The flavonoids and oil composition of parsley [Petroselinum crispum (Mill) Nyman] fruits

The chemical composition of the volatile, fixed oil and flavonoid fraction extracted from the fruits of parsley was investigated in two cultivar and a local ecotype of the species. Nine compounds were detected in the flavonoid fraction, being glycosyl and glycosyl malonate derivatives of apigenin and chrysoeriol the most abundant. Among these, apigenin 7-O-[apiofuranosyl(1→2)-β-glucopyranoside] (apiin) counted up to 6.97 mg·g−1 on average, while the compounds apigenin 7-O-[apiofuranosyl(1→2)-(6”-O-malonyl-β-glucopyranoside)] and chrysoeriol 7-O-[apiofuranosyl(1→2)-(6”-O-malonyl-β-glucopyranoside)], accounting for 15.01 mg·g−1 and 6.52 mg·g−1, respectively, were detected for the first time in the fruits of the species. Furthermore, the complete identification of the latter compound, performed by NMR techniques, was reported for the first time. The local ecotype contains higher amounts of six out of nine flavonoids detected, this result supporting the interest for its possible valorisation. Additionally, sixteen compounds were detected in the volatile fraction, being the alkenylbenzenes apiole, myristicin and 1-allyl-2,3,4,5-tetramethoxybenzene the most abundants, accounting respectively for 45.63 %, 35.89 % and 3.97 %, on average. In the fixed oil, petroselinic (60.92 %) and linoleic acid (10.30 %) were the main fatty acids, and apiole (11.95 %) the main alkenilbenzene detected. This study, aimed at the complete identification and quantitation of different classes of metabolites, representes to date the most exhaustive report on the evaluation of bioactive compounds in parsley fruits, a particular food resource endowed with promising nourishing features.