Flavonols and Anthocyanins of Elderberry Fruits (Sambucus nigra L.)

Sambucus nigra L. is a species of elderberry native to most of Europe, northwest Africa and southwest Asia. The juice squeezed from elderberry fruits contains red-purple pigments. The pigments of elderberry are anthocyanins, which are present in high amounts. Anthocyanins belong to the group of phenolics, which are known not only for their contribution to the color of fruits but also contribute to the taste and nutritional properties of fruit. We have evaluated the flavonols and anthocyanins of elderberry fruits with the help of HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS system. Phenolics were extracted from five different elderberry cultivars. The most abundant anthocyanin in elderberry fruit was cyanidin 3-sambubioside, which accounted for more than half of all anthocyanins identified in the berries. The 'Rubini' cultivar had the highest amount of the anthocyanins identified. From the quercetin group, quercetin, quercetin 3-rutinoside and quercetin 3-glucoside were identified. The cultivar with the highest amount of total quercetins was 'Selection 25'.