Chemical profiling of male date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) leaflets in El M’Ghair region, Algeria: Insights into total phenols, flavonoids, proteins, and total sugars

This study extensively investigates the biochemical composition of male date palm leaflets (Phoenix dactylifera L.) from the El M’Ghair region in Algeria, focusing on the cultivars Deglet Nour, Degla Beida, and Ghars. The chemical analysis centers on proteins, total sugars, total phenols, and flavonoids, revealing significant differences in these compounds among the three cultivars. ‘Degla Beida’ exhibits the highest protein content (39.09 ± 4.58 %), contrasting with ‘Ghars’, which records the lowest (18.33 ± 5.35 %). Total sugars exhibit variability among cultivars, with ‘Ghars’ displaying the highest levels (74.54 ± 6.92 %) and ‘Degla Beida’ the lowest (46.28 ± 9.11 %). The production ratios of crude methanolic aqueous extracts show consistent extraction efficiencies across cultivars. Abundant phenolic compounds, notably in ‘Degla Beida’, and significant variations in flavonoid content are observed. Specifically, ‘Degla Beida’ and ‘Deglet Nour’ boast the highest flavonoid levels (36.02 ± 3.79 and 30.18 ± 3.88 μg QE. mg-1, respectively), whereas ‘Ghars’ demonstrates the lowest (22.02 ± 2.31 μg QE. mg-1). The correlation matrix reveals positive associations among proteins, total phenols, and flavonoids, contrasting with a strong negative association with total sugar content.