear). Common cranberry was also marked by the highest ABTS+ scaveng-
ing capacity. Stevens and Pilgrim were characterised by a strong capability to scavenge
DPPH· and ·OH free radicals. Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were observed in
respect of the free radical scavenging capacity of most investigated cranberry cultivars.

Key words: cranberry, polyphenols, anthocyanins, resveratrol, antioxidant properties, DPPH·,

·
OH and ABTS+ scavenging activity

Introduction medicinal properties, cranberry fruit has become a popu-

lar farming product in other countries, including Po-
In botanical terms, cranberry is a wild, evergreen land, where until now, cranberry has been farmed com-
dwarf shrub of the family Ericaceae which grows in mercially only in the central parts of the country (2).
marshy coniferous forests and bogs. Common cranberry
(Vaccinium oxycoccus) and the similar looking small cran- Cranberry fruit is a rich source of bioactive compo-
berry (Oxycoccos microcarpus) are evergreen dwarf shrubs nents with a broad spectrum of activities. It is particu-
with small, narrow leaves and red edible fruit (1,2). larly known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and
American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is a major antimicrobial properties, which inhibit the growth of
commercial crop in eastern Canada and north-eastern pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Helicobacter
USA, mainly in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, pylori and other pathogens (3–5). For many years, cran-
Washington and Wisconsin (3). Due to its documented berry juice has been a popular folk remedy used espe-

*Corresponding author; Fax: ++48 89 5233 466; E-mail: [email protected]

E.J. BOROWSKA et al.: Polyphenols, Anthocyanins and Resveratrol in Cranberry, Food Technol. Biotechnol. 47 (1) 56–61 (2009) 57

cially in North America in the treatment of urinary tract Chemicals and standards
infections in women and digestive tract ailments. The Cyanidin-3-glucoside was obtained from Polyphe-
anticancer properties of cranberry made it a popular diet nols Laboratories AS (Sandnes, Norway). The set, com-
component in the prevention of neoplastic diseases (6,7). prising a phosphate buffer, chromogen (metmyoglobin,
Flavonoids, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, pheno- ABTS), substrate (hydrogen peroxide) and the standard
lic acids and vitamin C are cranberry fruit compounds (Trolox), was purchased from the Randox Laboratories
which are marked by high biological activity (8–10). Re- Ltd., UK. Solvents for HPLC (LabScan, Dublin, Ireland)
cent research points to the particularly high biological and redistilled water (Mili-Q, Milipore, El Passo, TX,
activity of resveratrol (5,11–13). It is believed that resve- USA) were employed for the conditioning of the extrac-
ratrol is produced by plants in response to stress caused tive column, analyte elution and the chromatographic
by the environmental pollution, UV radiation, bacterial analysis (mobile phases). Folin–Ciocalteu reagent and
and fungal infections (14). The presence of resveratrol in other chemicals were from Merck (Darmstadt, Germany).
cranberry and other berry fruits of the genus Vaccinium, Trolox, resveratrol, gallic acid standard and DPPH (2,2’-
such as myrtle whortleberry, red whortleberry, and red -diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) were purchased from Sigma-
currant, has been documented in the work of, among -Aldrich Fluka Co. (St. Louis, MO, USA). All other che-
others, Häkkinen et al. (15), Ehala et al. (16), and Riman- micals were of analytical grade and from ABCHEM (Po-
do and Barney (17). According to Lyons et al. (18), resve- land).
ratrol mass fraction in berry fruit is determined largely
by the farming region. The above mentioned researchers Sample preparation
did not find resveratrol in highbush blueberries in Brit-
Six samples (10 g) for each of the six cranberry cul-
ish Columbia. Resveratrol may have a beneficial effect
tivars: wild, Ben Lear, Bergman, Early Richard, Pilgrim
on the circulatory system by inhibiting lipid peroxida-
and Stevens, were thawed at room temperature (20 °C)
tion (LDL), preventing blood platelet aggregation and
for 15 min and were crushed with the use of an Ultra
expanding blood vessels (10,19). The above mentioned
Turrax homogenizer (IKA Works do Brasie Ltd., Ger-
properties are largely the result of antioxidant activity of
many). The disintegrated samples were extracted three
resveratrol, its ability to neutralise free radicals and in-
times with 80 mL of methanol solution containing 0.1 %
duce the production of enzymes responsible for the
hydrochloric acid. The extract was centrifuged (4000 rpm,
detoxication of xenobiotics, e.g. quinone reductase. Due
15 min) and the clear supernatant was collected. Metha-
to a broad spectrum of properties, resveratrol can be
nolic extracts were concentrated under reduced pressure
classified as a multi-functional compound (12,14,20).
at 40 °C for the determination of total phenolic com-
Synergism may be an important feature of the biological
pounds, total anthocyanins and DPPH·, ·OH and ABTS+
activity of polyphenols: synergistic interactions between
free radical scavenging capacity. The crushed fruit sam-
wine polyphenols, quercetin and resveratrol were found
ples were extracted with the use of an ethanol and wa-
to decrease the inducible nitric oxide synthesis activity
ter mixture (20:80, by volume) to determine resveratrol
in the cell culture system (21,22).
mass fraction. Extraction took place within 30 min in an
The broad spectrum of biological activities mani- ultrasound bath (InterSonic IS-5.5, Beverage Processing
fested by cranberry fruit prompted the initiation of a Machinery, Olsztyn, Poland) at 60 °C (23).
study determining whether the Polish climate offers a
favourable environment for farming cranberry varieties, Determination of total phenolic compounds
which are popularly grown in other geographic regions.
The evaluation criteria adopted in this study include the Folin-Cioccalteu reagent was used to determine to-
content of total phenolic compounds, anthocyanins and tal phenolic compounds (23). A volume of 1 mL of cran-
resveratrol as well as the antioxidant properties of cran- berry extract, diluted 5–6 times with methanol (to obtain
berry fruit. The reference sample comprised wild cran- absorbance within the range of the prepared calibration
berry fruit. curve), was mixed with 0.5 mL of Folin-Ciocalteu re-
agent previously diluted with distilled water (1:2). A
volume of 1.5 mL of 20 % sodium carbonate solution
was added to the mixture, shaken thoroughly and di-
Materials and Methods luted to 10 mL by adding distilled water. The mixture
was let to stand for 90 min and the blue colour formed
Fruit was measured at 765 nm with a spectrophotometer (UV/
VIS Spectrometer UNICAM, UK). Gallic acid was used
The investigated material comprised five American
as a standard for the calibration curve. The concentra-
cranberry cultivars: Pilgrim, Ben Lear, Stevens, Early Ri-
tions of gallic acid in the solution from which the curve
chard and Bergman, grown on the Experimental Whortle-
was prepared were 0, 50, 100, 150, 250 and 500 mg/L.
berry Farm of the Department of Pomology at the War-
The total mass fraction of phenolic compounds was cal-
saw University of Life Sciences. Common cranberry was
culated and expressed as gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/
harvested in forests of the Olsztyn area. In Poland, cran-
(mg/100 g).
berry is grown in wet peaty places with high atmosphe-
ric moisture, under moderate climate conditions. Farm-
-grown and wild cranberry fruit were harvested in October Determination of anthocyanin mass fraction
2006. The fruit was frozen and cold-stored (Caravell Total anthocyanins were determined as described by
0601) at a temperature of –25 °C for 5 to 6 weeks prior Wrolstad (24) and expressed as cyanidin-3-glucoside,
to analyses. which is the dominant anthocyanin in cranberry. The
58 E.J. BOROWSKA et al.: Polyphenols, Anthocyanins and Resveratrol in Cranberry, Food Technol. Biotechnol. 47 (1) 56–61 (2009)

prepared extract was sampled in the required quantity Determination of DPPH· scavenging activity
in 10-mL measuring flasks, and was supplemented with The 2,2’-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH·)
80 % methanol solution. A volume of 1 mL was sam- scavenging activity was determined by the procedure
pled, 4 mL of buffer with pH=1 (120 mL of 0.2 mol/L of described by Brand-Williams et al. (26). A volume of 0.1
KCl and 390 mL of 0.2 mol/L of HCl) were added, and mL of the investigated extract was sampled, 3.9 mL of
absorbance was measured at a wavelength of 502 nm 0.25 % DPPH methanol solution were added, and ab-
(for cyanidin-3-glucoside) against the buffer with pH=1 sorbance was measured at a wavelength of 515 nm with
as the reagent sample. The resulting value should be the use of a spectrophotometer (UV/ VIS Spectrometer
within the 0.4–0.6 range. Absorbance was measured also UNICAM, UK) until constant values were obtained. A
at 700 nm to eliminate disturbances. Successive blank was prepared for each sample using methanol in-
read-outs were taken at the wavelengths of 502 and 700 stead of the DPPH solution. The content of the residual
nm for the samples prepared in the above manner, but DPPH· was calculated for every antioxidant concentra-
the buffer with pH=1 was replaced with a buffer with tion in the investigated samples in line with the follow-
pH=4.5 (450 mL of 1 M sodium acetate, 220 mL of 1 M ing formula:
HCl and 330 mL of distilled water). The measurement
·
was compared with the blank sample comprising a Residual DPPH =(Asample/Acontrol)´100 /1/
buffer with pH=4.5. Anthocyanin mass fraction was ex-
A curve illustrating the dependency between the
pressed as the equivalent of cyanidin-3-glucoside.
content of the residual DPPH· and the mass of the sam-
ple (mg of fruit) was plotted to determine the EC50 coef-
Determination of resveratrol ficient. This coefficient determines the mass of fruit (mg)
which is required to reduce the initial synthetic concen-
The solid-phase extraction of trans-resveratrol was tration of DPPH· in the reaction by 50 %. The obtained
carried out on Bakerbond Speedisk® DVB cartridges results were expressed as mmol of Trolox per g of fruit
(200 mg) purchased from J.T. Baker (Deventer, Holland) fresh mass. The calibration curve was constructed by pre-
and preconditioned by washing with 5 mL of methanol paring different concentrations of Trolox (0–30 mmol/L),
and 5 mL of water. After passing the sample (5 mL) handled as the investigated samples.
through the cartridge, subsequent washing steps were
performed using 5 and 10 mL of deionized water. The Determination of ·OH radical inhibition
cartridge was then dried for 15 min by a constant flow
The scavenging of the hydroxyl radical (·OH) was
of nitrogen. The absorbed resveratrol was eluted with
measured by the deoxyribose method (27). A volume of
2´2.5 mL of methanol.
0.1 mL of the investigated extract was sampled and the
Analyses were taken using an HP1100 liquid chro- following reagents were added in the indicated order:
matograph (Agilent Technologies, Waldbronn, Germany) 0.69 mL of phosphate buffer containing 2.5 mM deoxy-
equipped with a diode array detector and an autosam- ribose, 0.1 mL of ammonium iron sulphate containing
pler. Detection was carried out by monitoring absorbance ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), 0.1 mL of ascor-
signals at 306 nm. The separations were performed on bic acid solution and 10 mL of hydrogen peroxide solu-
an ACE C18 column (150´4 mm i.d., dp=3 mm). The tion. The mixture was incubated in a water bath for 10
analyses were performed at 40 °C and the flow rate was min at 37 °C. After incubation, 1 mL of 2.8 % trichloro-
0.6 mL/min. Solvent A was acetonitrile and solvent B acetic acid and 0.5 mL of thiobarbituric acid were add-
was a mixture of water/acetic acid/acetonitrile (87:3:10 ed. The mixture was heated in a boiling water bath for 8
% by volume). Elution employed a linear gradient from min, then it was cooled and absorbance was measured
5 to 25 % solvent A for 25 min, then 5 % for 5 min, held at 532 nm with a spectrophotometer (UV/ VIS Spectrom-
for 20 min to wash the column and followed by a return eter UNICAM, UK). The reagent sample containing dis-
to the initial conditions (5 % solvent A) for 10 min. Ali- tilled water instead of the investigated extract was pre-
quots were filtered through a 0.2-mm Nylon Millipore pared simultaneously. The obtained results were expressed
chromatographic filter and injected into the chromato- as mmol of Trolox per g of fresh mass. The calibration
graph. Injection volume was 20 mL (25). Identification curve was prepared by measuring the absorbance of the
was achieved by comparing tr (retention time) and the samples that had an adequate standard substance con-
absorption spectra obtained for the eluted peak with centration. Trolox 2.5 mM was prepared in 5 mM phos-
those obtained for the standards. phate buffered saline (PBS), pH=7.4, to be used as a
stock standard.
For quantification, an external standard calibration
curve was plotted, ranging from 0.50 to 10.02 mg/L of
trans-resveratrol. The square regression coefficient of an- Determination of ABTS+ free radical
alytical curve was near unit (R2=0.9999). The limit of de- scavenging capacity
tection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were The analysis was performed with the use of a set
determined based on the detector’s signal-to-noise (S/N) supplied by Randox Laboratories Ltd., UK, comprising a
ratio. The standard deviation of the S/N was calculated phosphate buffer, chromogen (metmyoglobin, ABTS),
and multiplied by a factor of 3, then this value was add- substrate (hydrogen peroxide) and the standard (Trolox).
ed to the average of the S/N to obtain the LOD. LOQ Solutions containing 1 mg of total phenolic compounds
was defined as 10 S/N. At 306 nm, the LOD and LOQ per mL of methanol were prepared for the determina-
for trans-resveratrol were 0.2 and 0.75 mg/mL, respec- tion of total antioxidant activity (TAA). The reagent,
tively, from the current calibration curve. standard and proper samples were prepared. A volume
E.J. BOROWSKA et al.: Polyphenols, Anthocyanins and Resveratrol in Cranberry, Food Technol. Biotechnol. 47 (1) 56–61 (2009) 59

of 0.2 mL of the analysed phenolic compound solution the mean values. The significance of differences between
and 1 mL of chromogen were added to the investigated the mean values was estimated by Duncan’s test. Statis-
sample and the first absorbance measurement was per- tical analysis was performed at a significance level of
formed. Then, 0.02 mL of deionised water and 0.02 mL p<0.05. The correlation analysis was conducted using
of the standard solution were added to the reagent and Statistica v. 8.0 software.
to the standard sample, respectively, and absorbance
measurement was carried out. After that, 0.2 mL of the
substrate were added to all the samples and incubated
Results and Discussion
at 37 °C. Absorbance was measured again at 734 nm
and the read-out was taken within 6 min. TAA was ex-
Polyphenol, anthocyanin and resveratrol mass
pressed as mmol of Trolox per g of fresh mass.
fractions in the fruit of different cranberry cultivars
Statistical analyses The mass fractions of total phenolic compounds in
All analyses were performed in six replications, re- the fruit of five investigated American cranberry culti-
jecting two extreme values (N=4). Tables 1 and 2 contain vars ranged from 192.1 in cv. Pilgrim to 374.2 mg per
100 g of fresh mass in cv. Ben Lear expressed as GAE
(Table 1). In the reference sample of wild-grown com-
Table 1. Mass fractions of phenols, anthocyanins and resvera- mon cranberry fruit, polyphenol mass fraction reached
trol in the cranberries 288.5 mg per 100 g of fresh mass. Statistically significant
differences (p<0.05) were reported in the mass fraction
w(phenol)* w(anthocyanin)** w(resveratrol)
Cranberry of polyphenols of all the studied varieties, including com-
cultivars mg/100 g mg/100 g ng/g
mon cranberry (Table 1). Wang and Stretch (28) recorded
fresh mass fresh mass fresh mass
smaller quantities of polyphenols in a study investigat-
Wild ing several cranberry varieties grown at the Rutgers Blue-
(288.5±0.1)d (43.3±0.1)a (712.3±0.1)a
cranberry berry and Cranberry Research Center in Chatsworth
Ben Lear (374.7±0.1)b (51.9±0.1)e (598.2±0.3)b (NJ, USA). These authors found that the mass fraction of
Bergman (292.1±0.1) c
(73.0±0.2) b
(552.8±0.3)c total phenols expressed as gallic acid equivalent in Pil-
grim, Stevens and Ben Lear cultivars was lower, i.e. 120.0,
Early
(328.8±0.2)a (77.2±0.2)a (536.4±0.3)d 126.0 and 137.5 mg per 100 g of fresh mass, respectively.
Richard
Polyphenol mass fractions similar to those determined
Pilgrim (192.1±0.1)e (59.9±0.2)c (537.2±0.2)d in the present study in different cranberry varieties were
c d
Stevens (293.9±0.1) (54.6±0.2) (533.4±0.1)e reported by Kalt et al. (29) and Borowska et al. (9). Ac-
cording to these authors, the average polyphenol mass
Results are mean values±SD (N=6), p<0.05; values in the same fraction of cranberry fruit was 2010 mg per 100 g of dry
column followed by the same letter (a–e) are not statistically
mass.
different (p<0.05) as measured by Duncan’s test
*expressed as gallic acid equivalent The investigated cranberry fruit also differed with
**expressed as cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalent regard to anthocyanin mass fraction (Table 1). The fruit
of the five investigated cultivars was characterised by a
higher anthocyanin mass fraction, compared to common
Table 2. DPPH·, ·OH and ABTS+ radical scavenging capacity of cranberry. The highest anthocyanin mass fraction of 77.1
cranberry fruit mg per 100 g of fresh mass was reported for Early Rich-
ard, while the lowest mass fraction of 52.1 mg per 100 g
DPPH· ·
OH ABTS+
Cranberry of fresh mass was observed in Ben Lear. The anthocya-
cultivars mmol TE per g mmol TE per g mmol TE per g nin mass fraction of the reference sample of wild cran-
of fresh mass of fresh mass of fresh mass
berry fruit was lower, 43.4 mg per 100 g of fresh mass.
Wild According to Wang and Stretch (28), American cran-
(36.9±0.1)e (0.9±0.0)c (16.4±1.2)a
cranberry berry fruit is marked by even more pronounced differ-
Ben Lear (33.9±0.1)f (0.8±0.1)d (13.0±1.2)d ences in anthocyanin mass fraction, ranging from 19.8 to
Bergman (42.1±0.1) c
(0.8±0.0) d
(13.1±1.2)d
65.6 mg per 100 g of fresh mass. The above mentioned
authors studied fresh cranberry fruit of Ben Lear, Pil-
Early
(41.8±0.2)d (1.0±0.0)b (14.6±1.4)c grim and Stevens cultivars grown at the Rutgers Blue-
Richard
berry and Cranberry Research Center in Chatsworth
Pilgrim (66.0±0.1)b (0.9±0.1)c (9.3±1.2)e (NJ, USA) and found that their anthocyanin mass frac-
Stevens (68.8±0.1) a
(1.1±0.0) a
(15.4±1.3)b tion reached 25.0, 20.7 and 22.8 mg per 100 g of fresh
mass, respectively. The anthocyanin mass fraction of
Results are mean values±SD (N=3), p<0.05; values in the same cranberry fruit studied by Kalt et al. (29) was deter-
column followed by the same letter (a–f) are not statistically mined at 3.1 mg/g of dry mass. The results obtained in
different (p<0.05) as measured by Duncan’s test
this study and the results reported by other authors in-
TE – Trolox equivalent
EC50 – product mass required to reduce the DPPH· radical by 50
dicate that in addition to genetic factors, the mass frac-
%; the measurement was conducted with the use of a DPPH tion of phenolic compounds in cranberry fruit is also
solution at a concentration equivalent to 0.025 g/L methanol significantly affected by the applied cultivation technol-
(the studied reaction mixture contained 0.1 mL of the investiga- ogy. Similarly to polyphenols, the differences in antho-
ted sample and 3.9 mL of DPPH solution) cyanin mass fraction in all the cranberry varieties inves-
60 E.J. BOROWSKA et al.: Polyphenols, Anthocyanins and Resveratrol in Cranberry, Food Technol. Biotechnol. 47 (1) 56–61 (2009)

tigated in this study, including common cranberry, were radical scavenging capacity of 16.42 mmol of TE per g of
statistically significant at p<0.05. fresh mass was reported for the comparatively analysed
Due to the important role played by resveratrol, as common cranberry. The differences in the antioxidant
postulated by many authors (11,14,20), its mass fraction activity of the investigated samples were statistically
was determined by HPLC in this study. It was demon- significant at p<0.05 with two exceptions.
strated that all of the investigated cranberry cultivars The results of this study were compared with those
contained less resveratrol than wild cranberry fruit, obtained by Wang and Stretch (28), who determined the
whose resveratrol mass fraction was estimated at 712.3 antioxidant properties of cranberry grown at the Rutgers
ng/g of fresh mass. Blueberry and Cranberry Research Center in Chats-
In the group of the studied cranberry cultivars, high worth (NJ, USA) by the ORAC method. In the group of
resveratrol mass fraction of 598.2 ng/g of fresh mass 10 analysed cranberry varieties, Stevens, Pilgrim and
was reported for Ben Lear (Table 1, Fig. 1). In terms of Ben Lear were characterised by mean ORAC values of
dry mass, the above mentioned results are indicative of 9.1, 8.2 and 10.1 mmol of TE per g of fresh mass, respec-
resveratrol mass fraction of 5.846 and 4.460 mg/g. The tively. During an earlier research investigating five cran-
differences in the resveratrol mass fraction of the five in- berry cultivars, Wang and Jiao (4) had concluded that cv.
vestigated cranberry cultivars were not statistically sig- Ben Lear had an average scavenging capacity of active
nificant at p<0.05. Statistically significant differences oxygen species (O2· –, H2O2, ·OH and O2). According to
(p<0.05) were observed between the analyzed cultivars Kalt et al. (29), the DPPH· scavenging capacity of the
and the wild cranberry. It should be noted that the in- studied cranberry varieties reached 92.9 TE per g of dry
vestigated cranberry varieties are marked by a high mass. The free radical scavenging capacity of other berry
resveratrol mass fraction, which is comparable to that of fruit species, such as cowberry, black currant and bil-
lingonberry (5.80 mg/g of the dry sample) and grapes berry, was two- to threefold higher.
(6.50 mg/g of the dry sample), as demonstrated by Ri-
mando et al. (30).
Conclusions
The results of the study indicate that the fruit of the
analysed cranberry cultivars grown in Poland differs
with regard to polyphenol, anthocyanin and resveratrol
mass fractions as well as antioxidant properties. In most
cases, statistically significant differences at p<0.05 were
reported. Despite the observed variations, the mass frac-
tions of the analysed bioactive compounds in the inves-
tigated cultivars and their antioxidant properties were
comparable to the results quoted by other authors. The
highest mass fraction of total phenolic compounds, in-
cluding resveratrol, was recorded in the fruit of Ben
Lear, while Early Richard was the richest source of an-
Fig. 1. HPLC-DAD chromatograms recorded at 306 nm of (a) thocyanins. As regards the antioxidant activity of partic-
trans-resveratrol standard solution at the concentration of 0.5 ular cranberry cultivars, the highest scavenging capacity
mg/mL, (b) the solid phase extracted wild cranberry and (c) Berg- was observed in respect of DPPH· radicals. Cultivars Ste-
man cranberry samples. Chromatographic conditions are descri- vens and Pilgrim were marked by high scavenging ca-
bed in the text pacity of all the analysed free radicals – DPPH·, ·OH and
ABTS+.

Antioxidant properties of different cranberry cultivars Acknowledgements

According to numerous researchers, phenolic com- This work was partly supported by the University
pounds, their content and qualitative composition are of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn (Program 528-0709-
largely responsible for the antioxidant properties of fruit 808).
(31,32). In the current study, the antioxidant properties
of cranberry were determined in view of the DPPH·, References
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