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Integrated analytical methodology to investigate bioactive compounds in Crocus sativus L. flowers
Author(s) -
Cusano Erica,
Consonni Roberto,
Petrakis Eleftherios A.,
Astraka Konstantina,
Cagliani Laura R.,
Polissiou Moschos G.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
phytochemical analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1099-1565
pISSN - 0958-0344
DOI - 10.1002/pca.2753
Subject(s) - crocus sativus , chemistry , tepal , chromatography , chromatography detector , petunidin , safranal , mass spectrometry , delphinidin , anthocyanin , high performance liquid chromatography , botany , cyanidin , food science , pollen , stamen , biology
The increasing interest on Crocus sativus L. over the last decades is caused by its potential employment as a source of biologically active molecules, endowed with antioxidant and nutraceutical properties. These molecules are present mainly in stigmas and tepals, these last generally considered as byproducts. Objective To characterise bioactive compounds in stigmas, stamens, and tepals of Crocus sativus L. for quality, cross‐contamination of tissues or fraudulent addition, joining spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques. Methodology Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) and Raman spectroscopies were initially employed, being very rapid in response; volatiles were more appropriately investigated by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC‐MS), while finally nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high‐performance liquid chromatography with a diode array detector (HPLC‐DAD) were adopted for a more thorough characterisation of secondary metabolites. NMR was also used to investigate the anthocyanins content in tepals upon acid extraction. Results The results obtained highlighted the drying method as the dominant factor affecting the content of volatile constituents and contributing to the quality of saffron, while only slight differences were observed in the most abundant metabolites of stigmas, as well as in the anthocyanin content of tepals. In particular, for the first time, delphinidin and petunidin were detected by NMR in this latter tissue. Conclusion The integrated analytical methodology here proposed, allowed to achieve a deeper level of compositional and structural details of secondary metabolites in Crocus sativus L. flowers.