The profile and content of anthocyanins in five red cabbage varieties were analyzed using HPLC–DAD–MS/MS method.
The antioxidant capacity of red cabbages was evaluated using five in vitro assays. Red cabbages contained twenty different anthocyanins with the main structure of cyanidin-3-glucoside-5-glycosides.
The presence of non acylated, amino acylated and acylated form was identified.
On Acylated and acylated with sinapic acid derivatives of cyanidin-3-glucoside-5-glycoside were predominant.
The content of anthocyanins varied significantly in plants grown in two different years (P < 0.05). Moreover, the vegetation period length was demonstrated to affect the anthocyanins profile.
The extract of red cabbages scavenged radicals and their anti radical potential differed significantly across the varieties (P < 0.05).
In addition, red cabbage antioxidant capacity was positively and significantly correlated with anthocyanins content (P < 0.05).
This study demonstrates that red cabbage varieties possess own anthocyanins fingerprint and specific antioxidant capacity, which are also under the influence of vegetation period.