Blackberry Seed Extracts and Isolated Polyphenolic Compounds Showing Protective Effect on Human Lymphocytes DNA

The tentative identification of seed extracts from 3 cultivars of blackberry (blackberry seed extracts [BSEs]) constituents was performed by LC/UV/MS technique. The identified compounds belonged to ellagitannins, galic acid derivatives, and ellagic acid derivatives. Two ellagitannins, Lambertianin C and Sanguiniin H-6, and an ellagic acid derivative, 4-alpha-L-arabinofuranosylellagic acid, were isolated using semipreparative High-performance liquid chromatography. The structure elucidations were based on high resolution-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance studies. The BSEs and 3 isolated pure compounds were tested for in vitro protective effect on chromosome aberrations in peripheral human lymphocytes using cytochalasin-B blocked micronucleus (MN) assay. The frequency of MN was scored in binucleated cells, and nuclear proliferation index was calculated. Among the tested extracts, the seeds of cv. Thornfree at concentration of 1 mu g/mL exhibit the most prominent effect decreasing the frequency of MN by 62.4%, when compared with the controls cell cultures. Antioxidant potential of pure ellagitannins cannot explain the strong effect of BSEs. The assumption was that better antioxidant effect of BSEs result from synergistic effects of individual compounds contained in the extracts and/or some minor components possessed strong activity.