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Effects of Short-term Heating on Total Polyphenols, Anthocyanins, Antioxidant Activity and Lectins of Different Parts of Dwarf Elder (Sambucus ebulus L.)

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Abstract

Dwarf elder (Sambucus ebulus L.) berries are rich in health-promoting phytochemicals such as polyphenols and anthocyanins, and display a significant antioxidant activity. They are also rich in two lectins (ebulin f and SELfd) that share amino acid sequence homology with the elderberry allergen Sam n1 present in Sambucus nigra pollen and fruits. Ebulin f displays toxicity by oral ingestion. This study was aimed at eliminating the toxicity of these lectins whilst having little or no effect on the antioxidant properties of dwarf elder berries. We thus investigated the potential effects of incubation in a boiling water bath of extracts from several parts of the plant on total polyphenol content, antioxidant activity, total anthocyanins, cyanidin-3-glycoside content, and the sensitivity of purified dwarf elder fruit lectins to a simulated gastric fluid. The study shows that five minutes of said heat treatment fully sensitized both lectins to pepsin digestion, whilst minimally reducing phenol and antioxidant as well as free radical scavenging activities to below 13 %. It proved possible to eliminate the potential risks derived from the presence of lectins in dwarf elder juices without any significant reduction in the content of the antioxidant compounds. Dwarf elder berries may thus be a valuable nutritional source.

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Acknowledgments

This work has been supported by grants from the Regional Government of Castilla y León (GR106 and the Regional Health Ministry) and UVa-GIR.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología, Facultad de Medicina and CINAD (Centro de Investigación en Nutrición, Alimentación y Dietética; Edificio Lucia-Parque Científico), Universidad de Valladolid, E-47005, Valladolid, Spain

    Pilar Jimenez, Patricia Cabrero, José E. Basterrechea, Jesús Tejero & Tomas Girbes

  2. Departamento de Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, Facultad de Farmacia, and IUFI (Instituto Universitario de Farmacia Industrial), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, E-28040, Madrid, Spain

    Damian Cordoba-Diaz & Manuel Cordoba-Diaz

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  1. Pilar Jimenez
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  2. Patricia Cabrero
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  3. José E. Basterrechea
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  4. Jesús Tejero
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  5. Damian Cordoba-Diaz
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  6. Manuel Cordoba-Diaz
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  7. Tomas Girbes
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Correspondence to Tomas Girbes.

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Jimenez, P., Cabrero, P., Basterrechea, J.E. et al. Effects of Short-term Heating on Total Polyphenols, Anthocyanins, Antioxidant Activity and Lectins of Different Parts of Dwarf Elder (Sambucus ebulus L.). Plant Foods Hum Nutr 69, 168–174 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-014-0417-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-014-0417-x

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