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Bud derivatives (BDs) represent a category of botanicals obtained by macerating the meristematic tissues (buds or young sprouts) of plants; widely used since ancient times in complementary medicine, they remain poorly investigated to date. In this study, a contribution is made toward the identification of the correct "a posteriori" attribution of the botanical species in commercial BDs, which is very important for ensuring the quality and safety of these natural products. Excitation–emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy proved to be a rapid, non-destructive and low-cost analytical instrument for providing a preliminary qualitative characterization of the BDs, allowing for the identification of specific spectral regions related to flavonol compounds and cinnamic and benzoic acids, in agreement with the targeted chromatographic analysis (HPLC-DAD), which completely defined a phytochemical profile for each BD considered. This information will be implemented in the first web application for the recognition of vegetable buds, named GEMMAPP, which was designed by the Authors and is proposed as a tool and future scientific data repository for providing information about the main, typical BDs of the France–Italy Alcotra territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bud derivatives (BDs) represent a category of botanicals obtained by macerating the meristematic tissues (buds or young sprouts) of plants; widely used since ancient times in complementary medicine, they remain poorly investigated to date. In this study, a contribution is made toward the identification of the correct “a posteriori” attribution of the botanical species in commercial BDs, which is very important for ensuring the quality and safety of these natural products. Excitation–emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy proved to be a rapid, non-destructive and low-cost analytical instrument for providing a preliminary qualitative characterization of the BDs, allowing for the identification of specific spectral regions related to flavonol compounds and cinnamic and benzoic acids, in agreement with the targeted chromatographic analysis (HPLC-DAD), which completely defined a phytochemical profile for each BD considered. This information will be implemented in the first web application for the recognition of vegetable buds, named GEMMAPP, which was designed by the Authors and is proposed as a tool and future scientific data repository for providing information about the main, typical BDs of the France–Italy Alcotra territory.

In this research, for the first time, an alternative method to produce Ribes nigrum bud derivatives is presented. Pulsed ultrasound-assisted extraction (PUAE), using a food-grade solvent according to green chemistry principles, has been employed and compared to the conventional extraction method. Traditionally, bud derivatives, a category of botanicals marketed as plant food supplements in the European Community, are produced by macerating meristematic tissues of trees and plants mainly spontaneously collected. Buds are a challenging raw material for the UAE, since meristematic tissues are much softer and fragile than their corresponding adult phenological stage. It is therefore important to assess whether the polyphenolic fraction, very susceptible to degradation, is conserved after UAE. Untargeted polyphenolic fingerprints (UV-Visible and fluorescence) coupled with chemometrics are employed to quickly screen the best extraction conditions, evaluated by the design of experiment (DoE) method. The polyphenolic fraction of the optimized PUAE extract was quantified by targeted HPLC fingerprint and its antiradical activity was determined. PUAE on a lab pilot reactor was proven to be the most practical approach for a rapid (20 min vs. 21 days maceration) and efficient extraction of bioactive polyphenolics from Ribes nigrum buds, encouraging the scale up to an industrial plan.

In this research, for the first time, an alternative method to produce Ribes nigrum bud derivatives is presented. Pulsed ultrasound-assisted extraction (PUAE), using a food-grade solvent according to green chemistry principles, has been employed and compared to the conventional extraction method. Traditionally, bud derivatives, a category of botanicals marketed as plant food supplements in the European Community, are produced by macerating meristematic tissues of trees and plants mainly spontaneously collected. Buds are a challenging raw material for the UAE, since meristematic tissues are much softer and fragile than their corresponding adult phenological stage. It is therefore important to assess whether the polyphenolic fraction, very susceptible to degradation, is conserved after UAE. Untargeted polyphenolic fingerprints (UV-Visible and fluorescence) coupled with chemometrics are employed to quickly screen the best extraction conditions, evaluated by the design of experiment (DoE) method. The polyphenolic fraction of the optimized PUAE extract was quantified by targeted HPLC fingerprint and its antiradical activity was determined. PUAE on a lab pilot reactor was proven to be the most practical approach for a rapid (20 min vs. 21 days maceration) and efficient extraction of bioactive polyphenolics from Ribes nigrum buds, encouraging the scale up to an industrial plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]