In vitro antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties and phenolic composition of M. neglecta Wallr. (Malvaceae) fruit: A traditional medicinal fruit from Eastern Anatolia

Malva neglecta Wallr. (Malvaceae) fruit is an edible traditional medicinal plant used in Eastern Anatolia to cure multiple medical conditions such as asthma, stomach ache, diarrhoea, etc. In this study, lyophilized ethanol-based hydrophilic extract was investigated for total phenolic content and phenolic composition using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, in vitro antioxidant capacity (FCR, FRAP and ORAC assays) and enzyme inhibitory activities. Ethanol-based hydrophilic extract prepared from M. neglecta fruit was identified as a rich source of phenolic compounds, exhibited pronounced Folin-Ciocalteu reducing activity (12.8 ± 0.7 mg gallic acid Eq./g DW), ferric reducing antioxidant power (174.3 ± 9.8 μmol Fe2+/g DW) and oxygen radical scavenging activity (1656.9 ± 69.7 μmol Trolox Eq./g DW) and weakly suppressed the activity of α-amylase (IC50: 15.2 ± 0.8 mg/ml), α-glucosidase (IC50: 14.19 ± 0.10 mg/ml) and pancreatic lipase (IC50: 17.55 ± 0.20 mg/ml). Flavonoid glycosides were tentatively detected as the major phenolic compounds. Furthermore, traces of rutin, chlorogenic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid and hydroxybenzoic acid-O-hexoside were also detected in the extract. High levels of antioxidant capacities and complex mixture of phenolic compounds of M. neglecta fruit revealed that this fruit might be a good source for natural antioxidants.