Chemical composition and in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of apple phenolic extracts and of their sub-fractions.

摘要

Apple extract powders from 3 different manufacturers were investigated for their anti-inflammatory activity, total phenols contents and chemical composition. The samples represented 2 production batches for 2 products and a single batch of a third. The samples showed similar, but clearly different, anti-inflammatory activities, and had substantially different total phenols contents, as well as different chemical compositions. Differences in chemical composition for batches of the same product were significant, although not as great as differences between products. The samples were fractionated into chemical classes. The most active fractions were those that contained epicatechin and catechin with phloridzin and quercetin glycosides, or those that contained procyanidin polymers. It was not possible to link activity to the presence of individual components or combinations of these. It is suggested that if fruit extracts are to be reliably linked to validated health benefits, then the source materials, the extraction processes, and the final composition of such products need to be more clearly defined than at present.