Bioactive phenolic compounds and organic acids in the decoction of fruits and leaves of Schinus areira L.

LILIANA S CELAYA; ANA C MOLINA; ADRIANA M GONZALEZ; WALTER VILLA; LUIS R SILVA; CARMEN I VITURRO

BOLETíN LATINOAMERICANO Y DEL CARIBE DE PLANTAS MEDICINALES Y AROMáTICAS

SOC FITOQUIMICA LATINOAMERICANA

Lugar: Santiago de Chile; Año: 2021 vol. 21 p. 343 - 351

0717-7917

The aromatic tree Schinus areira L. commonly called ?molle? naturally grows in northwest Argentina; different parts of the tree are used in folk medicine; fruits are called pink pepper and are consumed as flavor agents in regional foods. In this work, the decoction of leaves and fruits of molle growing in northwest Argentina were investigated. Phenolic compounds and organic acids were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Antioxidant capacity and ?¿-glucosidase inhibition were determined by using in vitro tests. The general toxicity was assessed against Artemia salina nauplii. Mainly hyperoside and 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid were present in the leaves decoction; gallic acid and catechin were the most phenolic compounds present in the fruits decoction. Malic acid was the main organic acid in leaves and citric acid was the major organic acid quantified in the fruits decoction. Leaves decoction present a greater richness in bioactive compounds with antiradical activity against DPPH?, O2??- and ??NO radicals. Molle leaves and fruits may be considered as plant matrix with great antidiabetic potential, with ?¿-glucosidase inhibitory activity comparable to hyperoside and acarbose. Fruits decoction was no eco-toxic; leaves decoction showed significant eco-toxic activity and can be chosen for the search of other bioactive compounds with pharmacological activity.