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Chemical composition of essential oils of elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) flowers and fruits

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The majority of essential oils obtained from medicinal plants have been demonstrated to be effective in the treatment of different kinds of diseases, and they are increasingly used in the diet. Due to their chemical composition, essential oils are a very interesting product of the secondary metabolism of plants, for both consumers and researchers. Among others, elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) is mostly a woody plant, while it can rarely be found as a herbaceous perennial plant. This plant species has been used in traditional medicine because it is a very rich source of phytochemicals. The aim of this study was to identify and compare the composition of essential oils obtained from flowers and fruits of this plant, collected from the Balkan Peninsula. The oils were obtained using the Clevenger apparatus, and their composition was evaluated by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The oil composition was affected by the part of the plants used: the most abundant bioactive compounds in the essential oil of air-dried elderberry fruits were β-damascenone (35.70%) and linalyl anthranilate (24.15%). β-damascenone was the dominant compound in the essential oil of lyophilized elderberry fruits (38.64%), while linalool was detected in the concentration of 32.80%. In the essential oil of air-dried elderflowers, the most abundant compound was carane (13.19%). The essential oils of S. nigra shown substantial chemical composition and could be used as a potential source of natural products in the cosmetics and food industry.
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CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ESSENTIAL OILS OF ELDERBERRY
(SAMBUCUS NIGRA L.) FLOWERS AND FRUITS
Milena D. VUJANOVIĆ
1
*, Saša D. ĐUROVIĆ
2
, Marija M. RADOJKOVIĆ
1
1
University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technology Novi Sad, Bulevar cara Lazara 1, 21 000 Novi Sad, Serbia
2
Institute of General and Physical Chemistry, Studentski trg 12/V, 11158 Belgrade, Serbia
Received: 07 September 2021 Revised: 18 September 2021 Accepted: 20 September 2021
The majority of essential oils obtained from medicinal plants have been demonstrated to be
effective in the treatment of different kinds of diseases, and they are increasingly used in the diet. Due
to their chemical composition, essential oils are a very interesting product of the secondary meta-
bolism of plants, for both consumers and researchers. Among others, elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.)
is mostly a woody plant, while it can rarely be found as a herbaceous perennial plant. This plant
species has been used in traditional medicine because it is a very rich source of phytochemicals. The
aim of this study was to identify and compare the composition of essential oils obtained from flowers
and fruits of this plant, collected from the Balkan Peninsula. The oils were obtained using the Cle-
venger apparatus, and their composition was evaluated by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry
(GC-MS). The oil composition was affected by the part of the plants used: the most abundant bioac-
tive compounds in the essential oil of air-dried elderberry fruits were β-damascenone (35.70%) and
linalyl anthranilate (24.15%). β-damascenone was the dominant compound in the essential oil of lyo-
philized elderberry fruits (38.64%), while linalool was detected in the concentration of 32.80%. In the
essential oil of air-dried elderflowers, the most abundant compound was carane (13.19%). The essen-
tial oils of S. nigra shown substantial chemical composition and could be used as a potential source
of natural products in the cosmetics and food industry.
Keywords: essential oils, Sambucus nigra L., chemical composition, hydrodistillation.
INTRODUCTION
The pace of modern life has influenced the development of various diseases that have
become the primary concern of contemporary society. The scientific community has focu-
sed its research on the treatment of diseases of modern society by using plants. Plant speci-
es that grow on the Balkan Peninsula are very available and cheap sources of biopotent mo-
lecules and have been used for centuries in traditional medicine. Essential oils are recogni-
zed as a very promising product of secondary plant metabolism (1). The use of essential
oils in herbal medicine dates back to the early development of civilization. The essential oil
has found its application in various cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food products. Also, in
aromatherapy the essential oil is used in pure or diluted form. Plant raw materials are
recognized as a source of anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antitumor agents, therefore
metabolites that are produced in plant metabolism have biological and pharmacological
potential in the prevention and treatment of diseases of modern society (2).
One of the unutilized plant species in our region is elderberry (Sambucus nigra L).
Elderberry is a wild-growing plant species that belongs to the Adoxaceae family. This plant
species is characterized by whitish flowers and small dark purple fruits. Of the 30 species
* Corresponding author: Milena D. Vujanović, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technology Novi Sad, Bulevar
cara Lazara 1, 21 000 Novi Sad, Serbia, e-mail: milenavujanovic@uns.ac.rs
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named in the world, nine have use-value, while only two species, S. nigra L. (black elder-
berry) and S. canadensis L. (Canadian, American elderberry), are used for commercial pur-
poses. Three species grow in the Balkans: Sambucus nigra L., Sambucus ebulus L., and
Sambucus racemosa L. (3). Black elderberry is widespread in western and central Europe,
it can grow at an altitude of 1200 meters, it is also present in the south of Europe, in Sicily,
and in the continental regions of Greece. The natural limit for the growth of the plant spe-
cies Sambucus nigra is Scotland and southern Scandinavia. In addition to the European
continent, elderberry also grows in Asia, North Africa, and North America. For the suitable
growth of the elderberry, fertile humus and moist soil rich in nitrogen are needed, so it can
be found in villages, fields, thickets, on the banks of rivers, in lighter forests (4).
Since the development of civilization, it has been used in traditional medicine and
nutrition. Elderberry flowers and fruit were used to treat flu and colds, while in traditional
nutrition they were used to make syrups, juices, jams, jellies. Numerous studies have shown
that elderberry has pronounced biological properties if they are antioxidant, anti-inflamma-
tory, neuroprotective, antimicrobial (5). Based on data from the literature, it was determi-
ned that that research focused on methods for isolation of elderberry essential oil is scarce.
The studies that have dealt with the isolation and characterization of essential oil from el-
derberry are Najar et al., 2021 (6) and Agalar et al., 2014 (7). A special contribution and
novelty within this research were based on the application of drying techniques, especially
lyophilization as a modern drying technology, with the idea of preserving the chemical
composition of elderberry, in order to obtain quality products that are not yet available on
the market. Hence, the aim of this study was to identify the chemical composition of essen-
tial oil, of air-dried elderflowers and elderberry fruits, and lyophilized elderberry fruits col-
lected on the Balkan Peninsula, using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
technique.
EXPERIMENTAL
The fresh elderberry flowers and fruits used in this research were collected in June and
August 2017 in mountain Ljubišnja, Pljevlja (Montenegro). After collection, part of fresh
elderberry flowers and fruits were dried by traditional drying technique and part fresh fruits
were dried using lyophilization, as a modern drying technique at the industrial level. Tradi-
tional drying was performed in an area that is protected from sunlight and without the influ-
ence of temperature, and the drying process lasted 5 days at temperature 22 °C, while lyo-
philization lasted 48 hours. The dried plant material was prepared for hydrodistillation pro-
cess. The specimen’s voucher (Sambucus nigra L., No. 2-1512) was prepared and identified
by Milica Rat, Ph.D., and deposited at the Herbarium of the Department of Biology and
Ecology (BUNS Herbarium), University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Republic of
Serbia.
H
YDRODISTILLATION OF PLANT MATERIAL
The essential oil was isolated from the air-dried fruits and flowers and the lyophilized
elderberry fruits, in an apparatus according to Clavenger (1928). The weighed plant mate-
rial was transferred to a distillation flask, the flask was placed on a heating pad and water
was added as a solvent. The ratio of plant material to solvent was 1:10 (g/mL). The distilla-
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tion process lasted 4 hours, and the essential oil was isolated in 1 ml of n-hexane. The hexa-
ne layer was dropped into a beaker and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. After 24 ho-
urs, the hexane solution was filtered and the filtrate was transferred to a previously measu-
red flask. The residual solvent was evaporated on a vacuum evaporator. The content of ea-
sily volatile components in the essential oil is expressed as a relative percentage (%, m/m).
C
HEMICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF
S
AMBUCUS NIGRA
The analysis of the essential oils of S. nigra included the qualitative and quantitative
composition of the oil of air-dried flowers and fruits and lyophilized fruits, which was
determined by GC/MS (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry) method (Thermo Fisher,
USA). TR WAX-MS (30m x 0.25 mm, 0.25 μm) capillary column was used, while the ana-
lyzed samples were dissolved in methylene chloride and injected into GC through TriPlus
AS autosampler (2 μL). The temperature program was: initial temperature 45 °C (8 min),
then 8.0 °C/min to 230 °C (10 min). Injector, MS transfer line and ion source temperatures
were 250 °C, 200 °C and 220 °C, respectively. The compounds were identified combining
the NIST 08 MS database and MS spectra of authenticated standards. The final results were
expressed as a relative percentage (%) (9).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The results of the research are presented in the tables in the paper.
Figure 1. Chromatogram of elderberry and elderflowers essential oils. The numbers refer to
those in Tables 1, 2, and 3.
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Table 1. The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from air-dried elderberry
fruits
Retention time Isolated compounds Content (%, m/m)
6.12 2-hexenol 5.19±0.21
7.09 4-heptyn-3-ol 0.10±0.01
7.89 isopent
y
l acetate 0.24±0.01
11.82 2-
p
entylfuran 0.33±0.02
11.93 E)-ocimene 0.13±0.01
12.73 p-cymene 0.10±0.01
14.47 α-lonene 0.53±0.01
14.73 cis-rose oxide 0.41±0.01
15.04 trans-rose oxide 0.20±0.01
15.60 β-cyclocitral 1.63±0.06
16.46 ethil capr
y
late 3.22±0.26
16.57 β-lonene 4.46±0.17
17.93 2,5,5,8a-tetramethyl-3,4,4a,5,6,8a-
hexahydro-2H-chromene 5.20±0.16
18.44 linal
y
l anthranilate 24.15±2.31
20.74 α-terpineol 5.71±0.28
22.06 meth
y
l h
y
drocinnamate 1.66±0.07
22.55 β-damascenone 35.70±3.41
24.01 indane-4-carboxaldeh
y
de 2.45±0.15
25.82 5-methyl-2-
p
henyl-2-hexenal 8.58±0.26
Table 2. The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from lyophilized
elderberry fruits
Retention time Isolated compounds Content (%, m/m)
10.50 limonene 0.04±0.01
11.77 2-pentylfuran 0.03±0.01
11.87 cis-β-ocimene 0.04±0.02
12.33 trans-β-ocimene 0.11±0.01
12.98 terpinolene 0.12±0.01
14.40 α-lonene 0.25±0.03
14.68 cis-rose oxide 0.12±0.01
14.98 trans-rose oxide 0.04±0.01
15.54 trans-p-mentha-2,8-dien ol 0.19±0.01
16.52 β-lonene 3.25±0.16
18.04 α-lonone 6.87±0.21
18.41 linalool 32.80±3.23
18.98 β-lonone 1.07±0.05
20.70 α-terpineol 9.59±0.18
22.51 β-damascenone 38.64±3.80
31.68 phytol 6.84±0.27
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In the essential oil of air-dried fruits, 19 components were identified, which represented
99.99% of the essential oil. The main components of the essential oil of air-dried elderberry
fruits were: β-damascenone (35.70%), linalyl anthranilate (24.15%), 5-methyl-2-phenyl-2-
hexenal (8.58%) and α-terpineol (5.71%).
In the essential oil of lyophilized elderberry fruits, 16 components were identified,
which represented 100% of the composition of the essential oil. The dominant compound in
the essential oil of lyophilized fruits was also β-damascenone (38.64%), with a slightly
lower percentage of linalool (32.80%). α-Terpineol was present in the percentage of 9.59%,
while α-lonone and phytol were recorded in the percentage of 6.87% and 6.84%, respecti-
vely. Comparing the obtained results with previous studies, it was noticed that elderberry
oil contains the same groups of easily volatile compounds, but in a different percentage.
Namely, the essential oil of air-dried elderberry in study (6) as a dominant compound were
contained linalyl acetate (26.30%) and linalool (10.20%), while these compounds have not
been identified in the essential oil of air-dried elderberry, tested in this paper. However,
linalool was detected in the essential oil of lyophilized elderberries in a concentration of
32.80%, which is significantly higher, compared to the research of Najar et al., 2021 (6).
These results could be explained by the influence of the drying process on the content of
certain components, especially because lyophilization ensures the preservation of the che-
mical composition of plant materials. Also, the process of hydrodistillation affected the
content of easily volatile compounds, but also the composition of the soil on which the
plant grew.
In the essential oil of air-dried and lyophilized fruits, the dominant components belong
to rose ketones. Damascenones and lonones are compounds found in various essential oils,
including rose oil. They significantly contribute to the aroma of roses, despite the relatively
low concentration, and are important chemical substances used in the perfumery, and are
obtained by the decomposition of carotenoids (10).
Seven of the same components have been identified in the essential oil of air-dried and
lyophilized elderberry fruits (2-pentylfuran, α-lonene, cis-rose oxide, trans-rose oxide, β-lo-
none, α-terpineol and β-damascenone). With the exception of α-terpineol and β-damasceno-
ne, the other compounds identified were in a higher percentage presented in the essential oil
of air-dried elderberry fruits compared to the chemical composition of the essential oil of
lyophilized elderberry fruits.
The difference in the content of individual components in the essential oils of air-dried
and lyophilized elderberry is probably due to the influence of the hydrodistillation process
itself, as well as the conditions under which the processes took place. The highest yield of
essential oil is expected at the beginning of hydrodistillation until the temperature becomes
constant and until equilibrium is established (11). The mechanism of hydrodistillation is
closely related to the anatomy of berry fruits and their degree of fragmentation. The process
of drying berry fruits affects the chemical composition of the fruits. Air-drying removes
water from the plant material, but the dried material is more susceptible to contamination in
this case. On the other hand, lyophilization provides the preservation of the chemical com-
position and quality of dried material. In the process of lyophilization, the anatomy of the
berry fruits is more uniform, while air drying does not enable the uniform anatomy of the
fruits. Drying and preservation of the plant material are also associated with the process of
hydrodistillation. Higher degrees of fragmentation afford a larger contact area and easier
isolation of more volatile compounds. During hydrodistillation, the boiling temperature
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could lead to disturbances or degradation of the chemical structure of thermolabile metabo-
lites, which is directly related to the chemical composition being analyzed. The berry fruits
contain essential oil in their structure, and by crushing, the structure of the fruit is destroyed
and the essential oil is released on the surface of the particle of plant material. The oil that
has reached the surface of the particle is quickly carried away by the steam that is formed
during distillation, and that period in hydrodistillation is marked as fast hydrodistillation.
The isolation of essential oil from the inner parts of the plant material is not completely en-
sured by crushing the berries, so the diffusion of the essential oil is difficult and this period
of hydrodistillation is marked as slow hydrodistillation (12).
The difference in the content of aromatic components of essential oil also stems from
the impossibility of temperature regulation. Thermolabile aromatic compounds are subject
to degradation due to the influence of boiling temperature, in addition to hydrodistillation,
the composition of the essential oil is also affected by the chosen technique of drying the
plant material. The components present in the essential oil of air-dried elderberry fruits
were presented in a higher percentage compared to the components found in the essential
oil of lyophilized fruits, except α-terpineol and β-damascene which were the most abundant
in the essential oil of lyophilized elderberries. Comparison of the drying techniques clearly
shows the difference and efficiency of lyophilization in relation to the traditional method of
drying, as well as the higher share of compounds in the essential oil of lyophilized fruits.
Lyophilization affects the preservation of the structure of fruits, and thus their chemical
composition, which is related to the quality of dried raw materials.
In addition to the fruit, for the production of essential oil within this scientific paper, a
traditionally dried elderflower was used, and the results of the research are shown in Table
3.
The presence of 35 compounds was determined in the essential oil of the elderflowers,
where the basic components of the oil are monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. The most com-
mon compounds in the essential oil of elderflowers were: caran (13.19%), α-limonene di-
epoxide (7.23%), methyl salicylate (7.00%), caryophyllene (6.55%), benzopyran (5.89%),
cis-geraniol (5.78%), and linalyl anthranilate (5.48%), while other aromatic components are
presented in a smaller percentage. Compared with the chemical composition of the essential
oil of the elderberry fruits, it was noted that monoterpenes cis-rose oxide and trans-rose
oxide, as well as linalyl anthranilate belonging to the terpene family, are presented in the
essential oil of both the fruits and the flowers of Sambucus nigra. Qualitative analysis of
the oil showed that monoterpene cis-rose oxide and trans-rose oxide were detected in a
higher percentage in the essential oil of the flowers, while linalyl anthranilate was identified
four times higher in the essential oil of air-dried elderberry fruits. Based on the conducted
examination of the essential oil from the fruits and flowers of S. nigra, it could be noticed
that the dominant compounds in the essential oil of the fruit were present in a higher per-
centage, while the components present in the essential oil of the elderflower are identified
in up to three times in a lower percentage. The composition and yield of essential oil in
different organs of the same plant species depends on biotic and abiotic factors, the genetics
of the plant itself, and the influence of the environment (13). In the families, Lamiaceae,
Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Rutaceae, Lauraceae, Myrtaceae, plant species rich in essential oil
are represented. The isolation of essential oil from the fruits of berries is not particularly
interesting, as evidenced by the small number of studies. The essential oil of the elderberry
fruits was not the subject of scientific publications, and it is assumed that the main reason is
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the low content of essential oil in the plant species of the genus Sambucus. Essential oil as a
product of secondary metabolism of plants has a number of pharmacological activities,
fungicidal, antirheumatic, as well as antiseptic effects.
Table 3. The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from the traditionally dried
elderflower
Retention time Isolated compounds Content (%, m/m)
8.44 α-
inene 0.01±0.01
8.94 3-
p
enten-2-ol 0.03±0.01
10.94 2-
p
ent
y
lfuran 0.06±0.02
13.07 4-
p
entyn-2-ol 2.93±0.02
13.98 cis-rose oxide 4.20±0.05
14.28 trans-rose oxide 2.09±0.02
14.78 1.2-meth
y
l-1.4-
p
entadiene 0.39±0.01
14.94 1-undecyn 4.78±0.04
15.86 linalool oxide 0.84±0.02
16.37 3.6-dihydro-4-methyl pyran 0.84±0.02
16.45 1.3-isopent
y
l-c
y
clopentene 0.31±0.01
17.16
b
enzopyran 5.89±0.07
17.78 linal
y
l anthranilate 5.48±0.05
18.43 caryophyllene 6.55±0.10
20.05 α-terpinol 2.97±0.04
20.67 epoxy-linalool 2.30±0.03
20.80 α-farnesene 0.50±0.02
20.88 β-cadinene 0.18±0.01
21.07 carane 13.19±0.27
21.20 methyl salicylate 7.00±0.37
21.54 α-limonene diepoxide 7.23±0.41
21.81 β-damascenone 1.68±0.12
22.00 6-meth
y
l-5-nonadiene-2-on 3.99±0.23
22.18 cis-geraniol 5.78±0.30
22.29 cis-
g
eran
y
lacetone 1.39±0.15
23.81
γ
-elemene 1.74±0.19
23.93 α-car
y
oph
y
llene oxide 2.91±0.21
24.02 1-
b
enzyl-1,2,3-triazole 2.51±0.17
24.42 trans-2-caren-4-ol 0.86±0.08
24.64 β- caryophyllene oxide 0.93±0.08
24.77 α-copaen-11-ol 0.58±0.03
24.89 β-methyl ionone 1.57±0.10
26.39 methyl-2-hydroxy-1,6-dimethyl
cyclohexane carboxylate
2.22±0.15
28.34 α- hex
y
l cinnamaldeh
y
de 2.18±0.18
29.64 3-p-menthen 3.88±0.26
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In the food industry, the essential oil is increasingly used as a natural preservative and a
potential alternative to synthetic preservatives to improve the taste of products, but also to
protect products from oxidation and microorganisms during packaging (14). The obtained
results indicate that the essential oils of elderberry are a good source of biopotential aro-
matic compounds. The presence of rose ketones and terpene molecules as dominant com-
ponents in the analyzed essential oils provides an opportunity to continue research in this
area in the direction of their potential application in the food industry as natural agents for
maintaining product freshness and shelf life.
CONCLUSION
The results obtained in this paper showed that elderberry essential oils have a high
content of volatile molecules belonging to rose ketones. In this regard, the further work and
development of this research could be based on the application of modern technologies in
order to isolate the dominant compounds in larger quantities. The dominant compounds
detected in the analyzed essential oils are characterized by exceptional biological activity,
especially linalool, terpineol, limonene, caryophyllene, which have antihypertensive, anti-
cancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and sedative effects. In addition, future research could be
based on testing the biological activity of the oil obtained, in order to apply it to existing
food or cosmetic products, with the idea of ensuring a better quality of products.
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14. Ju, J.; Xu, X.; Xie, Y.; Guo, Y.; Cheng, Y.; Qian, H.; Yao, W. Inhibitory effects of cinnamon and
clove essential oils on mold growth on baked foods. Food Chem. 2018. 240, 850-855.
... Efforts were made by Mratinić & Fotirić 12 and Bošnjaković et al. 13 to develop domestic genotypes into cultivars but, to date, their use is limited to amateur growers. 11 The chemical composition of the fruit and flowers of elder, including non-volatile 14,15 and volatile 4,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32] compounds, was the subject of numerous studies in the past decades. In particular, the fragrant flowers of the shrub are known to yield surprisingly minute amounts of essential oil (approximately 0.05% of dry weight). ...
... The greatest variety of elderflower volatiles was identified by Bajer et al. 27 ; however, a number of these compounds are obvious contaminants (2,6-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-(1-oxopropyl)phenol, N, N-dimethyldodecylamine, etc.). 33 Work by Ağalar et al., 26 Szymański et al. 30 and Vujanović et al. 31 regrettably suffers from similar inaccuracies. Basas-Jaumandreu and de las Heras 32 found 196 different compounds in a lipid extract of elderflowers; the majority of these can be considered volatiles and also occur in the elderflower essential oil. ...
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BACKGROUND Elder (Sambucus nigra L.) has relevance for the food, fragrance and pharmaceutical industries. Flowers of this species emit a very pleasant scent; for processing purposes, inflorescences are either collected from the wild or harvested from a cultivated crop. The study of elderflower‐derived volatiles bears both phytochemical and commercial importance. RESULTS Three samples of dry elderflower essential oil obtained from laboratory‐scale hydrodistillations were analyzed. By use of gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry, synthesis and NMR studies of chromatographic fractions of a distillation water extract prepared in a semi‐industrial scale steam distillation, 252 constituents of the oil were identified; 115 compounds were not previously reported as elderflower volatiles, seven of which were new natural esters. Particularly interesting were those of isosenecioic (3‐methylbut‐3‐enoic) acid because these were never before found in the plant kingdom. CONCLUSION With these identifications, the known essential oil constituents accounted for 89.0–93.0% of the analyzed samples. Although the number of known S. nigra flower‐derived volatiles is now quite high, further research (both analytical and olfactory) is needed to unveil all of the relevant contributions to the unique odor of elderflowers. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
... Flowers, berries, leaves, and bark have been exploited in different traditional medicines as pain relief and to treat a variety of conditions, such as respiratory infections, digestive discomfort, skin conditions and inflammation [6]. This range of use and ample effects have been attributed to its rich phytochemical makeup, and a number of reviews have been published on the biochemical composition of different parts of the plant (e.g., flowers, berries, and leaves) [5,7,8], the possible health benefits [9,10], and potential use in the treatment of various diseases [3,11,12]. Elderberry has a long history of cultivation and use by various civilizations, dating back to ancient times. ...
... Flowers, berries, leaves, and bark have been exploited in different traditional medicines as pain relief and to treat a variety of conditions, such as respiratory infections, digestive discomfort, skin conditions and inflammation [6]. This range of use and ample effects have been attributed to its rich phytochemical makeup, and a number of reviews have been published on the biochemical composition of different parts of the plant (e.g., flowers, berries, and leaves) [5,7,8], the possible health benefits [9,10], and potential use in the treatment of various diseases [3,11,12]. ...
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Sambucus is a cosmopolitan plant genus that has been used for centuries for its medicinal properties and nutritional value. Sambucus nigra, the most studied species, contains a wide range of bioactive compounds that have been linked to various health benefits. Moreover, the fruit of the elderberry is a rich source of phytochemicals and is used to make a variety of food products. In this review, after an introduction of the species, we outline the main points for its cultivation and production. We then illustrate the major phytochemical components and related beneficial properties, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and pharmaceutical activities. We also provide insights into genetic variability, functional diversity, and some evolutionary relationships that were evaluated with DNA-based techniques. We discuss that despite its long history of use and potential benefits, Sambucus nigra has received relatively little attention in terms of horticulture, breeding, and molecular genetics, while studies on its biochemical composition and health benefits are well developed. Further research is also needed to better understand the pre-harvest and post-harvest factors that influence plant growth and production, as well as to explore new applications and industrial uses of this underutilized species.
... Jensen et al. [61] identified aroma compounds from samples of seven cultivars of elderberry juice collected using the dynamic headspace technique and analyzed using GC-FID and GC-MS. Vujanović et al. [62] studied the identification and comparison of essential oils obtained from the flowers and fruit of S. nigra collected from the Balkan Peninsula. The composition of oils was evaluated using GC-MS, with the oil composition affected primarily by the part of the plant used. ...
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Elderberry is highly reputed for its health-improving effects. Multiple pieces of evidence indicate that the consumption of berries is linked to enhancing human health and preventing or delaying the onset of chronic medical conditions. Compared with other fruit, elderberry is a very rich source of anthocyanins (approximately 80% of the polyphenol content). These polyphenols are the principals that essentially contribute to the high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities and the health benefits of elderberry fruit extract. These health effects include attenuation of cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and inflammatory disorders, as well as anti-diabetic, anticancer, antiviral, and immuno-stimulatory effects. Sales of elderberry supplements skyrocketed to $320 million over the year 2020, according to an American Botanical Council (ABC) report, which is attributable to the purported immune-enhancing effects of elderberry. In the current review, the chemical composition of the polyphenolic content of the European elderberry (Sambucus nigra) and the American elderberry(Sambucus canadensis), as well as the analytical techniques employed to analyze, characterize, and ascertain the chemical consistency will be addressed. Further, the factors that influence the consistency of the polyphenolic chemical composition, and hence, the consistency of the health benefits of elderberry extracts will be presented. Additionally, adulteration and safety as factors contributing to consistency will be covered. The role of elderberry in enhancing human health alone with the pharmacological basis, the cellular pathways, and the molecular mechanisms underlying the observed health benefits of elderberry fruit extracts will be also reviewed
... Freeze-dried materials appear to have the maximum retention of volatile compounds compared to spray drying, and this technique is used to microencapsulate some oils, with high yields [179]. This method helps to better preserve the EO content in many types of herbs and spices compared with other preservation techniques [180]. Lyophilisation is simple and easy to operate, showing that lyophilised samples are more resistant to oxidation and less efficient in microencapsulation [181]. ...
... Freeze-dried materials appear to have the maximum retention of volatile compounds compared to spray drying, and this technique is used to microencapsulate some oils, with high yields [179]. This method helps to better preserve the EO content in many types of herbs and spices compared with other preservation techniques [180]. Lyophilisation is simple and easy to operate, showing that lyophilised samples are more resistant to oxidation and less efficient in microencapsulation [181]. ...
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Essential oils (EOs) are complex mixtures of volatile compounds extracted from different parts of plants by different methods. There is a large diversity of these natural substances with varying properties that lead to their common use in several areas. The agrochemical, pharmaceutical, medical, food, and textile industry, as well as cosmetic and hygiene applications are some of the areas where EOs are widely included. To overcome the limitation of EOs being highly volatile and reactive, microencapsulation has become one of the preferred methods to retain and control these compounds. This review explores the techniques for extracting essential oils from aromatic plant matter. Microencapsulation strategies and the available technologies are also reviewed, along with an in-depth overview of the current research and application of microencapsulated EOs.
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Представлена в статті інформація є фрагментом наукового дослідження. У роботі представлено дослідження впливу технологічних факторів на вихід барвних речовин з вижимок бузини чорної. У попередніх джерелах було встановлено, що такі фактори, як температура, тривалість настоювання/ екстрагування, розмір частинок рослинної сировини, гідромодуль та рН середовище суттєво впливають на вилучення пігментів. Тому основною метою даного дослідження є встановлення оптимальних параметрів настоювання вичавок з бузини чорної. Дослідження сировини проводили в лабораторії кафедри харчових технологій Сумського національного аграрного університету. Бузину чорну збирали на території Сумської області 2023 року на стадії повної стиглості. Контроль якості сировини проводили за фізико-хімічними та органолептичними показниками. Для імітації промислового виробництва з ягід бузини вичавлювали сік, а вичавки використовували для дослідження. Для інактивації ферментів свіжі вичавки бузини обробляли розчином лимонної кислоти та висушували при температурі (50±5ºС) протягом 6 годин до вмісту сухих речовин (30,8±0,5%). Процес настоювання залежить від ряду факторів, які впливають на добування пігменту. Тому в роботі вивчався кожен фактор впливу окремо, а саме: температура (t), ºС, тривалість (τ), хв; розмір частинок (а), мм; концентрація лимонної кислоти (с), %. Підвищення температури і тривалості настоювання покращує ефективність екстракції пігменту. Оптимальними умовами настоювання є температура 60-70 ºС; тривалість 120–180 хв. Додавання лимонної кислоти стабілізує колір і підвищує вміст пігменту за рахунок зниження рН середовища. Максимальне значення барвних речовин досягається при введенні лимонної кислоти в кількості (1 – 1,3%) від загальної маси. Зменшення розміру частинок вичавок з ягід бузини призводить до збільшення концентрації фарбувальних речовин. Зі зменшенням розміру частинок площа поверхні вичавок збільшується, що призводить до збільшення контакту між розчинником і фарбувальними речовинами. Найбільша концентрація барвників спостерігається при розмірі частинок 0,1 мм – 0,2 мм, але при цьому відбувається часткова зміна кольору від червоного до коричневого, оскільки на колір впливають подрібнені кісточки ягід. Тому було визначено оптимальні умовами настоювання, а саме: температура, 60-70 ºС; тривалість 120–180 хв; розмір часток, 0,5 – 0,4 мм та концентрація лимонної кислоти 1 – 1,3 %.
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Background There is an increased consumer demand for products derived from natural sources or containing natural compounds used to preserve or improve food quality and/or human health. Carvacrol and thymol, two phenolic, monoterpene isomers, extracted from natural sources such as oregano and thyme, showed antioxidant, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, immunomodulatory and anticancer properties. They have also had applications in functional food formulations, influenced food quality and positively affected human health. Scope and approach This review aims to cover the most recent findings related to bioactivities of carvacrol and thymol along with their mode of impact on human health and food systems. It also covers the recent applications of carvacrol and thymol with food products, and as nutraceuticals. Their possible use against SARS-CoV-2 virus and on human health are also reviewed. Key findings and conclusions Recently, carvacrol and thymol have been successfully used in products, showing the potential to extend the shelf-life of various foods. Moreover, both compounds showed a positive impact on human health and are considered safe for consumption. Carvacrol has also been reported to have antiviral properties, while in silico analyses suggested they can be used as supportive drugs for combating the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
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This study reports the volatile compounds of elderberries-Sambucus nigra L. (Caprifoliaceae), which are used in food and medicinal industry. The air-dried and crushed mature elderberries were subjected to microdistillation by using an Eppendorf MicroDistiller. The sample was analysed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), simultenaously. According to our results, 34 volatile compounds were identified by yielding 86.1% of the sample. Phenylacetaldehyde (32.3%) and benzaldehyde (7.9%) were observed as main constituents in elderberries.
Article
Volatile organic compounds (VOC) and essential oils (EO) extracted from different organs of Sambucus nigra (leaves, flower buds, flowers, unripe and ripe fruits), were evaluated in this work. VOC analyses highlighted that oxygenated monoterpenes were the major class for both flowers and ripe fruits with percentages of 71.1% and 35.1%, respectively. The ripe fruit showed a considerable amount of linalyl acetate (26.3%) while cis-linalool oxide (pyranoide) (38.6%) was the main constituent of the flowers. This latter compound was also one of the major constituents of the leaf extracts (10.3% of the total identified fractions). The leaves evidenced a high percentage of esters (31.6%) with (Z)-3-hexenol acetate (15.1%) as the major constituent. Alcohols were exclusively represented by 1-hexanol (42.5%) and (E)-3-hexen-1-ol (31.1%) in the unripe fruits, while β-caryophyllene (42.0%) was the characteristic component of the buds. All the studied EOs showed non-terpene derivatives as the main class of volatiles even though its percentage varied in an organ-dependent manner. Alkanes were predominant and especially represented by heneicosane (the highest percentage of 32.9% in the fresh flowers) and nonadecane (the highest percentage of 17.2% in the buds,). Benzaldehyde was the main aldehyde in the leaves (17.8%) while acids, chiefly n-hexadecanoic acid, were also found in quite high amounts in the ripe fruits (14.3%).
Article
The present study aimed to characterize the nutritional value and potential use of elderberries as a source of antioxidant compounds. The chemical composition, fatty acids and phenolic compounds were determined for elderberries. The optimization of extraction parameters was designed with a Box-Behnken design coupled with response surface methodology (RSM) and desirability function analysis. The process parameters tested included extraction temperature, % of ethanol and pH, while response variables were global extraction yield, total phenolic and anthocyanins content (TAC), carotenoids and antioxidant activity. Analyses revealed that elderberry was a rich source of total soluble solids, proteins and polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3: 38.12 g/100 g and omega-6: 39.54 g/100 g fatty acids). Regarding phenolic compounds, elderberries were found abundant in flavonoids (rutin and quercetin), and phenolic acids (i.e. gallic acid and gentisic acid). Finally, numerical optimization indicated that the best extraction parameters were: temperature 60°C, 50% of ethanol and pH 2.
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Essential oils (EOs) are aromatic oily liquids prepared from plant material. Many plants are rich in EOs, which usually consisted of different secondary metabolites such as terpenoids. The EOs or their components have been shown to exhibit antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, antimycotic, antitoxigenic, antiparasitic and insecticidal properties, which is main reason for their ivenstigation. Coriander and sage essential oils, isolated by hydro-distillation, were analyzed using gas chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry techniques in order to correlate chemical composition and thermal behavior. Results showed that evaporation process of sage EO takes place in two steps, while coriander EO was evaporated in one step. The activation energy of the evaporation process of both EOs was in accordance to the evaporation enthalpy of dominant compounds in analyzed samples. The quantitative structure-retention relationship (QSRR) was employed to predict the retention time (RT) of essential oil compounds obtained by GC analysis, using five molecular de-scriptors selected by genetic algorithm. The selected descriptors were used as inputs of an artificial neural network (ANN), to build an RT predictive QSRR model. The coefficient of determination was 0.969, indicating that this model could be used for prediction of RT values for coriander and sage essential oil compounds.
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The present work evaluated the effects of feed supplementation with plant extracts (onion, cranberry) and a commercial essential oil product (Xtract™) on rabbit meat quality. Five groups of 48 weaned Grimaud female rabbits each received a control ration (C) or a diet supplemented with onion extract (500 or 1000 ppm), cranberry extracts (500 ppm) and essential oil product (100 ppm) alone or in combination. Microbiological quality was evaluated on whole hind legs stored under aerobic and anaerobic conditions at 4 °C. Growth performances, feed intake and both meat composition and quality were similar amongst the experimental groups. Anyhow, meat total phenolic content was significantly higher in all supplemented ones (P < 0.001). Diet supplementation effect was observed (P < 0.05) and microbial control was improved more importantly under anaerobic conditions, notably for Total Aerobic Mesophilic counts, presumptive Pseudomonas and Enterobacteriaceae (P < 0.03). Overall, supplementation with onion extract (500 ppm) suppressed microbial growth more effectively.
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This study evaluated the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) and minimum lethal concentration (MLC) of cinnamon and clove essential oils against mold growth on green bean cake and finger citron crisp cake, and also examined the effects of these two essential oils and their application methods on the shelf life of the baked products in normal and vacuum packages by accelerated storage test. The results showed that the MIC of cinnamon and clove essential oils against molds were 0.21–0.83 and 0.21–1.67 μL/mL, respectively and the MLC were 0.42–0.83 and 0.83–1.67 μL/mL, respectively. In normal package cinnamon and clove essential oils could prolong the shelf life of green bean cake 9–10 and 3–4 days, respectively and could prolong the shelf life of finger citron crisp cake 5–6 and 2–3 days, respectively. And in vacuum package they were 15–16, 8–9, 10–12 and 7–9 days, respectively in turn.
Article
Ethnopharmacological relevance: Sambucus ebulus L. (S. ebulus) has had long-standing application in Traditional Persian Medicine for joint pain and for a variety of bone and joint disorders. According to traditional use of S. ebulus and its relevant pharmacologic properties, this study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and short-term safety of topical use of S. ebulus in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods and materials: Seventy nine patients with knee OA were randomly enrolled in 2 parallel arms of a pilot randomized, double-blind, active-controlled clinical trial. The patients were treated by topical S. ebulus gel or 1% diclofenac gel, three times a day, as much as a fingertip unit for 4 weeks. Patients were assessed prior to enrollment and, then, 2 and 4 weeks subsequent to the intervention, in terms of scores of visual analogue scale (VAS) for self-grading of their knee joint pain, and according to 3 different domains of Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire. Any observed adverse effects were also scrutinized. Results: The mean values of WOMAC pain score, total WOMAC score and VAS score for pain of the S. ebulus group were significantly lower compared with the diclofenac group (P=0.004, P=0.04, and P<0.001, respectively). In addition, no serious adverse effect was reported. Conclusion: This pilot study showed that topical treatment with S. ebulus gel can be recommended for alleviating symptoms of patients with knee OA. However, longer trials involving larger samples size, are needed for achieving a comprehensive understanding about the efficacy and safety of S. ebulus in knee OA.
Article
The distillation of essential oil from comminuted ripe berries of Juniperus communis L. (juniper oil) was studied at different hydrodistillation rates. The distillation of juniper consisted of an initial, fast oil distillation followed by a slow oil distillation. Based on this mechanism, the kinetics of juniper oil distillation were described using a two-parameter model of unsteady-state diffusion through the plant material. The hydrodistillation rate and berries-to-water ratio were shown to affect the distillation rate, process duration, yield, composition and physical properties of the juniper oil. Both the fast distillation rate and the yield of juniper oil increased with increasing hydrodistillation rate. The fast oil distillation rate increased and the oil yield decreased somewhat with increasing berries-to-water ratio. The amount of alpha-pinene decreased and the amount of myrcene increased with increasing hydrodistillation rate.