Chemical Identification and Antioxidant and Enzymatic Activities of the Hydroethanolic Extract from Rhaphithamnus spinosus (Juss.) Moldenke ("Huayún") Drupes of the Valdivian Forest

Small berries from the temperate rainforest of Chile represent a rich source of bioactive compounds, especially anthocyanins, and have long been used in traditional Mapuche medicine. In this work, a hydroalcoholic extract of Rhaphithamnus spinosus (RS) was characterized phytochemically and evaluated for its antioxidant capacity using multiple assays, as well as for its inhibitory activity against enzymes implicated in chronic non-communicable diseases. Antioxidant activity was determined through ORAC (507.66 ± 3.12 μmol Trolox/g dry fruit), DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging methods (52.8 ± 0.1 μg/mL and 22.42 ± 0.24 μg/mL, respectively), together with ferric reducing antioxidant power FRAP (347.11 ± 2.77 μmol Trolox/g dry fruit). The chemical profile of RS was elucidated for the first time by HPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS. The extract inhibited cholinesterase, glucosidase and amylase enzymes, with IC50 values of 33.34 ± 0.65, 228.24 ± 0.2 and 32.71 ± 0.02 µg/mL, respectively; molecular docking was performed for selected compounds from the berries, and confirm at least, the antienzyme activities of some of its components. These results indicate that RS berries are a valuable source of bioactive constituents with antioxidant activity and enzyme-inhibitory potential, supporting their use as promising candidates for phytotherapeutic formulations, particularly as supplements in the management of chronic diseases.