Determination of water-soluble vitamins in the extract of blackberry (rubus l.) By the yussx method
Keywords:
Rubus L.; blackberry extract; water-soluble vitamins; YUSSX method; HPLC analysis; Shim-pack GIST C18; ultrasonic extraction; vitamin C; B-complex vitamins; phytochemical profiling; functional food ingredients; phytopharmacology.Abstract
Annotation: Blackberry (Rubus L.) is widely recognized for its rich composition of biologically active compounds, including polyphenols, anthocyanins, and essential water-soluble vitamins. Due to increasing interest in plant-based therapeutics and functional foods, the quantitative evaluation of these micronutrients is of significant scientific and pharmacognostic relevance. This study focuses on determining the content of water-soluble vitamins in Rubus L. fruit extract using the YUSSX analytical method.Methods.The extract was prepared by ultrasonic-assisted extraction of 1 g of plant material with 0.1 N HCl at 60 °C for 20 minutes, followed by filtration and dilution to a final volume of 25 mL. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was carried out on a Shim-pack GIST C18 column (150 × 4.6 mm; 5 μm) using gradient elution with acetonitrile and 0.25% acetic acid solution. The LC-40 Nexera Lite system was operated at a flow rate of 0.6 mL/min and detection wavelengths of 265, 291, and 550 nm. Quantification was achieved using calibration curves constructed from standard solutions of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, B12, PP, and C.Results.Quantitative analysis of the extract revealed measurable concentrations of several water-soluble vitamins per 100 g of raw material: vitamin B1 — 2.28 mg, B2 — 1.14 mg, B3 — 10.00 mg, B6 — 0.72 mg, B9 — 9.95 mg, PP — 6.41 mg, and vitamin C — 13.01 mg. Vitamin B12 was not detected. Retention times and concentrations corresponded with standard chromatographic profiles, confirming the accuracy of the applied method.Discussion.The obtained results demonstrate that Rubus L. fruits are a significant natural source of essential water-soluble vitamins, particularly B-complex vitamins and vitamin C, which contribute to their antioxidant, metabolic, and therapeutic properties. These findings are consistent with current pharmacognostic data on the biological activity of Rubus species and highlight their potential in developing phytopharmaceuticals and functional nutrition products.
