Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Sea-Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) Grown in Issyk-Kul Region, Kyrgyz Republic

The fruit of sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is a rich source of nutrients and phytochemicals. This study determined the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of sea-buckthorn grown in Issyk-Kul region, Kyrgyz Republic, during maturation from August to November. Three different assays [ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), DPPH radical scavenging activity (DPPH), and cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC)] were used to determine the antioxidant activity of sea-buckthorn fruits. Sea-buckthorn fruits had a sugar content of 6.57-8.08 g/100g, a dietary fiber content of 0.39-0.83 g/100g, an ash content of 0.49-0.99 g/100g, a lipid content of 6.56-6.98 g/100g and titratable acidity of 1.38-1.92%. The total phenolic content and total flavonoids of sea-buckthorn fruits were 408.52–886.48mg GAE/kg and 260.81-345.37mg CE/kg, respectively. Antioxidant activity values determined by FRAP, DPPH, and CUPRAC were 88.51-1041.22mg TE/kg, 1011.93-2673.22mg TE/kg, and 755.40-1232.55mg TE/kg, respectively. Total carotenoid content was 16.6-18.8 mg/kg. Results showed the relationship between the change in the color of sea-buckthorn berries and the chemical composition by the months of their ripening and the influence of weather conditions. All these results indicated that sea-buckthorn fruits could be beneficial for human nutrition while they might have a great potential to be used in a wide range of products to enrich their functional properties.