PHENOLIC COMPOSITION OF THE MOCAN (VISNEA-MOCANERA L-F)

The leaves and fruits of the ''mocan'' (Visnea mocanera L.f.) have bee n analyzed by TLC and HPLC to establish their phenolic composition. Th e fruits are richer than the leaves in phenolics with 4% procyanidins, 4% catechins, 3% total polyphenols, 0.6% low-polymerization polypheno ls, and 0.1% anthocyanins. Benzoic acids (p-hydroxybenzoic, protocatec huic, and gallic), benzoic aldehydes (p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, and syringic), cinnamic acids (p-coumaric and ferulic), 3-flavanols [(+)-c atechin, (-)-epicatechin, and procyanidins], flavonols (quercetin, myr icetin, and kaempferol) and their glycosides (isorhamnetin 3-O-glucosi de, kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside, quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside, and quercetin 3-O-galactoside), and anthocyanins (glycosides of delphinidin, cyanid in, petunidin, peonidin, and malvidin) have been identified. The prese nce of these families of compounds in mocan could account for the anti microbial, antiinflammatory, analgesic, antiulcerogenic, hemostatic, a stringent, cicatrizant, vulnerary, and psychostimulant activities foun d in previous studies.