title: Phytochemical characterization of several hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) species sampled from the Eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We evaluated the total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity as well as antioxidant activity of five Crataegus species (A1, A2, Y1, Y2, Y4 accessions of Crataegus aronia var. aronia; B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, Y5 accessions of C. aronia var. dentata; B10 accession of C. aronia var. minuta; Y3 accession of Crataegus orientalis var. orientalis and A3 accession of Crataegus monogyna subsp. azarella).
  
  
  METHODS
  Antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of fruits were determined by β-carotene bleaching and Folin-Ciocalteu assays. Antioxidant capacity was determined by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  C. monogyna subsp. azarella had the highest total phenol, antioxidant activity and antioxidant capacity of 55.2 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry weight (DW), 81.9% and 31.2%, respectively. C. aronia var. aronia was found to have the lowest total phenolic content (35.7 mg GAE/g DW). The antioxidant activities of fruit extracts increased in the order of C. orientalis var. orientalis < C. aronia var. minuta < C. aronia var. dentata < C. aronia var. aronia < C. monogyna subsp. azarella according to β-carotene/linoleic acid assay. In recent years, C. aronia var. dentata has gained importance as a commercial species in this region. B3 and B7 accessions had fruit weight more than 14 g, and considerable total phenol content, antioxidant activity and antioxidant capacity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This investigation shows the potential value of hawthorn fruit species as a good source of natural antioxidants and that consumption of hawthorn fruit or its products may contribute substantial amounts of antioxidants to the diet.
authors.affiliation: Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Mustafa Kemal University, 31034 Antakya, Hatay, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oğuzhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Calişkan
authors.forename: Kazim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gündüz
authors.forename: Sedat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Serçe
authors.forename: Celil
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Toplu
authors.forename: Onder
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kamiloğlu
authors.forename: Memnune
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sengül
authors.forename: Sezai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ercişli