Qualitative Phytochemical Screening, Total Phenolics Content, In Vitro Antioxidant Activity and Antibacterial Activities of Arbutus unedo L. Leaves

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 5, 533 - 539, 30.09.2025

Ahmet Beyatli

https://doi.org/10.35229/jaes.1669409

Abstract

The leaves of Arbutus unedo traditionally were used in Mediterranean folk medicine. In this study phytochemical composition, phenolic content, and bioactivities were investigated. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of multiple bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, steroids, and glycosides, distributed across different fractions. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that the ethanolic extract contained substantially greater amounts of both total phenolics and flavonoids compared to other extracts (738.43 ± 5.11 mg GAE/g and 98.14 ± 2.13 mg CE/g, respectively). In vitro antioxidant activity, assessed through DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays, the ethyl acetate fraction demonstrated the strongest antioxidant effects in every assay. Moreover, ethyl acetate fraction showed the strongest antibacterial activity, with the largest inhibition zones against S. aureus (15.25±1.10 mm) and P. aeruginosa (17.75±1.33 mm) and the lowest MIC values (78–156 µg/mL). The ethanol extract exhibited moderate activity, while the hexane, chloroform, and aqueous fractions were less effective, with MICs >625 µg/mL for most strains. The results demonstrate that A. unedo leaf extracts exhibit significant antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, validating their traditional medicinal applications and suggesting their potential as a natural alternative for therapeutic or preservative purposes.

Keywords

Antibacterial activity , Antioxidant activity , Arbutus unedo , Phenolics , Phytochemical screening

Arbutus unedo L. Yapraklarının Kalitatif Fitokimyasal Taraması, Toplam Fenolikler İçeriği, İn Vitro Antioksidan Aktivitesi ve Antibakteriyel Etkileri

Abstract

Arbutus unedo yaprakları geleneksel olarak Akdeniz halk hekimliğinde kullanılmıştır. Bu çalışmada fitokimyasal bileşim, fenolik içerik ve biyoaktiviteler araştırılmıştır. Çeşitli fraksiyonların fitokimyasal analizinde, flavonoidler, tanenler, terpenoidler, steroidler ve glikozitler belirlenmiştir. Toplam fenolik içerik ve toplam flavonoid içeriği etanol ekstresinde önemli ölçüde daha yüksek (sırasıyla 738,43 ± 5,11 mg GAE/g ve 98,14 ± 2,13 mg CE/g) bulunmuştur. DPPH, ABTS ve FRAP analizleri ile değerlendirilen in vitro antioksidan aktivitede, etil asetat fraksiyonu tüm analizlerde en güçlü antioksidan etkiyi göstermiştir. Ayrıca etil asetat fraksiyonunda S. aureus'a (15,25 ± 1,10 mm) ve P. aeruginosa'ya (17,75 ± 1,33 mm) karşı en büyük inhibisyon bölgeleri ve en düşük MİK değerleri (78–156 µg/mL) göstererek en güçlü antibakteriyel aktivite tespit edilmiştir. Etanol ekstresi orta düzeyde aktivite gösterdi, hekzan, kloroform ve sulu fraksiyonlar ise daha az etki göstermiştir ve çoğu suşa karşı MİK'ler > 625 µg/mL olarak belirlenmiştir. Bulgular, A. unedo yapraklarının geleneksel ve gelecekteki doğal bir antimikrobiyal ve antioksidan ajan olarak potansiyelini vurgulamaktadır.

Keywords

Antibakteriyel aktivite , Antioksidan aktivite , Arbutus unedo , Fenolikler , Fitokimyasal tarama

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