Polyphenol contents and antioxidant activity of five fresh fruit Morus spp. (Moraceae) extracts

The aim of this research was determination of total phenolic, flavonoid and anthocyanin contents as well as measuring antioxidant activity in three types of mulberry (black, Morus nigra L.; red, Morus rubra L. and white, Morus alba L.) in five solvents (methanol, methanol-water (50/50, v/v%), ethanol, ethanol-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 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) absorbance at 517 nm caused by the reaction of DPPH with the test sample. The results showed the highest total phenolic content in water extract of Morus rubra L., the highest flavonoid content in methanol extract of Morus nigra L. and the highest anthocyanin content and antioxidant capacity in the DPPH assays showed the water extract of Morus nigra L.