DETERMINATION OF ANTI-MICROBIAL AND PHYTO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SOME BLACKBERRY CULTIVARS

This study was carried out to determine the phytochemical and anti-microbial properties of some blackberry cultivars namely Chester, Jumbo, Bursa 1 and Bursa 2. According to results the, phenolic compounds such as total flavonoid and anthocyanin content were found in the range of 29.05 (Bursa 2) - (Jumbo) 44.13 mg catechin 100 mL(-1) and 30.08 (Bursa 2) - 60.27 (Chester) mg cyanidin-3-glucoside 100 mL(-1), respectively. Bursa 1 has been noted prominent in terms of antioxidant activity (63.73%), followed by Bursa 2 (52.84%), Chester (52.5%) and Jumbo (47.57%). Among the blacberry cultivars, Jumbo and Chester were found highly effective against to Candida albicans while similar anti-fungal effectiveness was found in Bursa 2 to Candida parapisilozis. Moreover, Bursa 2 and Chester showed strong anti-bacterial effects to Enterococcus faecalis whereas against to Staphylococcus aureus Bursa 1 and Jumbo were determined highly effective. Although antioxidant activity had a high level of positive relationship with total phenol (0.88***), it was negatively correlated with vitamin C (-0.51*) and total flavonoid amount (-0.58**). Due to Anthocyanins are a kind of flavonoid compounds, high positive correlation (0.70***) detected between these two characteristics.