FRUITS OF PLANTS OF AMELANCHIER GENUS (AMELANCHIER MEDIC) AS SOURCE OF BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES AND MINERALS

В обзорной статье отмечается, что интерес к растениям рода ирги продиктован необходимостью поиска растительных источников богатых биологически активными веществами и обладающих способностью влиять на различные физиологические процессы организма человека. В качестве таких источников рассматриваются плоды растений рода ирги. Приводятся литературные данные о местах произрастания различных видов ирги (Amelanchier Medic) и о том, что в плодах ирги содержится большое количество свободных сахаров и относительно низкий уровень органических кислот, достаточное количество разнообразных витаминов и провитаминов, комплекс минеральных веществ. Пищевая и биологическая ценность плодов ирги, в совокупности может оказывать благоприятное влияние на протекание различных биохимических и физиологических процессов, необходимых для нормальной жизнедеятельности организма человека. Приводятся данные о положительном влиянии полисахаридов, выделенных из плодов ирги, при энтеральном введении на различные физиологические процессы, повышающие адаптационные резервы организма экспериментальных животных. В частности, показано, что водорастворимый полисахаридный комплекс плодов (ВРПК)ирги обыкновенной усиливает эритропоэз, увеличивая количество эритроцитов и гемоглобина в крови экспериментальных животных и увеличивает содержание железа. ВРПК повышает физическую работоспособность и увеличивает массу тела экспериментальных животных. Водорастворимый полисахаридный комплекс плодов ирги обыкновенной при добавлении к крови здорового донора повышает термическую, осмотическую и перекисную резистентность мембран эритроцитов защищая клетки от разрушения, вызванного действием неблагоприятных факторов в эксперименте. Плоды растений рода ирги можно рекомендовать, как пищевую добавку или продукт в лечебном и лечебно-профилактическом питании. Ключевые слова: ирга, биохимический состав плодов, биологически активные вещества, минеральные элементы, полисахариды, влияние на физиологические процессы. ______________________________________________________________________________


E.A. Laksaeva
Ryazan State Medical University, Ryazan, Russia An interest in plants of Amelanchier genus is stimulated by the necessity of search for plant sources rich in biologically active substances and possessing the ability to influence different physiological processes in a human organism.The article gives information about places of growth of different species of Amelanchier (Amelanchier Medic) and about the fact that its

ПЛОДЫ РАСТЕНИЙ РОДА ИРГИ (AMELANCHIER MEDIC) КАК ИСТОЧНИК БИОЛОГИЧЕСКИ АКТИВНЫХ ВЕЩЕСТВ И МИНЕРАЛОВ
fruits contain high concentration of free sugars, relatively low level of organic acids, sufficient amounts of various vitamins and provitamins and a complex of mineral substances.Nutritive and biological value of Amelanchier fruits in complex may produce a beneficial effect on different biochemical and physiological processes of normal vital activity of a human organism.The data are given about a positive influence of enteral introduction of polysaccharides isolated from Amelanchier fruits, on different physiological processes that enhance adaptational reserves of an organism of experimental animals.In particular, it was shown that water-soluble polysaccharide complex (WSPC) of Amelanchier fruits activates erythropoiesis increasing the amount of erythrocytes and hemoglobin in blood of experimental animals and raises concentration of iron.WSPC improves physical working capacity and increases the body mass of experimental animals.Addition of water-soluble polysaccharide complex of Amelanchier fruits to blood of a healthy donor increases thermal, osmotic and peroxide resistance of erythrocyte membranes thus protecting cells against damage under action of adverse factors in the experiment.Fruits of plants of Amelanchier genus may be recommended to be used as a food additive or a product in dietary and prophylactic therapy.
Keywords: Amelanchier, biochemical composition of fruits, biologically active substances, mineral elements, polysaccharides, influence on physiological processes.______________________________________________________________________________ Recently sciences of human health show a significant interest in plant sources of biologically active substances that activate immune-competent system, enhance adaptational reserves of an organism and its resistance to stress [1][2][3][4][5][6][7].One of such sources may be fruits of genus Amelanchier plants (Amelanchier Medic).Amelanchier (serviceberry) originates from the North America.There exist 25 species of the plant.In our country only one of them -Amelanchier ovalis Medic (А.vulgaris Moench) grows as a wildlife species [8][9][10].Other kinds of Amelanchier were brought from the North America, the most common of them being Amelanchier spicata, Amelanchier canadensis, Amelanchier alnifolia [11][12][13].
Nowadays different kinds of this plant are growing over the entire European territory of the country, in Siberia, in the Urals, in the Volga region.Wildlife species can be encountered in the Crimea and Caucasus.
V.V. Korunchikova noted that the biochemical composition of fruits of all kinds of Amelanchier suggests their probable application for therapeutic purposes.This parameter is taken into account in the introduction of fruit plants into the production culture.As noted in literature [14][15], high concentration of polyphenols, presence of cumarins and β-sitosterols permits to refer fruits of this plant to perspective capillary-strengthening, antisclerotic, anti-inflammatory and choleretic drugs.They normalize metabolism, increase the tone of cardiac muscle.Most phenol compounds are antioxidants, some of them slowdown growth of malignant tumors [16,17].
Here, the ability of substances of Amelanchier fruits to reduce the tone of vessels and decrease blood pressure is also used.In peroral intake of Amelanchier fruits, normalization of capillary permeability in experimental animals was noted, increase in capillary elasticity, reduction in blood coagulability, which prevents formation of thrombi and reduces the probability of infarction.Some studies describe antihemorrhagic effect.The presence of betain in Amelanchier fruits produces an antiulcerogenic effect, prevents fatty dystrophy of the liver and decreases the level of cholesterol in blood.The fruits are used in treatment of diseases of the liver, kidneys, joints, heart, stomach, of atherosclerosis and other diseases [18].
Our studies showed that enteral introduction of water-soluble polysaccharide complex of Amelanchier fruits into laboratory animals enhances erythropoiesis, the level of hemoglobin, iron-binding capacity of blood, optimizes electrolyte composition of plasma and raises physical working capacity of experimental ani-mals [19][20][21].Addition of water-soluble polysaccharide complex of Amelanchier fruits to blood of a healthy donor improves thermal, osmotic and peroxide resistance of erythrocyte membranes thus protecting cells against damage by adverse factors in the experiment [22].
To a large extent this variability of the effects of biologically active substances (BAS) of the plant fruits is associated with their biochemical composition (Table 1).
Here, variation in the concentration of BAS in Amelanchier fruits also depends on the species of this plant (Table 2).Selected forms of Amelanchier with round fruits contain more than 14.5% of sugars at acidity 0.5%, ascorbic acid -16.0 mg%, Preactive compoundsabout 1500 mg% [23][24].
It was noted that A. ovalis, the most common species in the central part of Russia, contains up to 23.0% of dry substances, up to 12.0% of free sugars, up to 0.84% of tannins and colorants, and up to 0.90% of organic acids recalculated for apple acid.There exist data in literature [25,19] about accumulation of sugars in Amelanchier fruits up to 14.0%, concentration of organic acids at the level of 0.45-0.60%,tanning agents and colorants 0.84-0.90%,pectins 0.5%.In the fruits of A. ovalis the following kinds of sugars were identified: glucose, saccharose, rhamnose, galactose, mannose and fructose.
According to some research, concentra-tion of sugars in fruits of Amelanchier Medic varies depending on the kind of plant and its habitat.Concentrations of sugars in fruits of Amelanchier Medic depending on its habitat are given in Table 3.As follows from the given data, Amelanchier Medic in Moscow district, Tambov district, Kransnodar territory and Krasnoyarsk territory practically do not differ in sugar content [25,26].Fruits grown in Canada, contained on average 10% of sugar and 7.0% of fructose.The least content of sugar was found in Amelanchier Medic growing in the south-east regions of Russia, Belarus, Kemerovo district.

Habitat
Amelanchier fruits contain a high amount of tanning agents and colorants.According to E.I. Yaroslavtsev and S.B. Vasilyeva, ripe fruits of different species may accumulate up to 0.9% of tanning agents and colorants [27,23], and according to E.I. Kolbasina, fruits of Amelanchier ovalis contain only 0.33% of these substances [28].These variations may be explained by different meteorological conditions in the habitats of plants and are also likely to depend on species differences.
Content of vitamin C in fruits of hybrid seedlings of Amelanchier ovalis ranges from 9.0 to 26.4 mg%, and that of P-reactive catechines in certain samples reaches 424 mg per 100 g of fruits [24].
According to S.A. Streltsyna, concentration of ascorbic acid in Amelanchier alnifolia growing in the suburbs of Saint-Petersburg is 25.0-43.3mg%.Approximately the same amount of ascorbic acid was found in Amelanchier growing in Canada and the south of Ukraine [15].
Selected forms of Amelanchier with large-sized fruits contain 16.0 mg% of ascorbic acid and about 1500 mg% of P-active compounds [25].
Research of T.V. Huzhnaya [32] and our research [33] showed that fruits of Amelanchier Medic contain a sufficiently rich composition of macro-and miсroelements (compounds of potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc, boron, small amounts of copper and cobalt).
Thus, analysis of biochemical composition of fruits of Amelanchier Medic evidences: -high concentration of free sugars and low level of organic acids; -sufficient quantity of vitamin C, bioflavonoids and carotene that makes this plant a natural source of some vitamins; -the presence of a complex of biologically active substances and mineral elements that indicates a high nutritive and biological value of the fruits required for normal vital activity of an organism.
Literature data, as well as data received by our study permit to state that Amelanchier fruits are a balanced plant source of biologically active substances including some vitamins and mineral substances which in complex may produce a beneficial effect on different biochemical and physiological processes.In view of the given data Amelanchier fruits may be recommended as a food additive or a product for dietary and prophylactic therapy._________________________________________________________________________________

Table 1 Concentration of Biologically Active Substances in Amelanchier Fruits Biologically Active Components Concentration
Note: *-according to the data of E.I. Yaroslavtsev[24]