BIOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF FRUITS OF SOME REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GENUS SORBUS L. IN COL-LECTION OF THE SOUTH-URAL BOTANICAL GARDEN

Abstract

Mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia L.) is a valuable medicinal and food plant that is widely used in practical medicine and in amateur horticulture. The purpose of this study was to determine the content of ascorbic acid, organic acids, tanning substances and flavonoids in the fruits of some representatives of the Sorbus genus of the collection of the South-Ural Botanical Garden-Institute and to identify the most promising taxa. For analysis, fruits were collected in the full ripening phase and dried to air-dry state. Phytochemical studies were carried out according to conventional methods. The object of comparison was the official pharmacopoeia species – Sorbus aucuparia. Analysis of the obtained data found that the fruits × Sorbocotoneaster pozdnijkovii and Sorbus sibirica outperformed the natural form (Sorbus aucuparia) in terms of ascorbic acid content by 11.54 and 43.27%; Organic acids by 24.11 and 60.84%; Tanning substances by 3.49 and 43.23%; Flavonoids by 44.19 and 12.79%, respectively. The obtained results allow to recommend these taxa as promising sources of raw materials for production of biologically active substances in production of natural food products and food additives.