Phytochemical Profiles and Cellular Antioxidant Activities in Chestnut ( Castanea mollissima BL.) Kernels of Five Different Cultivars

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 25; no. 1; p. 178
• Main Authors: Chang, Xiaoxiao, Liu, Fengyuan, Lin, Zhixiong, Qiu, Jishui, Peng, Cheng, Lu, Yusheng, Guo, Xinbo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.01.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Acids; antioxidant activity; Antioxidants; Castanea mollissima; Chestnut; Chlorogenic acid; Cultivars; Flavonoids; Functional foods & nutraceuticals; Gallic acid; Kernels; Phenolic compounds; phenolics; Phenols; Phytochemicals; Quercetin; North America; chestnut; flavonoids; antioxidant activity; phenolics
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules25010178

In this study, the phytochemical profiles, total and cellular antioxidant activities of five different Chinese chestnut ( BL.) cultivars were analyzed. Phenolics, flavonoids as well as phytochemical compounds in five cultivars of chestnut kernels were determined. Results showed that the free forms played a dominant role in total phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant activities of all five cultivars of chestnut kernels. The cultivar 'Fyou' showed the highest total and free phenolic contents, 'Heguoyihao' showed the highest total and free flavonoids contents, and 'Chushuhong' showed the highest total and cellular antioxidant activities. Eight phenolic compounds were detected, and chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, and quercetin were shown as three predominant components in all five cultivars. These results provide valuable information which may be a guidance for selection of good chestnut variety to be used as functional food.