Characterization and quantification of health beneficial anthocyanins in leaf chicory (Cichorium intybus) varieties

Plants belonging to the genus Cichorium are used as leafy vegetable. Varieties of Chichorium intybus, commonly known as leaf chicory, have also been used in folk medicine to treat liver disorders and inflammation. In the present study, we report bioactive anthocyanin content in C. intybus varieties Balou, Indigo, Manchini, Leonardo, and Erfano and functional food quality based on in vitro lipid peroxidation (LPO) and cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and -2) enzyme inhibitory activities. The chromatographic profiles of these varieties were similar and showed cyanidin-3-O-(6aEuro(3)-malonyl-beta-glucopyranoside) (1) as the major anthocyanin (> 95%) with the highest amount in Indigo (2.8 mg/g fresh weight). Chichorium intybus varieties were extracted with water and extracts were evaluated for LPO, COX-1 and -2 enzymes inhibitory activities at 250 mu g/mL. Among the varieties evaluated, the water extracts of Indigo, Balou, Leonardo, Manchini, and Erfano inhibited LPO by 92, 87.2, 79.6, 54.5, and 65.1%, respectively. In the COX enzyme inhibitory assay, the extracts of Leonardo, Balou, Indigo, Mancini, and Erfano inhibited COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes by 19.7, 26.4, 41.3, 15.6, 18.2% and 68.3, 76.5, 84.9, 43.7, 55.4%, respectively. Bioassay-guided isolation of anthocyanin 1 from C. intybus var. Indigo was achieved by using in vitro LPO and COX enzyme inhibitory assays.