Composti polifenolici ad attività antimicotica in tessuti di diverse cultivar di carciofo

Artichoke is an herbaceous perennial plant (Cynara scolymus L.) belonging to the Compositae family (Asteraceae) cultivated in the Mediterranean area, especially. The heads of the artichoke are edible and used worldwide; the leaves are an herbal medicine recognized for a long time for their beneficial effects against liver complaints, in particular such extracts have been claimed to possess epatoprotective and antioxidant action, due to their polyphenolic fraction. In particular, there are present mono and di-caffeoyl ester of the quinic acid and flavonoid glycosides. In our work we analysed by HPLC/DAD and HPLC/MS more than twenty cultivars from a living collection in Sardinia, (Italy). The artichoke’s polyphenol extracts show an interesting antimycotic activity toward yeast and yeast-like species, such as Candida, so these secondary metabolite could be useful in the care of human health.