FLAVONOIDS IN BLACK CURRANT

FLAVONOIDS IN BLACK CURRANT

Flavonoids and related plant compounds in fruits and vegetables are
of particular importance as they have been found to possess
antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity. Researchers
analyzed the content of the flavonols quercetin, myricetin, and
kaempferol in 10 black currant cultivars and they found myricetin was
the most abundant flavonol in the study. In addition, they also found
a high variability in the levels of flavonols in different cultivars. [8]

ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES, HEALTH BENEFITS OF
ANTHOCYANINS IN BLACK CURRANT
The berries of black currant are rich in polyphenolic compounds and
especially in anthocyanins, demonstrating antioxidant activity.
Antioxidant activities of plant products contribute multiple health
benefits. Researchers evaluated 13 black currant juices and found
anthocyanin content or vitamin C attributed 70% of the antioxidant
capacity of the juices. And, the antioxidant activity of the anthocyanin
was most intense at neutral pHs. [18, 25]

Researchers administered monkeys on fat diets with blackcurrant for
three months. In the study, blood filtrability of animals given a fat diet
alone was significantly lowered as compared with that of animals
receiving a standard diet. However, blood filtrability of animals
receiving a fat diet and blackcurrant anthocyanosides was not
significantly different from that of animals given a standard diet. [1]

POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF BLACK CURRANT JUICES

Black currant juice shows anti-cancer activities.
The fruit juice of black currant was found to contain a
polysaccharide-rich substance, which was designated cassis
polysaccharide, with macrophage-stimulating activity. Especially, its
interleukin (IL)-1beta-inducing activity was remarkably high,
compared with other fruit juice preparations.

In a study of carcinoma-bearing mice, oral administration of black
currant juice and cassis polysaccharide retarded the growth of the
solid tumor by 45% and 51% respectively. carcinoma-bearing
administration had a stimulatory effect on the release of IL-2, IL-10,
interferon-gamma, and IL-4 from splenocytes cassis polysaccharide
showed a certain cytotoxicity directly against tumor cells. [26]

Black currant juice shows anti-oxidant activities against human LDL
oxidation. Enzymatic release of phenolic compounds from pomace
remaining from black currant (Ribes nigrum) juice exerted a
pronounced antioxidant activity against human LDL oxidation in vitro
when tested at equimolar phenol concentrations of 7.5-10 microM. [7]

Black currant juice is not stable at high temperature.
Black currant juice quality changes when stored at high
temperatures. Storage of black currant at 60 degrees C for eight
hours, the amount of polyphenols decreased by 46%, anthocyanins
31%, and antioxidant activity by 26%. [20, 22]

POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF BLACK CURRANT
CONCENTRATE

Researchers investigated the effect of black currant concentrate on
smooth muscle in rat thoracic aorta. They found that black currant
concentrate dose-dependently relaxed the norepinephrine (0.1
microM)-precontracted aorta, and the response was abolished after
endothelium removal. They concluded that black currant concentrate
enhances synthesis of NO, which subsequently induces the
endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation via the H1-receptors on the
endothelium. [17]

POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF BLACK CURRANT SEED

Several crude and purified polysaccharides from black currant seeds
(Ribes nigrum L.) have been isolated, analysed and examined on
their effects against Helicobacter pylori in in situ adhesion studies on
sections of human gastric mucosa. After pre-treatment of
Helicobacter pylori with 0.01 to 0.1 % solutions of the isolated raw
polysaccharide (RPS), the epithelial binding of the bacteria was
considerably reduced in a concentration-dependent manner.
Researchers concluded that its acidic, high molecular weight
galactans are responsible for the antiadhesive qualities of black
currant seed extracts and that these polymers are able to block
Helicobacter surface receptors, thus inhibiting their interaction with
specific binding factors located on human gastric epithelia. [21]

POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF BLACK CURRANT SEED OIL

Black currant seed oil, rich in both gamma-linolenic (18:3n-6) and
alpha-linolenic (18:3n-3) acids, has been shown to modulate
membrane lipid composition and eicosanoid production. [6]

European diets provide a suboptimal intake of eicosapentaenoic
(20:5n3) and docosahexaenoic (22:6n3) acids, which are derived
mainly from fish oils. A study indicates that black currant seed oil,
which contains 14.5% alpha-linolenic (18:3n3), 12.6%
gamma-linolenic (18:3n6), 47.5% linoleic (18:2n6) and 2.7%
stearidonic (18:4n3) acids, could potentially serve as alternative to
fish oil as a n3 fatty acid source. This study of 15 healthy females
indicates that black currant seed oil supplementation can lower
serum levels of LDL cholesterol. [23] In another study, black currant
oil (gamma-linolenic acid; GLA) diets lower the blood pressure of
SHR rats and help relieve inflammation and enhance the immune
systems. [4-6]

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) shows inhibitory effects on histamine
release, eicosanoid production and pruritus in laboratory rodents,
and it showed benefits on atopic dermatitis in a study of dog. [27]

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR YOUR REFERENCE ONLY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION, YOU SHOULD CONSULT WITH YOUR
DOCTOR. ALL RIGHT RESERVED 2006 ZHION. REFERENCE: [1] Millet J et al, Improvement of blood filtrability with a purified
extract of black currant anthocyanosides in cynomologus monkeys on a fat diet J Pharmacol. 1984 Oct-Dec;15(4):439-45. [2]
Crozier GL, et al, Black currant seed oil feeding and fatty acids in liver lipid classes of guinea pigs. Lipids. 1989 May;24(5):460-6.
[3] Declume C. Anti-inflammatory evaluation of a hydroalcoholic extract of black currant leaves (Ribes nigrum). J Ethnopharmacol.
1989 Nov;27(1-2):91-8. [4] Engler MM. Comparative study of diets enriched with evening primrose, black currant, borage or fungal
oils on blood pressure and pressor responses in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 1993
Oct;49(4):809-14. [5] Tate GA, Zurier RB. Suppression of monosodium urate crystal-induced inflammation by black currant seed
oil. Agents Actions. 1994 Nov;43(1-2):35-8. [6] Wu D, Effect of dietary supplementation with black currant seed oil on the immune
response of healthy elderly subjects. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Oct;70(4):536-43. [7] Landbo AK, Meyer AS. Enzyme-assisted
extraction of antioxidative phenols from black currant juice press residues (Ribes nigrum). J Agric Food Chem. 2001
Jul;49(7):3169-77. [8] Mikkonen TP, Flavonol content varies among black currant cultivars. J Agric Food Chem. 2001
Jul;49(7):3274-7. [17] Nakamura Y, Matsumoto H, Todoki K.Endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation induced by black currant
concentrate in rat thoracic aorta. Jpn J Pharmacol. 2002 May;89(1):29-35.

[18] Matsumoto H, et al, Antioxidant activity of black currant anthocyanin aglycons and their glycosides measured by
chemiluminescence in a neutral pH region and in human plasma. J Agric Food Chem. 2002 Aug 28;50(18):5034-7. [19] Nielsen IL,
et al, Quantification of anthocyanins in commercial black currant juices by simple high-performance liquid chromatography.
Investigation of their pH stability and antioxidative potency. J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Sep 24;51(20):5861-6. [20] Kasparaviciene G,
Briedis V.Stability and antioxidant activity of black currant and black aronia berry juices Medicina (Kaunas). 2003;39 Suppl 2:65-9.
[21] Lengsfeld C, Deters A, Faller G, Hensel A. High molecular weight polysaccharides from black currant seeds inhibit adhesion
of Helicobacter pylori to human gastric mucosa. Planta Med. 2004 Jul;70(7):620-6. [22] Varming C, Andersen ML, Poll L. Influence
of thermal treatment on black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) juice aroma. J Agric Food Chem. 2004 Dec 15;52(25):7628-36. [23]
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effects on fatty acid profiles of plasma lipids, and concentrations of serum total and lipoprotein lipids, plasma glucose and insulin. J
Nutr Biochem. 2005 Jun;16(6):353-9. [25] McDougall GJ, et al Anthocyanin-flavanol condensation products from black currant
(Ribes nigrum L.). J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Oct 5;53(20):7878-85. [26] Takata R, Yamamoto R, Yanai T, Konno T, Okubo T.
Immunostimulatory effects of a polysaccharide-rich substance with antitumor activity isolated from black currant (Ribes nigrum
L.). Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2005 Nov;69(11):2042-50. [27] Noli C, Carta G, Cordeddu L, Melis MP, Murru E, Banni S.
Conjugated linoleic acid and black currant seed oil in the treatment of canine atopic dermatitis: A preliminary report. Vet J. 2006
Feb 20

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR YOUR REFERENCE ONLY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE, CONSULT WITH YOUR
DOCTOR. ALL RIGHT RESERVED 2008

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