**Polyphenolic Composition of** *Rosa canina***,** *Rosa sempervivens* **and** *Pyrocantha coccinea* **Extracts and Assessment of Their Antioxidant Activity in Human Endothelial Cells**

**Efthalia Kerasioti 1, Anna Apostolou 2, Ioannis Kafantaris 1, Konstantinos Chronis 1, Eleana Kokka 1, Christina Dimitriadou 1, Evangelia N. Tzanetou 2,3, Alexandros Priftis 1, Sofia D. Koulocheri 2, Serkos A. Haroutounian 2, Demetrios Kouretas 1 and Dimitrios Stagos 1,\***


Received: 6 March 2019; Accepted: 1 April 2019; Published: 6 April 2019

**Abstract:** The aim of the present study was the investigation of the antioxidant activity of plant extracts from *Rosa canina, Rosa sempervivens* and *Pyrocantha coccinea*. The results showed that the bioactive compounds found at higher concentrations were in the *R. canina* extract: hyperoside, astragalin, rutin, (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin; in the *R. sempervirens* extract: quinic acid, (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, astragalin and hyperoside; and in the *P. coccinea* extract: hyperoside, rutin, (−)-epicatechin, (+)-catechin, astragalin, vanillin, syringic acid and chlorogenic acid. The total polyphenolic content was 290.00, 267.67 and 226.93 mg Gallic Acid Equivalent (GAE)/g dw, and the total flavonoid content 118.56, 65.78 and 99.16 mg Catechin Equivalent (CE)/g dw for *R. caninna, R. sempervirens* and *P. coccinea* extracts, respectively. The extracts exhibited radical scavenging activity in DPPH and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS)•<sup>+</sup> assays and protection from ROO•-induced DNA damage in the following potency order: *R. canina* > *R. sempervirens* > *P. coccinea*. Finally, treatment with *R. canina* and *P. coccinea* extract significantly increased the levels of the antioxidant molecule glutathione, while *R. canina* extract significantly decreased Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in endothelial cells. The results herein indicated that the *R. canina* extract in particular may be used for developing food supplements or biofunctional foods for the prevention of oxidative stress-induced pathological conditions of endothelium.

**Keywords:** Rosa canina; Rosa sempervivens; Pyrocantha coccinea; polyphenols; antioxidants; endothelial cells; glutathione
