PHENOLIC COMPOSITION AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF FRESH FRUIT EXTRACTS OF MULBERRIES FROM SERBIA

The aim of this research was determination of total phenolic, flavonoid and anthocyanin contents as well as measuring antioxidant activity in 3 types of mulberry (black, Morus nigra L.; red, Morus rubra L. and white, Morus alba L.) in 3 solvents (acetone, acetone-water (50/50, v/v%) and water) grown in south-east Serbia. The total phenolic content was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu assay. The content of total flavonoids was measured spectrophotometrically using the aluminum chloride assay. The content of monomeric anthocyanins was measuring also spectrophotometrically using the pH differential method. Antioxidant assay was based on the measurement of DPPH absorbance at 517 nm caused by the reaction of DPPH with the test sample. The results showed that the highest total phenolic, flavonoid and anthocyanin contents were displayed by the water extract of Morus rubra L. The highest antioxidant capacity in the DPPH assays showed the acetone-water (50/50, v/v%) extract of Morus rubra L. Due to the high degree of antioxidant activity, extracts of the fresh fruit of Morus species can serve well as natural antioxidants in pharmaceutical products and supplements.