Antifungal activity of total and fractionated phenolic extracts from two wild edible herbs

The chemical characterization of phenolic ex- tracts of salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor Scop. s.l.) and broomrape (Orobanche crenata Forsk.) was performed. Active fractions were separated and characterized and, in the case of O. crenata, two phenolic compounds, verbascoside and is- overbascoside, were quantitatively extracted, purified and characterized. These compounds proved to be effective in reducing the growth of some important fungi responsible for the decay of fresh fruit and vegetables in postharvest. Ver- bascoside showed significant activity against Penicillium italicum, fairly inhibited Monilinia laxa, P. expansum, and Aspergillus carbonarius, and showed little activity against Botrytis cine- rea, M. fructicola and P. digitatum. Isoverbasco- side completely inhibited B. cinerea, P. digitatum, P. italicum, and P. expansum; it fairly inhibited M. laxa and A. carbonarius; while it showed to be less effective against M. fructicola. The obtained results support the possible use of some wild edible plants as a source of phenolic substances for the postharvest biological control of fresh fruit and vegetable rots.