Published in Scientific Bulletin. Series F. Biotechnologies, Vol. XXIX, Issue 2
Written by Elena ANDRONE, Nicoleta RUSU, Cătălina VOAIDEŞ, Narcisa Elena BĂBEANU
Mespilus germanica L. (medlar) is a fruit-bearing species with notable phytochemical and nutritional value, traditionally used in various therapeutic applications. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of different solvents (ethanol, acetone, and water) on the phenolic and elemental composition of medlar fruit extracts. Phenolic compound profiling was carried out using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD), while the mineral and trace metal content was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results revealed that the acetonic extract exhibited the most diverse phenolic profile, with high concentrations of chlorogenic and caffeic acids, whereas the aqueous extract showed higher levels of essential minerals such as Mg, K, Ca, and Fe. The powder obtained from the dried acetonic extract presented the highest per-mass elemental concentrations, reflecting the concentrating effect of solvent removal. Low levels of Cd and Pb were detected across all samples, highlighting the importance of routine monitoring to ensure consumer safety. Overall, the findings indicate that both the choice of solvent and the physical state of the extract significantly influence the composition of plant-derived preparations, offering promising perspectives for their controlled application in nutraceutical, food, and phytopharmaceutical formulations.
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