Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism 10 (2017) 273–285 DOI:10.3233/MNM-17169 IOS Press 273 Phytochemical screening and in vitro antioxidant activity of Pistacia lentiscus berries ethanolic extract growing in Algeria Djamila Belhachat a,∗ , Fatiha Aid b , Lakhdar Mekimene a and Messaouda Belhachat c a D´ epartement de Technologie Alimentaire, ´ Ecole Nationale Sup´ erieure Agronomique (ENSA), El-Harrach, Algiers, Algeria b Facult ´ e des Sciences Biologiques, Universit ´ e des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari-Boumediene (USTHB), El Alia Bab Ezzouar, Algiers, Algeria c East China Normal University, Shanghai, China Received 14 July 2017 Accepted 8 September 2017 Abstract. BACKGROUND: The synthetic antioxidants are used routinely in foods especially those containing oils and fats to protect them against oxidation. Among the synthetic types, the most frequently used are butylated hydroxyl anisole (BHA), butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT), propyl gallate (PG) and tert-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ). These compounds have been reported to be dangerous for human health. Thus the search for effective, natural compounds with antioxidant activity has been intensified in recent years to replace the synthetic products. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study is to investigate the phytochemical composition, quantify the total phenolic and flavonoid contents and to study the in vitro antioxidant potential of berries ethanolic extract of P. lentiscus. METHODS: P. lentiscus berries were subjected to different chemical tests for the detection of phytoconstituents of the Alge- rian variety. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also determined using standard methods. Moreover, the antioxidant activity was assessed by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH·) assay, 2,2’-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6- sulphonic acid) (ABTS·+) assay and reducing power activity assay. Here, (BHT) was used as standard antioxidant. RESULTS: Phytochemical screening revealed that the berries contained phenolic compounds, flavonoids, anthocyanins, leu- coanthocyanins, phlobotannins, tanins, saponins, terpenoids, proteins and mucilage while alkaloids, quinones and carotenoids are absents. The P. lentiscus berries extract was found to contain a high amount of total phenols, flavonoids. The berries ethanolic extract of P. lentiscus possess strong scavenging activity against DPPH·, (ABTS·+) free radical scavenging activity and reducing power. The antioxidant proprieties may be attributed to the presence of high phenolic and flavonoid compounds. CONCLUSION: P. lentiscus is a potential source of natural antioxidants and other phytoconstituents, which justifies its uses in folk medicines. Keywords: P. lentiscus, antioxidant activity, phytochemical screening, DPPH· assay, ABTS·+ assay, reducing power ∗ Corresponding author: Djamila Belhachat, D´ epartement de Technologie Alimentaire, ´ Ecole Nationale Sup´ erieure Agronomique (ENSA), El-Harrach, Algiers, Algeria. E-mail: djamilaina@hotmail.com. ISSN 1973-798X/17/$35.00 © 2017 – IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved