Phenolic Compounds, Organic Acid Profiles and Antioxidant Potential of Salvia verticillata L.

Abstract

Salvia genus, which is widely used in folk medicine and attracts great attention, is a rich source of polyphenols, which has been the subject of many chemical studies. Leaf ethanol and root ethanol extracts of Salvia verticillata L. plant sampled from Muş region were obtained by using the soxhlet extraction method. Antioxidant profiles of these extracts were defined by five different methods. Although S. verticillata L. leaf extract showed the best activity in all tests, it was lower than the antioxidants we used as standard. The presence of 17 phenolics, 13 organic acids, and sugars in these extracts was screened by HPLC and correlated with their antioxidant potential. In this context, the difference between the organs of the species examined and collected from a region was also revealed. Leaf extracts have been found to be rich in curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and strong antioxidant capacity. It was determined that acetic acid, an organic acid that is also used as a food preservative, was found in very high amounts in root and leaf extracts. According to the results obtained, it can be thought that the phenolic and organic acid contents of S. verticillata L. may be among the parameters responsible for antioxidant activity, and they are also natural sources for pharmacological processes and the food industry.