Nutraceutical properties of Berberis buxifolia fruit, a native Patagonian species

M ARENA; P POSTEMSKY; N CURVETTO

NUEVA ZELANDA

Congreso; Postharvest Pacífica 2009; 2009

International Society for Horticultural Science

The objective of this work was to study the antioxidant properties of methanolic extracts of B. buxifolia fruits obtained from high and medium natural light intensity plant sectors (100% and near 60-70% respectively), that grow naturally near Ushuaia city, Tierra del Fuego. This Patagonian native species is commonly named ‘calafate’, its fruits are black blue berries which are consumed fresh, in marmalades and jams, in non-alcoholics beverages and ice creams. Ascorbic acid, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and á- tocopherol were the antioxidants used as standards. The anthocyanin concentration found in B. buxifolia fruits grown in high light intensity plant sectors (434.0 mg anthocyanin/100 g fresh fruit) was significantly higher than that found in B. buxifolia fruits grown in medium light intensity plant sectors (316.0 mg anthocyanin/100 g fresh fruit). The maximum reducing power of the methanolic extracts of ‘calafate’ fruits was obtained between 5.0 and 10.0 mg mL-1, while the standard antioxidants had maximum reducing power between 0.5 to 5.0 mg mL-1. However, methanolic extracts of ‘calafate’ fruits showed the maximum scavenging effect of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrilhydrazyl radicals at lower concentrations (0.5 to 1.0 mg mL-1), showing a similar behaviour to the standard antioxidants. There were no significant differences (P> 0.05) in the antioxidant activity or in the total phenolic chemical content of the methanolic extracts from fruits collected from the two light intensity sectors. The excellent antioxidant activity found in B. buxifolia fruits clearly demonstrates the presence of this attribute of nutraceutical value.