Antioxidant tannins from Rosaceae plant roots

Polyphenols were analyzed by HPLC after thioacidolysis of proanthocyanidins polymers and acid hydrolysis of phenolic acid esters. The predominant constitutive units of the procyanidins of Aruncus Silvester and Potentilla alba roots were (−)epicatechin, and Geum rivale and Waldsteinia geoides roots (+)catechin. The highest proanthocyanidin concentrations were found in Potentilla alba roots (close to 80 g/kg) and W. geoides (64 g/kg). Ellagic acid was present at high concentration in G. rivale (2.68 g/kg) and W. geoides (2.75 g/kg) in dried roots. The antioxidant activity, measured by the DPPH method, ranged from 0.72 (Filipendula vulgaris) to 4.40 (W. geoides) mM trolox equivalents/kg dried roots and, measured by the ABTS method, from 1.50 to 6.60 mM trolox equivalents per kg of dried roots.