Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) Benefits

Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), recognized for its nutritional and medicinal benefits, is highlighted in a review paper that covers its botanical classification, cultivation, and chemical composition. The fruit is particularly rich in phenolic compounds, which contribute to its health-positive effects as demonstrated in various studies involving in vitro, animal models, and human research.

Nutritional Content

Black chokeberry boasts high levels of antioxidants and phenolic compounds. Its phenolic content is similar to that found in bilberries and lingonberries, with a range between 550 to 1014 mg per 100 g of fresh weight. Major phenolic compounds include chlorogenic and neochlorogenic acids, comparable in concentration to those found in coffee. Anthocyanins, the pigments known for their antioxidant properties, are abundant in these berries.

Antioxidant Capacity

Studies have utilized FRAP and DPPH assays to measure the impressive antioxidant capacities of chokeberries. The berries also show a high total antioxidant capacity when assessed by ORAC(FL) method, correlating with their high phenolic content.

Health Benefits

Chokeberry consumption has been associated with a variety of health benefits including:

• Reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure
• Decreased serum endothelin-1 levels
• Lowered total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides
• Improved oxidative status in erythrocytes
• Enhanced rheological properties of erythrocytes in hypercholesterolemic patients
• Reduced fasting blood glucose levels and improvements in HbA1c and lipid levels in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes
• Significant reduction in blood glucose and triglyceride abnormalities in diabetic rats

Anticancer Potential

Chokeberry extracts have also shown potential anticancer properties, with studies demonstrating their ability to:

• Induce apoptosis in leukemia cell lines
• Inhibit the proliferation of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells
• Reduce the expression of genes linked to tumor invasion

Conclusion

In summary, Black Chokeberry stands out for its high content of health-benefiting compounds, including phenolic acids, anthocyanins, and proanthocyanidins, which are linked to its potent antioxidant capacity, various health benefits, and potential anticancer effects.

References:

1. Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) - A review on the characteristic components and potential health effects
2. Antioxidant capacity and phenolic content of sweet rowanberries
3. Solid state NMR study of dietary fiber powders from aronia, bilberry, black currant and apple
4. Oxygen radical absorbing capacity of phenolics in blueberries, cranberries, chokeberries, and lingonberries
5. Characterization of anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins in some cultivars of Ribes, Aronia, and Sambucus and their antioxidant capacity
6. Phenolic acids in berries, fruits, and beverages
7. Anthocyanins, phenolics, and antioxidant capacity in diverse small fruits: vaccinium, rubus, and ribes
8. Antioxidant capacity, vitamin C, phenolics, and anthocyanins after fresh storage of small fruits
9. Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and phenolic and anthocyanin concentrations in fruit and leaf tissues of highbush blueberry
10. Changes in plasma thiol levels induced by different phases of treatment in breast cancer; the role of commercial extract from black chokeberry
11. In vivo influence of extract from Aronia melanocarpa on the erythrocyte membranes in patients with hypercholesterolemia
12. Aronia melanocarpa extract reduces blood pressure, serum endothelin, lipid, and oxidative stress marker levels in patients with metabolic syndrome
13. Effects of Aronia melanocarpa juice as part of the dietary regimen in patients with diabetes mellitus
14. Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats
15. Grape seed-derived procyanidins have an antihyperglycemic effect in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and insulinomimetic activity in insulin-sensitive cell lines
16. Antioxidant activities of chokeberry extracts and the cytotoxic action of their anthocyanin fraction on HeLa human cervical tumor cells
17. Induction of apoptosis and reduction of MMP gene expression in the U373 cell line by polyphenolics in Aronia melanocarpa and by curcumin
18. Aronia melanocarpa juice induces a redox-sensitive p73-related caspase 3-dependent apoptosis in human leukemia cells