Australian scientists publish a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry highlighting the importance of using the HPLC to detect adulteration in commercial samples of bilberry extract
According to the study, the HPLC technique is the most suitable for determining the actual anthocyanin content of bilberry extracts.
Anthocyanins are flavonoids accounting for many of the beneficial properties of these extracts and are responsible for the bright blue and red colors of many fruits and berries.
The study compared the anthocyanin content in Mirtoselect with another commercial bilberry extract.
Using the single-wavelength UV-visible spectrophotometric method, described in the British Pharmacopoeia, the total anthocyanin content of both extracts is similar to the value claimed by the manufacturers at 25%.
However, if the HPLC method is used, only Mirtoselect is in compliance with the claimed values; the rival bilberry extract in fact contains only 9% anthocyanins, probably not derived from Vaccinium myrtillus L but from an adulterant identified as amaranth.
The results described in the study suggest that the adulterated extract does not contain any bilberry (V myrtillus L) and reveals chemicals not easily detected with the common analytical methods.
Commenting on the news, Roberto Pace, Indena analytical research director, says: "these important results confirm the suitability of the analytical method in identifying unequivocally the botanical raw materials used for manufacturing and evaluating the composition of the extracts demonstrating yet again the quality of Indena products".
Anthocyanins are today among the most investigated compounds for their role of dietary constituents in the prevention of cancer.
Researchers from the University of Leicester have recently published an article showing the chemoprevention activity of Mirtoselect in a well-known international model for the study of chemopreventive agents in colon cancer.
The pharmacological efficacy was accompanied by measurable levels of anthocyanins and their metabolites in the target organ (intestinal mucosa) and in the urine.
Antonella Riva, Indena senior research scientist, added that there was "an increasing interest in the role of dietary constituents in the prevention of cancer," and believes that "the study confirms that anthocyanins are among the most interesting active ingredients.
