Nutraceutical properties and phytochemical characterization of wild Serbian fruits

Wild fruits grown in Serbia, i.e., elderberry (Sambucus nigra), hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), cornelian cherry (Cornus mas), and blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), are rich in secondary metabolites. In this study, the polyphenolic composition of wild fruit extracts and their antioxidant capacity were investigated by in vitro assays. Elderberry was characterized by the presence of arbutin (a skin protector), and cornelian cherry by syringic and gallic acids. In blackthorn, at least 11 different phenolic compounds were reported for the first time, including vanillic acid and naringin, the metabolite present in the highest amount. Blackthorn extracts were the richest in polyphenols (11.24–18.70 g GAE/kg FW) and had the highest activity in the DPPH radical test (180.93–267.11 mMTE/mL), while cornelian cherry extracts showed the most effective ferric ion chelating (81.37–90.66%) and antityrosinase inhibition capacities (21.75–74.23%). No sample was able to scavenge NO. Using the principal component analysis, wild fruit samples were classified into four separate clusters due to distinctive phenolic profiles and antioxidant capacity. Our investigation showed how every fruit could be considered unique in terms of its phytonutrient content. Thus, Serbian wild fruits may be a great source of bioactive natural compounds and could be therefore considered particularly useful in food supplement production. Particularly, as a source of natural antioxidants, these species could be used to extend the shelf life of food products and replace synthetic antioxidants, avoiding potential health risks and toxicity.