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Sea Buckthorn

Sea buckthorn, also known in some parts as river buckthorn or simply buckthorn (scientific name Hippophaë rhamnoides L.), is a very branched and thorny shrub that grows in Romania from the sands and gravels of the coast to the mountainous regions, sometimes forming quite extensive groves and bushes.

Sea buckthorn is used in the food industry, forestry, pharmacy, but also as an ornamental plant. Sea buckthorn fruit contains twice as much vitamin C as rose hips and 10 times more than citrus fruits. In ripe fruits, the content exceeds 400–800 mg per 100 g of fresh juice. Other vitamins present in the fruit are A, B1, B2, B6, B9, E, K, P, F. We also find cellulose, beta-carotene (in a much higher percentage than in carrot pulp), microelements such as phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and sodium, complex oils, etc.

The leaves are whole, linear-lanceolated, grayish-green on the upper side and whitish-silver on the lower side. The flowers, dioecious, are small and appear before the leaves; the male ones, sessile, have 2 sepals and 4 stamens, and the female ones are short-pediculated and have 2 sepals. The fruits are ovoid or globular, 5–10 mm long and 4–8 mm wide, green at first and yellow-orange when fully mature.

The plant grows up to 2–5 m, has dark brown bark that turns into furrowed rhytidion. It produces annual scaly, gray-silvery vines, lateral branches with numerous and strong thorns, with small, hairy buds, with a bitter taste. The leaves are lanceolated, up to 6 cm long, with an obvious midrib. It produces unisexual-dioecious, rust-yellow flowers, the male ones grouped in globular inflorescences, and the female ones in racemes. It produces “false” fruits, drupes of 6–8 mm, ovoid, fleshy, orange with a very hard seed. The fruits can remain on the branches over the winter. The shrub bears fruit for 20-25 years and shoots very strongly every year.

Only mature fruits (Fructus Hippophaë) are used, both fresh and dried; they are harvested immediately after ripening and until the first frost; when raw they have a sour-astringent taste. Active ingredients: vitamins B1, B2, C, PP, carotenoids, folic acid. Pharmacological action: general tonic, due to the vitamin complex it contains.

Sea buckthorn fruits are used both for therapeutic purposes in hypo- and avitaminosis, in anemia and convalescence, and for food purposes in the form of juices, syrups, marmalade, etc. A 2-3% infusion can also be used, using 2-3 teas per day.

Due to the composition and presence of vitamins, sea buckthorn fruits are used in the prevention of colds. Sea buckthorn infusion is mainly recognized for its effect on liver diseases and vitamin deficiency in the body. If a few rose hips are added to the sea buckthorn infusion, will result a vitamin-rich tea.

Sea buckthorn wine can be considered a natural remedy, as it helps the body by vitaminizing it, while also having a tonic effect.

Sea buckthorn fruit contains:

  • dry matter (15-20%)
  • sugars (0.05-0.5%)
  • organic acids (1.5-4%)
  • pectins (0.14-0.5)
  • polyphenols and tannins, flavonoids (1.8%)
  • cellulose (0.9%)
  • proteins (1.2%)
  • very complex oil (8-12%)
  • β-carotene (3.5-10%)
  • trace elements (including phosphorus 194.4 mg%, calcium 211.8 mg%, magnesium 186.1 mg%, potassium 165.1%, sodium 2.8 mg%, iron 13.84 mg%)
  • fat-soluble vitamins ( vitamin A <380 mg%, vitamin E 16 mg%, vitamin K, vitamin D 20 mg%)
  • water-soluble vitamins ( vitamin C, vitamin P, vitamin F 8 mg%, vitamin B1-B9 their amount varies between 360–2500 mg/100g fruit)
  • essential amino acids
  • essential fatty acids (80-90%)

Among the essential acids we mention: oleic acid (1%), linoleic acid (3%), pantothenic acid (1.5%), palmitoleic acid (1%), heptadecanoic acid (1%), erucic acid (1%), succinic acid, malic acid, maleic acid, ascorbic acid, α and β catechins, lycopene, cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, taraxanthin, phytofluin, kantophyll, tocopherols, phytosterols, etc. The seeds also contain unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple bonds) such as: linoleic and linolenic acid.

The leaves and bark of the shrub have a higher content of sitospherol and tocopherol. As is well known, fat-soluble vitamins are unstable in an acidic environment, and water-soluble vitamins are unstable in an alkaline environment. The preservation of these vitamins is explained by the existence of unidirectional membranes. That is why most preparations do not have the same high vitamin content as the fruit itself.

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