Phenolic compounds and antimicrobial activity of extracts ofapricot leaves derived from the trees treated with pesticides | Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer Open Menu Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Home Food Science Publisher Functional Food Center Current Archives About About the Journal Aims and Scope Contact Editing Services Editorial Team Express Peer Review Graphical Abstract Journal Insights Privacy Statement Submissions Announcements Search Search Register Login Home / Archives / Vol. 14 No. 12 (2024): December 2024 / Research Articles Phenolic compounds and antimicrobial activity of extracts ofapricot leaves derived from the trees treated with pesticides Authors Anna M. Grigoryan Varsik S. Mirzoyan Ruzanna M. Hanisyan Naira Zh. Sahakyan Tamara D. Karapetyan DOI: https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v14i12.1510 Abstract Background: The apricot tree (Armeniaca vulgaris L.; family Rosaceae) is one of the most important fruit trees in Armenia. While apricots are widely studied for their alimentary uses (e.g., fresh and dried fruits, and oil production), the leaves are valued in traditional medicine due to their high concentration of bioactive compounds. These compounds make apricot leaves valuable for both medicinal and chemical applications. The healing properties of apricot leaves are primarily attributed to their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, which are linked to chemical constituents such as flavonoids and phenolic compounds. However, the increasing use of agrochemicals may influence the content of these bioactive compounds and negatively affect their properties. Despite this concern, studies addressing these issues remain scarce in literature. Objectives: To evaluate the impact of pesticides (Topaz and Confidor) on flavonoid and total phenolic content in apricot leaves through field surveys and biochemical analyses and to identify correlations between the phenolic content in the extracts and the antimicrobial activities of the examined samples. Methods: The experiments were conducted in the Kotayk region of the Republic of Armenia (RA). The research material was the apricot leaves collected from the trees treated twice with the fungicide Topaz and the insecticide Confidor, after allowing for complete detoxification in the leaves. Trees sprayed with water served as a control group. Antimicrobial activity of the extracts was evaluated using the agar well diffusion assay (Method of Wells). Polyphenolic compounds were quantified using methods described by Yermakov. Results: According to the results obtained, the inhibitory activity of the apricot leaf extracts against the tested microorganisms (Gram positive (Staphylococcus citreus, Staphylococcus aureus, Bac. megatherium, B. subtilis), Gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Salmonella thyphymurium) and fungus (Candida guillermondii) is correlated with the concentration of total phenolic compounds, tannins and flavonoids in the leaves by polynomial 3 order equations. Conclusions: Our data indicates a certain impact of pesticides on the content of the total PC, tannins and flavonoids in apricot leaves, which explains the different antimicrobial activity on the same microorganisms of the tested extracts coming from. Keywords: Apricot leaves, phenolic compounds, antibacterial and antifungal activities, pesticides Downloads [Abstract] [Full Article] Published 2024-12-14 Issue Vol. 14 No. 12 (2024): December 2024 Section Research Articles License Copyright (c) 2024 Functional Foods in Health and Disease This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Authors retain the copyright of their articles and grant the Functional Food Center (FFC) and its journals the right of first publication under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, including commercial use, provided the original author(s) and source are properly credited. Authors may post and share their published work freely, provided that the original publication in this journal is acknowledged. By submitting to this journal, authors confirm that their manuscripts are original, not under consideration elsewhere, and that they hold the necessary rights to grant this license. The Functional Food Center encourages open scientific exchange and allows derivative and extended works, provided attribution to the original publication is maintained. About the Journal      Editing Services      Graphical Abstract      Journal Insights        Submissions        Editorial Team       Privacy Statement        Contact        Current        Archives   Open Journal Systems Hosting and Support by: OpenJournalSystems.com