Identification of anthocyanins in Rhamnus alaternus L. berries

Anthocyanin composition in berries of Rhamnus alaternus L., a perennial wild shrub typical of the Mediterranean area, was determined for the first time. The pigments were extracted from the berries with 0.1% HCl in methanol and purified using a C-18 solid-phase cartridge. High-performance liquid chromatography diode array detection-mass spectrometry analysis showed that delphinidin 3-O-rutinoside represented about 62.4% of the total pigments. Other anthocyanins were 3-O-rutinoside derivatives of cyanidin (8.4%), petunidin (15.8%), pelargonidin (4.7%), and peonidin and malvidin (8.7%). The concomitant presence of the six most common anthocyanidins suggested that R. alaternus berries, besides being a good pigment source, could also be a useful tool for anthocyanin identification.