Validated HPTLC Method for Dihydrokaempferol-4'-O-glucopyranoside Quantitative Determination in Alcea Species

Lesser-Explored Edible Flowers as a Choice of Phytochemical Sources for Food Applications

Flowers have been commonly used in cooking to add color and flavor to dishes. In addition to enhancing the visual appeal of food, many edible flowers also contain bioactive compounds that promote good health. These compounds include antimicrobial, antihypertensive, nephroprotective, antiulcer, and anticancer agents. In the last 5 years, there have been 95 published reviews about edible flowers. Among these, 43% have concentrated on Food Science and Technology, while 32% have analyzed their effects on human health. Most of these edible flowers are commonly consumed, but some are less known due to limited distribution or seasonality. These lesser-explored flowers often contain compounds that offer significant health advantages. Therefore, this review focuses on exploring the characteristics, phytochemical composition, and bioactive compounds found in less commonly examined edible flowers. The flowers included in this review are peonies, forget-me-nots, frangipani, alpine roses, wild roses, hibiscus species, common lilacs, woodland geraniums, camellias, Aztec marigolds, kiri flowers, sunflowers, yucca flower, hollyhocks, and cornflowers. Due to their diverse biological activities, these flowers provide various health benefits and can be used to be incorporated into food and supplements or develop mainly cancer-fighting medications.

Bioactivity Profiling and Quantification of Gastrodin in Gastrodia elata Cultivated in the Field versus Facility via Hyphenated High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography

Gastrodia elata (Orchidaceae) is native to mountainous areas of Asia and is a plant species used in traditional medicine for more than two thousand years. The species was reported to have many biological activities, such as neuroprotective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity. After many years of extensive exploitation from the wild, the plant was added to lists of endangered species. Since its desired cultivation is considered difficult, innovative cultivation methods that can reduce the costs of using new soil in each cycle and at the same time avoid contamination with pathogens and chemicals are urgently needed on large scale. In this work, five G. elata samples cultivated in a facility utilizing electron beam-treated soil were compared to two samples grown in the field concerning their chemical composition and bioactivity. Using hyphenated high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and multi-imaging (UV/Vis/FLD, also after derivatization), the chemical marker compound gastrodin was quantified in the seven G. elata rhizome/tuber samples, which showed differences in their contents between facility and field samples and between samples collected during different seasons. Parishin E was also found to be present. Combining HPTLC with on-surface (bio)assays, the antioxidant activity and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase as well as the absence of cytotoxicity against human cells were demonstrated and compared between samples.

Preliminary Characterization of Phytochemicals and Polysaccharides in Diverse Coffee Cascara Samples: Identification, Quantification and Discovery of Novel Compounds

Coffee cascara is the first and most significant by-product of the coffee processing industry, whose valorization has become an urgent priority to reduce harmful environmental impacts. This work aimed to provide an improved understanding of phytochemicals and polysaccharides in coffee cascara in order to offer information for the better evaluation of potential applications. Phytochemicals in 20 different coffee cascara samples were ultrasonically extracted and analyzed by HPLC-UV and HPLC-MS/MS. Four novel compounds were isolated for the first time from coffee cascara, including two still unknown tautomers (337 Da), and two dihydroflavonol glycosides (dihydromyricetin glycoside and dihydromyricetin rhamnosylglycoside). Their presence can contribute to the design of new value-added applications of coffee cascara. Chemical characterization of two polysaccharides from two of the coffee cascara pulp samples showed that they were mainly composed of homogalacturonan, with rhamnose and arabinose as minor neutral sugars. In addition, principal component analysis results indicated that coffee cultivar and/or country significantly impacted the phytochemical composition of coffee cascara, although differences may be reduced by the external environment and processing method. It is suggested that processing method should be carefully designed when generating coffee cascara from the same cultivar and country/farm.