Deguo Lü’s research while affiliated with Shenyang Agricultural University and other places

Eleven major phenolic compounds (hyperoside, isoquercitrin, chlorogenic acid, ideain, epicatechin, two procyanidin (PA) dimers, three PA trimers and a PA dimer-hexoside) were quantified in the fruits of 22 cultivars/origins of three species of the Chinese hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) by HPLC–ESI-MS-SIR. Hyperoside (0.1–0.8 mg/g dry mass [DM]), isoquercitrin (0.1–0.3 mg/g DM), chlorogenic acid (0.2–1.6 mg/g DM), epicatechin (0.9–11.7 mg/g DM), PA B2 (0.7–12.4 mg/g DM), PA dimer II (0.1–1.5 mg/g DM), PA trimer I (0.1–2.7 mg/g DM), PA trimer II (0.7–6.9 mg/g DM), PA trimer III (0.01–1.2 mg/g DM) and a PA dimer-hexoside (trace–1.1 mg/g DM) were detected in all the samples. Ideain (0.0–0.7 mg/g DM) was found in all the samples except Crataegus scabrifolia. Significant correlations between the contents of individual PA aglycons were observed (r > 0.9, P < 0.01). A strong correlation between flavonols was also shown (r = 0.71, P < 0.01). Fruits of Crataegus pinnatifida var. major had higher contents of PAs but lower contents of flavonols compared with Crataegus brettschneideri. The fruits of C. scabrifolia contained the highest level of PA dimer-hexoside, which was present in trace amounts in the fruits of C. pinnatifida.Research highlights► An HPLC–ESI-MS-SIR method was applied to quantify the phenolic compounds of hawthorn fruits. ► Phenolic compounds in 22 hawthorn samples belonging to four species/varieties were determined. ► Significant differences of contents of phenolic compounds between hawthorn species were found.

Acids, sugars, and sugar alcohols in the fruits of 22 cultivars/origins of three species of hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) were analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Citric acid (2.0-8.4 g/100 g dry mass [DM]), quinic acid (0.5-5.6 g/100 g DM), malic acid (0.3-1.1 g/100 g DM), fructose (5.5-18.4 g/100 g DM), glucose (5.3-16.6 g/100 g DM), sorbitol (3.0-15.7 g/100 g DM), and myo-inositol (0.1-0.3 g/100 g DM) were found in all the samples. Sucrose was present only in C. scabrifolia and three cultivars of C. pinnatifida var. major. C. scabrifolia differed from other species by its high content of quinic acid. The cultivars of C. pinnatifida var. major and C. brettschneideri had a higher content of total sugars and a higher sugar/acid ratio than the natural origins of C. pinnatifida and C. scabrifolia (P < 0.05). The hawthorn samples analyzed fell into two groups rich in sugars and acids respectively. This is the first report of the profiles of sugars and sugar alcohols and the occurrence of quinic acid in hawthorn fruits.