Experimental protocol for the recovery and evaluation of bioactive compounds of tarbush against postharvest fruit fungi

• Antioxidant and antifungal bioactive compounds were extracted from tarbush.
• A high correlation was observed between total tannins and DPPH radicals.
• BCT showed values of IC50 between 1519 and 3310 mg/L.
• FTIR and HPLC analysis showed mainly the presence of gallic acid and flavonoids.
• BCT represent an alternative as natural fungicide against postharvest fruit fungi.

The aim of this study was to recover and evaluate in vitro the antifungal activity of bioactive compounds of tarbush Flourensia cernua against fruit postharvest fungi and their antioxidant capacity. A yield of 15% of bioactive compounds of tarbush was obtained by infusion method and heating using water as solvent. A concentration of 4000 mg/L showed a higher antioxidant activity against the ABTS radical (3.21 μMol/g) in comparison with the DPPH radical (7.62 μMol/g); however the DPPH radical showed a better correlation with the content of tannins. The BCT showed values of IC50 between 1519 and 3310 mg/L against Rhizopus stolonifer, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Antifungal activity is attributable mainly to gallic acid and flavonoids identified by infrared and HPLC analysis. In this study, the BCT have shown to be a possible natural alternative of antioxidant and antifungal compounds for use against postharvest fruit fungi.