title: Phenolics of Arbutus unedo L. (Ericaceae) fruits: identification of anthocyanins and gallic acid derivatives.
abstract: Arbutus unedo L., the strawberry tree (Ericaceae family), is an evergreen shrub or small tree, typical of the Mediterranean fringe and climate. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the profile of the phenolic constituents of A. unedo fruits. Seven compounds were purified by Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography of the MeOH extract followed by HPLC and were characterized as arbutin, beta-D-glucogalline, gallic acid 4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, 3-O-galloylquinic acid, 5-O-galloylquinic acid, 3-O-galloylshikimic acid, and 5-O-galloylshikimic acid, by means of NMR and ESI-MS analyses. Moreover, LC-PDA-MS analysis of the red pigment of A. unedo fruits revealed the presence of three anthocyanins recognized as cyanidin 3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside, delphinidin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, and cyanidin 3-O-beta-D-arabinopyranoside. These pigments were also quantified.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica Bioorganica e Biofarmacia, Università di Pisa, Via Bonanno 33, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Agata Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pawlowska
authors.forename: Marinella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Leo
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Braca
mesh_terms: D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D029791:Ericaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000032:analysis*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
chemical_list: D000872:Anthocyanins; D005707:Gallic Acid