Triterpenoid content of berries and leaves of bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus from Finland and Poland

J Agric Food Chem. 2012 Dec 5;60(48):11839-49. doi: 10.1021/jf3046895. Epub 2012 Nov 27.

Abstract

Triterpenoid compounds found in free and ester forms in extracts of entire fruits and leaves and in fruit and leaf cuticular waxes of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) collected in Finland and Poland were identified and quantitated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry coupled to a flame ionization detector (GC-MS/FID). The main bilberry triterpenoid profile consisted of α- and β-amyrin, α- and β-amyrenone, campesterol, cholesterol, citrostadienol (in berries), cycloartanol, erythrodiol, lupeol, 24-methylenecycloartanol, sitosterol, sitostanol, stigmasterol, stigmasta-3,5-dien-7-one, uvaol, oleanolic and ursolic aldehydes, and oleanolic, ursolic, 2α-hydroxyoleanolic, and 2α-hydroxyursolic acids. Friedelin and D:A-friedooleanan-3β-ol were found only in Finnish plants, whereas D:C-friedours-7-en-3β-ol and taraxasterol were found only in Polish plants. To our knowledge, this is the first thorough description of triterpenoid compounds in this species. The presented results revealed that the triterpenoid profile of bilberry varied considerably between different organs of the plant, regardless of the plant origin, as well as between plant samples obtained from the two geographical locations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anthocyanins / chemistry
  • Cholesterol / analogs & derivatives
  • Cholesterol / analysis
  • Finland
  • Fruit / chemistry
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Molecular Structure
  • Oleanolic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Oleanolic Acid / analysis
  • Phytosterols / analysis
  • Plant Extracts
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Poland
  • Sitosterols / analysis
  • Triterpenes / analysis*
  • Triterpenes / chemistry*
  • Vaccinium myrtillus / chemistry*

Substances

  • 2-hydroxyursolic acid
  • Anthocyanins
  • Phytosterols
  • Plant Extracts
  • Sitosterols
  • Triterpenes
  • erythrodiol
  • campesterol
  • Oleanolic Acid
  • Vaccinium myrtillus extract
  • Cholesterol
  • friedelin
  • stigmastanol
  • beta-amyrin
  • uvaol