BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF Rubus idaeus L. LEAVES

In Poland, the genus Rubus comprises 95 species. Given the commercial production of the fruits as well as their medicinal properties and apicultural and ornamental importance, raspberries are commonly cultivated plants of great economic value. Rubi idaei folium exhibits a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities. The aim of the present study was to determine the content of some bioactive compounds and compare the antioxidant activity in R. ideaus leaves. The highest and lowest content of chlorophyll was found in the 'Laszka' and 'Glen Ample' varieties, respectively. The content of total fat, carbohydrate, and total protein was 2.1%, 6.2%, and 20%, respectively. Saturated fatty acids were dominated by palmitic, arachidonic, tetracosanoic, and stearic acids. Omega 3, omega 6, and omega 9 acids were mainly represented by alpha-linolenic acid, linolenic acid, and oleic acid, respectively. The highest antioxidant activity was determined in the leaves of the 'Radziejowa' variety, and the lowest level was found for the 'Glen Ample' variety. The high antioxidant activity and the content of bioactive compounds indicate that raspberry leaves can be used as drinkable infusions or extracts applied as additives to some food products.