Abstract
The total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of extracts from pine species were evaluated for various plant components, with emphasis on the seed cones. Seed cones from pine species were found to contain relatively high amounts of both total phenolics and antioxidant activity, and there appears to be some correlation of the two measurements. Juvenile cones contained by far the highest phenolic and antioxidant activity, but this high activity appears to be related to seeds retained in some of the samples, possibly due to the presence of proteins or additional antioxidants in the seeds. The phenolic content and antioxidant activity were also measured for other plant components and for a few other species for comparison. In general, the cones of red and jack pine exhibited the highest antioxidant activity compared to black and southern pines. The general trend for both total phenolics and antioxidant activity was (highest to lowest): juvenile cones>needles>new cones> bark>old cones>wood. Obviously, cones could represent a viable source of antioxidants, especially compared to the wood of species that had comparatively low activity. Collection and extraction of pine cones for antioxidants would be a non-destructive method for procurement of this medicinal aid.
References
Celimene, C.C., J.A. Micales, L. Ferge and R.A. Young. 1999. Efficacy of pinosylvins against white-rot and brown-rot fungi. Holzforschung53, 491–497.Search in Google Scholar
Celimene, C.C., D.R. Smith, R.A. Young and G. Stanosz. 2001. In vitro inhibition of Sphaeropsis sapinea by natural stilbenes. Phytochemistry56, 161–165.Search in Google Scholar
Chang, S.-T., J.-H. Wu, S.-H. Wang, P.-L. Kang, N.-S. Yang and L.-F. Shyur. 2001. Antioxidant activity of extracts from Acacia confusa bark and heartwood. J. Agric. Food Chem.49, 3420–3424.Search in Google Scholar
Eberhardt, T.L. and R.A. Young. 1994. Conifer seed cone proanthocyanidin polymers: characterization by 13C NMR spectroscopy and determination of antifungal activities. J. Agric. Food Chem.42, 1704–1708.Search in Google Scholar
Eberhardt, T.L. and R.A. Young. 1996. Assessment of the anti-HIV activity of a pine cone isolate. Planta Med.62, 63–65.Search in Google Scholar
Eberhardt, T.L., J.S. Yah, J.A. Micales and R.A. Young. 1994. Decay resistance in conifer seed cones: role of resin acids as inhibitors of decomposition by white-rot fungi. Holzforschung48, 278–284.10.1515/hfsg.1994.48.4.278Search in Google Scholar
Fengel, D. and G. Wegener. 1984. Wood: Chemistry, Ultrastructure, Reactions. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin.10.1515/9783110839654Search in Google Scholar
Fitzpatrick, D.F., B. Bing and P. Rohdewald. 1998. Endothelium-dependent vascular effects of Pycnogenol. J. Cardiovasc. Pharmacol.32, 509–515.Search in Google Scholar
Fukuchi, K., H. Sakagami, M. Ikeda, Y. Kawazoe, T. Oh-Hara, K. Konno, S. Ichikawa, N. Hata, H. Kondo and M. Nonoyama. 1989. Inhibition of Herpes simplex virus infection by pine cone antitumor substances. Anti-Cancer Res.9, 313–318.Search in Google Scholar
Harada, H., H. Sakagami, K. Konno, T. Sato, N. Osawa, M. Fujimake and N. Komatsu. 1988. Induction of antimicrobial activity by antitumor substances from pine cone extract of Pinus parviflora. Anti-Cancer Res.8, 581–588.Search in Google Scholar
Halliwell, B. 1996. Antioxidants in human health and disease. Annu. Rev. Nat.16, 37–50.Search in Google Scholar
Hasegawa, Y. 2003. Characterization and Utilization of Terpenes and Lignins in Juvenile and Mature Conifer Seed Cones. MS Thesis. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI.Search in Google Scholar
Kahkonen, M.P., A.I. Hopia, H.J. Vuorela, J.-P. Rauha, K. Pihlaja, T.S. Kujala and M. Heinonen. 1999. Antioxidant activity of plant extracts containing phenolic compounds. J. Agric. Food Chem.47, 3954–3962.Search in Google Scholar
Kasinulainen, P. and J.K. Holopainen. 2002. Concentrations of secondary compounds in Scots pine needles at different stages of decomposition. Soil Biol. Chem.34, 37–42.Search in Google Scholar
Lundgren, L. 1987. Studies of Low Molecular Phenolic Constituents in Conifer Needles. Dissertation. Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Uppsala, Sweden.Search in Google Scholar
Noda, Y., K. Anzai, A. Mori, M. Kohno, M. Shinmei and L. Packer. 1997. Hydroxyl and superoxide anion radical scavenging activities of natural source antioxidants using the computerized JES-FR30 ESRT spectrometer system. Biochem. Mol. Biol. Int.42, 35–44.Search in Google Scholar
Pan, H. 1995. Studies on Phenolic and Terpenoid Constituents Extracted from Bark of Birch, Spruce and Pine in Sweden. Dissertation. Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Uppsala, Sweden.Search in Google Scholar
Pan, H. and L.N. Lundgren. 1996. Phenolics from inner bark of Pinus sylvestris. Phytochemistry42, 1185–118910.1016/0031-9422(96)00122-7Search in Google Scholar
Pietta, P., P. Simonetti and P. Mauri. 1998. Antioxidant activity of selected medicinal plants. J. Agric. Food Chem.46, 4487–4490.Search in Google Scholar
Peterson, D.M. 2001. Oat antioxidants. J. Cereal Sci.33, 115–129.Search in Google Scholar
Sakagami, H., Y. Kawazoe, N. Komatsu, A. Simpson, M. Nonoyama, K. Konno, T. Yoshida, Y. Kuroiwa and S. Tanuma. 1991. Antitumor, antiviral and immunopotentiating activities of pine cone extracts: potential medicinal efficacy of natural and synthetic lignin-related materials (review). Anti-Cancer Res.11, 881–888.Search in Google Scholar
Satoh, K., T. Kihara, Y. Ida, H. Sakagami, N. Koyama, M. Premanathan, R. Arakaki, H. Nakashima, N. Komatsu, M. Fujimaki, Y. Misawa and N. Hata. 1999. Radical modulation activity of pine cone extracts of Pinus elliottii. Anti-Cancer Res.19, 357–364.Search in Google Scholar
Strack, D., J. Heilemann, V. Wray and H. Dirks. 1989. Structures and accumulation patterns of soluble and insoluble phenolics from Norway spruce needles. Phytochemistry28, 2071–2078.Search in Google Scholar
Tiwari, A.K., P.V. Srinivas, S.P. Kumar and J.M. Rao. 2001. Free radical scavenging active components from Cedrus deodara. J. Agric. Food Chem.49, 4642–4645.Search in Google Scholar
Wood, J.E., S.T. Senthilmohan and A.V. Peskin. 2002. Antioxidant activity of procyanidin-containing plant extracts at different pHs. Food Chem.77, 155–161.Search in Google Scholar
©2005 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin New York