Antibacterial and in vitro antidementia effects of aronia ( Aronia melanocarpa) leaf extracts

This study investigated the antibacterial and in vitro antidementia effects of aronia (Aronia melanocarpa) leaf extracts from 3 cultivars (Nero, Viking, and McKenzie) collected at three different stages of maturity (young, harvest, and old). Bacillus cereus was susceptible to the old leaves of cultivars McKenzie and Nero, whereas Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Listeria innocua were not inhibited by any of the extracts. Growth of B. cereus was inhibited by cv. McKenzie, resulting in increased lag time, whereas Nero had both an inhibitory and an inactivation effect. Except for cv. Viking at harvest stage, the acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of aronia leaf extracts were about 60-70 and 70-80%, respectively. Therefore, aronia leaf is a natural resource with a potentially potent antidementia effect, besides antibacterial activity.

Keywords: Antibacterial; Antidementia; Aronia leaf; Cultivar; Harvest time.