Quantitative Determination of Phenolics and Antioxidant Activity in Elaeagnus multiflora Thunb. Fruit Genotypes

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Underutilized and nontraditional plants are increasingly valued for their polyphenol‐rich bioactives with applications in food, medicine, and pharmaceuticals. This study evaluated the antioxidant properties of fruits from 40 genotypes of Elaeagnus multiflora Thunb., cultivated at the M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden in Kyiv, Ukraine. Phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity were determined using standard assays. DPPH‐based antioxidant activity ranged from 1.83 to 8.97 mg TE/g dw, while ABTS values varied from 0.78 to 73.63 mg TE/g dw. The TPC ranged from 2.28 to 20.45 mg GAE/g dw; TFC from 0.05 to 4.23 mg QE/g dw; and TPAC from 0.84 to 12.85 mg·CAE/g dw. Moderate positive correlations were identified between total polyphenol content and antioxidant activities ( r = 0.704 for DPPH and r = 0.614 for ABTS), as well as between total polyphenol and phenolic acid contents ( r = 0.641). Cluster analysis using squared Euclidean distance grouped the 40 genotypes into four distinct clusters based on their antioxidant and phenolic profiles. Principal component analysis further illustrated the variability among genotypes in terms of phenolic composition and antioxidant performance. The E. multiflora genotypes cultivated in Ukraine demonstrate considerable potential as sources of novel food ingredients, functional foods, and nutraceuticals, in addition to their suitability for direct consumption. The observed variation in bioactivity is genotype‐dependent, as confirmed by principal component analysis.