Structure-stability relationship of anthocyanins under cell culture condition.

This work aims to evaluate the structure-stability relationship of anthocyanins in cell culture. An early degradation time (CT10) and half-degradation time (CT50) were used to characterise the stability of 10 of the most common anthocyanins, incubated with DMEM at 37 °C, pH = 7.4, 5% CO2 for different time periods. According to the glycosylation, the glycosylated forms were more stable than the not glycosylated forms. The methylation at 3'' or 5' position at ring B enhanced their stability; contrarily, the hydroxylation at 3' or 5' position at ring B weakened their stability. Glycosylated forms were much more stable in water than in the culture medium. Although not glycosylated forms were also instable in water, their stability was improved compared with culture medium. Together with the cell culture experiments and, in order to avoid artefacts, stability tests of polyphenols should be performed in parallel experiments with DMEM.