Phytochemicals and antioxidant activities of Rhus tripartitum (Ucria) fruits depending on locality and different stages of maturity.

The phytochemical content (total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, condensed tannins and phenolic composition) and the antioxidant potential of Rhus tripartitum fruits collected from different localities were screened during maturity. Significant variability was detected. HPLC analyses revealed the presence of 24 compounds with notable differences. Flavone and betulinic acid, which have numerous benefits, were the main detected compounds (more than 73%). This work highlights the importance of R. tripartitum fruits as dietary sources of natural antioxidants, and might be appropriate for the development of reliable index to estimate fruit richness with bioactive molecules.