Traditional sorghum beer is reputed for its therapeutic virtues in according the consumers. A number of biological active compounds like phenolic compounds (phenol, tannins, flavonoids, anthocyanins), diets fibers and compounds with clinically demonstrated antimalarial activity (quinine formate, quinine dihydrochloride, chloroquine) and antioxidant activity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl and ferric reducing-antioxidant power methods) were evaluated in sorghum wort and beers fermented by wild yeasts and pure culture of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
. The total phenol content in the samples ranged between 1254.69 ± 2.31 and 239.68 ± 11.92 μg/mL GAE. Antioxidant activity with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl analysis method was high in sorghum wort with 73.33 ± 1.15% but with ferric reducing-antioxidant power analysis method, the antioxidant activity was high in beer from pure culture of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
No compounds with clinically demonstrated antimalarial activity were found in the samples. At bioactive compounds (phenolic compounds) content point view, statistical analysis showed similarity between the two beers.