Title : Evaluating Aronia Melanocarpa varieties for Pharmaceutical applications based on Polyphenolic content and Antioxidant activity
Abstract:
In recent years, the global community has been actively seeking plant-based sources with therapeutic and nutritional potential. The fruits of Aronia melanocarpa are widely recognized and utilized for these purposes. The challenges caused by global warming and changing climatic conditions require the development of new varieties with enhanced adaptability and resistance to environmental stressors, particularly for the steppe climate of the Republic of Moldova, while also addressing the growing demand for the sustainable use of natural resources in food and pharmaceutical applications. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (AA) of fruits and non-edible plant parts from two chokeberry varieties—?Nero?, a well-established and widely cultivated variety across Europe and Asia, and ?Alexandrina?, a newly developed variety by researchers at the “Alexandru Ciubotaru” National Botanical Garden in Chisinau—with a focus on their pharmaceutical potential. The biological material for this research was collected during the fruit ripening period. Samples of the ?Nero? variety were obtained from the Scientific and Practical Center for Medicinal Plants at “Nicolae Testemi?anu” State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, while samples of the ?Alexandrina? variety were sourced from the “Alexandru Ciubotaru” National Botanical Garden. The collected materials included fruits, leaves, one-year-old and three-year-old twigs, and their bark. Hydro-alcoholic extracts were prepared from dried fruits and non-edible plant parts, including leaves, twigs, and bark. The total phenolic content (TPC) was measured using the Folin-Ciocalteu method and expressed as gallic acid equivalents (mg GAE/g). Antioxidant activity (AA) was evaluated through the DPPH radical scavenging assay, calibrated with trolox, and expressed as mg trolox equivalents (mg TE/g).
