Composition of phenolic acids in sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) berries

The composition of phenolic acids in several varieties of sea buckthorn berries was determined by GC and MS. In six cultivars the total content of phenolic acids ranged from 3570 +/- 282 to 4439 +/- 405 mg per kg of berries, on a dry basis. Seventeen phenolic acids were tentatively identified in the berries. Salicylic acid was the principal phenolic acid in sea buckthorn berries, accounting for 55 to 74.3% of the total phenolic acids present. The phenolic acids liberated from esters and glycosidic bonds were the major fractions of phenolic acids in the berries, whereas free phenolic acids constituted only up to 2.3% of total phenolic acids present.