Volatile profile, nutritional value and secretory structures of the berry-like fruits of Hypericum androsaemum L.

Hypericum androsaemum, also known as Tutsan, produces fleshy and berry-like fruits that ripen from red to shiny black. The essential oil and aroma components of the red and black berries were investigated by GC–FID, GC–MS, and HS-SPME–GC–MS. The nutritional profile of the red and black berries in terms of proteins, carbohydrates, crude fiber, ascorbic acid, mineral content and fatty acid composition was also investigated. Finally, the morpho- logical and histochemical study of fruits identified the histolocalization of the complex metabolite mixture pro- duced. Results showed that monoterpene hydrocarbons gave the major contribution to the fruit aroma, with limonene as the most representative compound, even though some differences were found between red and black berries. Nutritional analysis highlighted a relevant content of ascorbic acid (135.7 mg/100 g) in red berries. The morphological and histochemical analysis showed that the fruit secretion is produced in numerous translu- cent glands that originated from the ovarian mesophyll and arranged in concentric rings.