Antiradical Activity and Total Phenolic Contents of Wild and Cultivated Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) Fruits

Abstract

Myrtle is a typical Mediterranean ecosystem plant. White fruited types are more common compared to black fruited ones in Turkey. Myrtle fruits and leaves are considered commercial commodity and are sold in different regions of the country for using as antiseptic, disinfectant and hypoglycemic agent. Myrtle leaves are mainly used for myrtle oil production in Turkey (1). Fruits of wild and cultivated plants with both black and white in color were used as plant materials. Total phenolic contents which were expressed as gallic acid equivalents in milligrams per 100 gram of fresh fruit weight (mg GAE/100g FW) were measured with Folin Ciocalteu method (4) while antioxidant activity (EC50) was assessed by DPPH method (3). Antiradical activity was calculated by formulae of 1/EC50 (2). Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were higher in wild plants when compared to cultivated ones. Black colored fruits have higher antioxidant activity than white colored ones. Cultivated plants have greater fruits than wild ecotypes. Total phenolic content (GAE/100g FW) ranged from 506,8 to 527,1 for black colored and from 380,6 to 4l8,1 for white colored myrtle fruits of cultivated and wild plants, respectively. Antiradical activity was highly correlated with total phenolic content of fruits. Antiradical activity (1/EC50) of black colored fruits were higher than white colored ones ranging from 3.17 and 3.09 to 2.99 and 2.67 for wild and cultivated plants, respectively. Black colored myrtle fruits with high antiradical activity and total phenolic content can be a promising fruit for fresh and dried fruit consumption in Turkey.