Phytochemical Composition and Biological Properties of Fruit Extract: Insights into Its Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity.

UNLABELLED

, a fruit-bearing species of the Ericaceae family, has traditionally been used for its potential medicinal properties.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study investigates the phytochemical composition and antimicrobial activity of fruit extract, focusing on its antibacterial, antibiofilm, and antifungal effects.

METHODS

(Kunth) A.C.Sm. berries (code: 4456, Herbario QUPS-Ecuador) were collected from the cloud forest Montano Alto, Cuenca-Ecuador, and the extract was obtained using an ethanolic-based extraction and chemically characterized. The antibacterial and antifungal activity of the fruit extract was assessed against seven multidrug-resistant bacteria strains and four fungal strains using the microdilution method. The biofilm inhibition potential was evaluated using a microplate assay with the crystal violet staining method. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH and ABTS assays.

RESULTS

The bioactive compounds showed 853.9 mg phenols/100 g DW, 573.2 mg organic acid/100 g DW, and 21.5 mg C-3-gl/100 g DW of anthocyanins. The antibacterial assays demonstrated significant inhibitory activity against , , , and , with MIC values ranging from 1.25 to 5 mg/mL. Additionally, the biofilm inhibition assays confirmed the potential of extract to disrupt bacterial biofilms, particularly in and . Nevertheless, no significant antifungal activity was observed against spp., suggesting selective antimicrobial properties. Finally, the antioxidant activity was strong (1.62 mmol TE/100 g DW by DPPH and 3.28 mmol TE/100 g DW by ABTS).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that possesses promising antibacterial, antibiofilm, and antioxidant properties, which may be attributed to its phenolic and organic acid composition. Further fractionation and targeted bioassays are required to elucidate the specific bioactive compounds responsible for these effects and explore their potential applications in antimicrobial formulations.