Assessment of total phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant properties within the genus Cotoneaster in Kashmir Himalayas

Cotoneaster , a member of the Rosaceae family comprises around 300 species globally and has attained a significant place in traditional medicine. Although polyphenols are known to be prevalent in most Cotoneaster species, very little is known about their specific content and antioxidant activity. Therefore, the current study aimed to evaluate the content of total phenolics, total flavonoids, and antioxidant activity of six Cotoneaster species viz, Cotoneaster integerrimus, Cotoneaster affinis, Cotoneaster nummularia, Cotoneaster horizontalis, Cotoneaster rosea, and Cotoneaster microphylla growing in Kashmir Himalaya. The folin-Ciocalteu method and aluminium chloride method were used to evaluate the total phenolics and total flavonoids respectively. Also, the antioxidant properties of the methanolic extracts were assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Reducing power assays. The results revealed noteworthy antioxidant activity and total phenolic content. The fruit extracts of C. rosea and C. nummularia had the highest content of phenolic and flavonoids (297.05 0.63 f mg/g GAE and 30.47 0.22 d mg/g QE, respectively). The highest antioxidant activity observed by the DPPH was found in the fruit extract of C. rosea (IC50 = 3.45 ± 0.01). Moreover, Antioxidant activity and total phenolic content were shown to be significantly correlated. This study underscores the potential therapeutic value of these Cotoneaster species and positions them as a valuable source of potent natural antioxidants for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. However, further research is required to evaluate the toxicity and other biological properties of these crude extracts, along with the identification of different compounds present within them.