Simple phenolic composition, flavonoid contents and antioxidant capacities in water-methanol extracts of Tunisian common date cultivars (Phoenixdactylifera L.)

The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the phenolic acid composition, flavonoid content and antioxidant activity of fruits from common date cultivars. The simple phenolic content ranged from 15.73 (Mermella variety) to 54.66 mg/100 g fresh weight (Korkobbi variety). Korkobbi had also the highest content of total flavonoids (54.46 quercetin equivalents/100 g fresh weight). The percentage of inhibition can reach 83% in the lipoperoxyl radical of the Korkobbi variety, while it was about 95% with the Rotbi variety for OH·. The Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity value provided a ranking in decreasing order at 6 min: Korkobbi > Bouhattam > Baht = Smiti > Bekreri = Garn ghzal > Mermilla = Kenta > Nefzaoui = Rotbi. It seems that the highest level of flavonoids in the Korkobbi variety was principally responsible for the highest antiradical efficiency of this cultivar. © 2009 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved.