**Determination of the Phenolic Profile by Liquid Chromatography, Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity and Toxicity of Moroccan** *Erica multiflora, Erica scoparia***, and** *Calluna vulgaris* **(***Ericaceae***)**

**Douaa Bekkai 1,2, Yassine Oulad El Majdoub 2, Hamid Bekkai 3, Francesco Cacciola 4,\*, Natalizia Miceli 2, Maria Fernanda Taviano 2, Emilia Cavò 2, Tomader Errabii 1, Roberto Laganà Vinci 2, Luigi Mondello 2,5,6 and Mohammed L'Bachir El Kbiach <sup>1</sup>**

	- 98125 Messina, Italy

**Abstract:** This study aimed to investigate the phenolic profile and selected biological activities of the leaf and aerial extracts of three *Ericaceae* species, namely *Erica multiflora*, *Erica scoparia*, and *Calluna vulgaris*, collected from three different places in the north of Morocco. The phenolic composition of all extracts was determined by LC coupled with photodiode array and mass spectrometry detection. Among the investigated extracts, that of *E. scoparia* aerial parts was the richest one, with a total amount of polyphenols of 9528.93 mg/kg. Up to 59 phenolic compounds were detected: 52 were positively identified and 49 quantified—11 in *C. vulgaris*, 14 in *E. multiflora*, and 24 in *E. scoparia*. In terms of chemical classes, nine were phenolic acids and 43 were flavonoids, and among them, the majority belonged to the class of flavonols. The antioxidant activity of all extracts was investigated by three different in vitro methods, namely DPPH, reducing power, and Fe2+ chelating assays; *E. scoparia* aerial part extract was the most active, with an IC50 of 0.142 ± 0.014 mg/mL (DPPH test) and 1.898 ± 0.056 ASE/mL (reducing power assay). Further, all extracts were non-toxic against *Artemia salina*, thus indicating their potential safety. The findings attained in this work for such Moroccan *Ericaceae* species, never investigated so far, bring novelty to the field and show them to be valuable sources of phenolic compounds with interesting primary antioxidant properties.

**Keywords:** *Ericaceae*; LC–DAD/ESI–MS; phenolic compounds; flavonoids; antioxidant activity; *Artemia salina* Leach
