Potential antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of mulberry fruits (Morus alba L.) grown in Serbia

Abstract

Mulberry trees are distributed throughout Serbia. Besides their use in forage and food for animals, they are also used as herbal medicines. This study is carried out to determine total phenolics content, total flavonoids content, total monomeric anthocyanins, as well as DPPH scavenging activity, reducing power and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the fruits of mulberry species (Morus alba L.) grown in Serbia. Fresh fruits of mulberry were extracted by four different solvents (water, ethanol, methanol and acetone). Determination of fruit weight, total soluble solids, total dry weight, pH and acidity was performed. The total phenolics content (TPC) and total flavonoids content (TFC) in mulberry extract were determined spectrophotometrically. The total monomeric anthocyanins (TMA) were estimated by a pH differential method. Antioxidant activity (AA) of mulberry extracts was evaluated using DPPH ∗ radical scavenging method. The reducing power of extracts and standard (ascorbic acid) were determinate by Oyaizu method. MIC of the extract and cirsimarin against tested bacteria were determined based on a microdilution method. Methanolic mulberry fruits extract with the highest amount of total phenolics component was the most potent antioxidant in all the assays used. On the other hand, MIC determination showed that all other extracts have higher antimicrobial activity. This is the first report of Morus alba fructus grown in Serbia and determination of the potential antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of mulberry fruits extract. This information will be of considerable value to the commercial producers of mulberry trees, cultivation or pharmaceutical industry for potential new mulberry supplement production.