Assay of healthful properties of wild blackberry and elderberry fruits grown in Mediterranean area

Berry fruits consumption is associated with the prevention of most illness, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and obesity. Moreover, these berries can modify the post-prandial glycemic response, through the inhibition of the enzymes responsible for carbohydrates hydrolysis: α-amylase and α-glucosidase. In this study we evaluated wild blackberry and elderberry fruits grown in the Mediterranean area, in terms of healthy composites, in particular phenolic compounds. Our results showed a high variability in the concentration of phytochemicals, with higher values in elderberry than in blackberry extracts. Total phenolic content ranged between 635.24–1336.28 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g fw for blackberries and between 391.46 and 811.65 mg gallic acid/100 g fw for elderberries whereas total flavonoids content ranged between 1738 and 4971 mg quercetin/100 g fw and 1136–3174 mg quercetin/100 g fw for blackberries and elderberries, respectively. Results indicated that wild blackberry and elderberry fruits represent a natural source of antioxidant compounds, besides having a potential inhibitory effect against α-glucosidase (27.67% inhibition and 28.27% for blackberries and elderberries, respectively) and α-amylase, providing a support for patients with mellitus diabetes. Anyway, future investigations based on clinical trials are required in order to prove the healthful effects of health promoting compounds on diabetic patients.