Development of a novel adsorptive membrane chromatographic method for the fractionation of polyphenols from bilberry.

A novel membrane chromatographic method with a membrane adsorber (Sartobind S) has been developed on the laboratory scale that allows a fractionation of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) constituents into the following three groups of polyphenols: anthocyanins, copigments, and polymers. By using this methodology, a pure anthocyanin fraction free of other copigments and polymeric phenols can be obtained. Using this approach, it provides fractions allowing a more thorough testing of the biological effects of the individual groups of bilberry polyphenols as well as the study of possible synergistic effects between these different groups of bioactive constituents from bilberry.