Contenido de fenoles totales y actividad antioxidante de extractos foliares de Ipomoea pes-caprae (Convolvulaceae).

The department of La Guajira (Colombia) presents a great diversity of plant species, among these, halophilic and psamophilic species such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (L.) R.Br., which is distributed in the department coastal area. It was unknown whether I. pes-caprae produces phenols in concentrations high, enough under La Guajira's environmental conditions, to consider its use; therefore, the aim of this research was to establish the influence of weather on total phenols production and antioxidant potential of foliar extracts. Leaf tissue samples were taken during one year and subjected to methanol extraction. To establish total phenols concentration, Folin-Ciocalteau method was used and correlated with rains and monthly temperature. Extracts percentage of inhibition on DPPH radical was also estimated. Results showed that phenols content varied throughout one year, with February 2019 showing the highest concentration (18.41%), coinciding with a low rainfall and lower temperature period. On the other hand, antioxidant activity of extracts was 83.79%. It was concluded that temperature partially affects the total phenols concentration, while rains did not have significant effects; in addition, this study verifies the possibility of using I. pes-caprae as a low-cost source of substances with antioxidant activity and constitutes a basis for future research aimed at the evaluation and use of other Convolvulaceae species present in La Guajira. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]