Monofloral Corn Poppy Bee-Collected Pollen-A Detailed Insight into Its Phytochemical Composition and Antioxidant Properties

Aleksandar Ž Kostić; Danijel D Milinčić; Bojana Špirović Trifunović; Nebojša Nedić; Uroš M Gašić; Živoslav Lj Tešić; Sladjana P Stanojević; Mirjana B Pešić

doi:10.3390/antiox12071424

Monofloral Corn Poppy Bee-Collected Pollen-A Detailed Insight into Its Phytochemical Composition and Antioxidant Properties

Antioxidants (Basel). 2023 Jul 14;12(7):1424. doi: 10.3390/antiox12071424.

Authors

Aleksandar Ž Kostić¹, Danijel D Milinčić¹, Bojana Špirović Trifunović², Nebojša Nedić³, Uroš M Gašić⁴, Živoslav Lj Tešić⁵, Sladjana P Stanojević¹, Mirjana B Pešić¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia.
² Department for Pesticides and Herbology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia.
³ Department for Breeding and Reproduction of Domestic and Bred Animals, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia.
⁴ Department of Plant Physiology, Institute for Biological Research Siniša Stanković-National Institute of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia.
⁵ Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Studentski Trg 12-16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compile a detailed phytochemical profile and assess the antioxidant properties of bee-collected pollen (PBP) obtained from corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas L.) plants. To achieve this, a lipid fraction was prepared for quantifying fatty acids using GC-FID. Extractable and alkaline-hydrolysable PBP fractions (obtained from a defatted sample) were used to determine the qualitative and quantitative profiles of phenolic compounds, phenylamides and alkaloids using UHPLC/Q-ToF-MS. Additionally, various spectrophotometric assays (TAC, FRP, CUPRAC, DPPH^⦁) were conducted to evaluate the antioxidant properties. Phenolic compounds were more present in the extractable fraction than in the alkaline-hydrolysable fraction. Luteolin was the predominant compound in the extractable fraction, followed by tricetin and various derivatives of kaempferol. This study presents one of the first reports on the quantification of tricetin aglycone outside the Myrtaceae plant family. The alkaline-hydrolysable fraction exhibited a different phenolic profile, with a significantly lower amount of phenolics. Kaempferol/derivatives, specific compounds like ferulic and 5-carboxyvanillic acids, and (epi)catechin 3-O-gallate were the predominant compounds in this fraction. Regarding phenylamides, the extractable fraction demonstrated a diverse range of these bioactive compounds, with a notable abundance of different spermine derivatives. In contrast, the hydrolysable fraction contained six spermine derivatives and one spermidine derivative. The examined fractions also revealed the presence of seventeen different alkaloids, belonging to the benzylisoquinoline, berberine and isoquinoline classes. The fatty-acid profile confirmed the prevalence of unsaturated fatty acids. Furthermore, both fractions exhibited significant antioxidant activity, with the extractable fraction showing particularly high activity. Among the assays conducted, the CUPRAC assay highlighted the exceptional ability of PBP's bioactive compounds to reduce cupric ions.

Keywords: Papaver rhoeas L.; alkaloids; antioxidants; bee-collected pollen; fatty acids; phenolics; phytochemical composition; polyamides.

Grants and funding

This research was funded through an agreement on the realization and financing of scientific research work in 2023 between the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia and the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Belgrade, contract registration number: 451-03-47/2023-01/200116 and the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, #GRANT No. 7744714.