Nutritional evaluation and antibacterial activity of Coccoloba uvifera L. fruits (Original)

Abstract

Coccoloba uvifera L., is a species of the Polygonaceae family, very common on the coasts and beaches of the American and Caribbean intertropical region. Known as Beach Grape, it is of great value to stabilize areas of mobile beach dunes, as well as to prevent coastal erosion. In addition, its fruits are edible and different parts of the plant are used for therapeutic and medicinal purposes; however, little research has been done in Cuba, so the objective of the research was to evaluate the nutritional potential and antibacterial activity of C. uvifera fruits that grow on the coasts of the province of Granma. Internationally recognized methods were used for nutritional analysis, preliminary phytochemical analysis, and in vitro antibacterial activity. The nutritional analysis was carried out by the methods described by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, giving as results values of dry matter higher than 84 %, and values of crude protein, crude fiber, sucrose and starch, which guarantee energy availability and make them an alternative nutritional raw material. The phytochemical screening carried out on extracts of different polarity allowed the identification of various families of secondary metabolites, the ones with the highest relative abundance are: alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids, phenols and reducing carbohydrates. The inhibition halos measured by the diffusion method by surface dissemination in disc (Bauer-Kirby) show the moderate antibacterial action of the extracts.