Objective

:To determine the content of anthocyanins and vitamin C, as well as the antioxidant activity of the ethanol extracts of the fruits from seven Morus alba L. varieties.

Materials and Methods

:The content of anthocyanins and vitamin C was determined in seven varieties of Morus alba L. fruits, cultivated at the Pastures and Forages Research Station Indio Hatuey, as well as the antioxidant activity of the ethanol of these varieties through the phosphomolybdate radical capture essays and determination of total phenols. For the data processing a variance analysis was used. Correlations were made among the variables total antioxidant capacity, total phenols, content of anthocyanins and vitamin C, taking into consideration Pearson’s correlation coefficient and two significance levels of 0,01 and 0,05.

Results

:The content of anthocyanins, expressed as equivalent of cyanidin-3-glucoside, was between 40,74 and 96,07 mg/100 g, and vitamin C between 16,73 and 28,40 mg of ascorbic acid/100 mL of juice. All the extracts showed antioxidant activity. The total antioxidant capacity varied between 175,96 and 229,48 mmol of ascorbic acid/g of extract and the content of total phenols, between 291,52 and 897,17 mg of gallic acid/100 g of extract.

Conclusions

:The M. alba fruits showed high contents of anthocyanins and vitamin C. The variety Yu-62 showed the highest concentrations of these compounds. The ethanol extracts showed high antioxidant activity, which is correlated to the high content of total phenols, anthocyanins and vitamin C present in the fruits.

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