Effects of Geographical Area and Harvest Times on Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Juniperus communis L. Pseudo-Fruits Extracts: A Statistical Approach

The beneficial effects of Juniperus communis L. extracts have been known for a long time. Therefore a scientific knowledge of the chemical profile leading to this bioactivity is required. The aim of this paper is to highlight the influence of geographical origin and harvest time on compositional elements of hydroalcoholic extracts of J. communis pseudo-fruits, but also on their antibacterial properties. The samples were collected from three mountainous area of Romania, during three consecutive months. The total polyphenols were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, ranging between 12.67 and 14.77 mg GAE/g DW. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was applied to identify fifteen phenolic compounds from the group of phenolic acids and flavonoids. The antibacterial effect was assessed on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. A good antimicrobial activity was achieved by the extracts of pseudo-fruits harvested during October and November from the Iezerele Cindrelului Botanical Nature Reserve. The obtained results denote a diverse composition of active principles in common juniper pseudo-fruits and moderate antibacterial activity dependent on the harvest time and geographical area.