Valorization of Flourensia cernua DC as source of antioxidants and antifungal bioactives

Abstract The indiscriminate use of chemical and/or synthetic compounds to reduce post-harvest diseases has led to the generation of resistance by microorganisms causing food damage, so in the last decade efforts have been focused to find natural alternatives, which can solve this problem. Extracts obtained from Flourensia cernua, have been reported in recent years as a source of natural bioactive compounds that have great potential to be used to control some microorganisms that affect food in post-harvest. The objective of this work was to obtain and characterize the bioactive polyphenolic compounds of Flourensia cernua leaves using as a basis an aqueous extraction to determine the main compounds present and evaluate their potential as an agent natural bioactive. An aqueous extraction of Flourensia cernua leaves, subjected to 60 °C for 2 h with constant agitation, was used. In order to concentrate the polyphenolic compounds, the extract was passed through a column of Amberlite XAD-16, where the ethanolic fraction is collected and then dried to obtain a powder rich in bioactive compounds, which were characterized. The obtained compounds showed high antioxidant power (85.82 ± 1 % of radical inhibition) and antifungal properties. Fifteen phenolic compounds of Flourensia cernua were identified from this extraction and concentration methodology, two peaks with relatively high intensity were chosen to represent the main characteristic compounds. Peaks corresponded to luteolin 7-O-rutinoside (mw: 594) and 6-C-glucosyl-8-C-arabinosyl apigenin (mw: 564). Regarding the inhibition of mycelial growth, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50) was found at 1362 mg/L, covering all phytoatogens evaluated in this study. Results showed that compounds of aqueous extracts from Flourensia cernua represent a viable alternative to counteract the use of chemical compounds in agriculture.