New Liquid Chromatography Method with Ultraviolet Detection for Analysis of Anthocyanins and Anthocyanidins in Vaccinium myrtillus Fruit Dry Extracts and Commercial Preparations

The Vaccinium myrtillus fruits (bilberry) are a well-known anthocyanins source, and their extracts are widely used in dietary botanicals and pharmaceutical products for the treatment of vascular and vision disorders. Different analytical methods used for standardization of the bilberry extracts and their preparations are available from pharmacopeias and from the literature. However, the methods reported in the literature do not allow the detection of free anthocyanidins, which are markers of poor product quality. A new liquid chromatography method was developed and validated for the identification and quantification of both anthocyanins and anthocyanidins present in bilberry extracts and products. The method shows a good reproducibility and, due to its high specificity, is suitable to identify unequivocally the botanical raw materials used for manufacturing and to evaluate the extract composition, thus ensuring a high degree of product consistency and quality. Forty typical bilberry preparations belonging to 24 different brands were purchased in the marketplace and evaluated for their quality by using the developed method. Results revealed marked differences among the brands despite a common origin and labeling.