Comparing Different Cultivars of Iranian Pomegranate by the Amount of Epicatechin and Epigallocatechin Gallate

Aims: The pomegranate, Punica granatum, is cultivated in tropical and subtropical region. Pomegranates contain a polyphenols such as gallic acid, ellagitannins, gallotannins, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, coumaric acids, and catechin and anthocyanins. The term catechin is also commonly used to refer to the related family of flavonoids and the subgroup flavan-3-ols. In this study we want to compare the amount of catechin in different cultivars of Iranian pomegranate.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Horticulture and Department of Food science and technology, Khorasgan (Isfahan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran, between march 2010 and November 2012.
Methodology: We gathered the fruit of Iranian pomegranate cultivars in order to make them dry in freeze dryer (w028, Germany). All of the freeze dryer samples were grained and became a soft powder before analysis. 0.5 g sample, mixed with 25 ml of 80 percent ethanol-water solution, was kept in an ultrasonic bath to extract catechins (M. G. Miguel, 2010). Experiments showed that 80 percent of methanol -water gives the best result and this liquid is the best type. Five minutes of putting in the ultrasonic bath is equivalent to 1 hour of mechanical shaker. 2 ml of high Centrifuge for 5 minutes in a 14000 rpm round by the 0.45ml pourfilter and 20 ml of HPLC to liquid chromatography were injected (J. Dai, 2010). The liquid chromatography was equipped to 1050 HP pomp, 1100HP thermostat, injector750 Rheodyne and fluorescence remover HP 1100. Returnable faze was used in 30 degree centigrade temperature and in C18 column. 100*4/6mm 2i.d;3µm with pre column of c18 Altima were equipped. Washing the isocratic by liquid phase of 9% of acetonitrile in the 2% of Acid citric in a 11 m per minutes separation with the insulator in a EX=280nm of catechin, they were determined by value of catechins aggregation of plotting (µg/ml) with calibration graph were done and the calibration with the stock solution in the 40% methanol got ready.
Results: Results also showed that the highest amounts of Epigallocatechin gallate were existed in “Malas Saveh” and the lowest amounts of epicatechin were existed in “Alak Parand Saveh”.
Conclusion: Our data showed that Epicatechin and Epigallocatechin gallate are the most abundant catechin in pomegranate and they are a potent antioxidant that may have therapeutic application.