The aim of this study was to quantify the levels of total phenols and flavonoids as well as to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of extracts obtained from stems and leaves of atemoia (A. cherimola Mill. x A. squamosa L.), which belongs to the Annonaceae family. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) scavengers methods, as well as the method of co-oxidation of β-carotene/linoleic acid. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts was assessed against 10 strains of bacteria. The results showed that the antioxidant activity of the ethanolic extract from the stems (EEt) was the most effective antioxidant (IC50 = 10.44 ± 1.25 mg/ml) by the DPPH method, as well as in the ABTS radical scavenger (24.81 ± 0.49%). The hexane extract of the leaves showed the best percentage of antioxidant activity by β-carotene/linoleic acid test (41.12 ± 4.35%). The ethanolic and metabolic extracts were active against strains of Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis.
medicinal plants; atemoia; antibacterial activity; free radicals
