Biological activities of Cretan Salvia pomifera extracts

Abstract

The polyphenolic content and biological activities of dichloromethane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and ethanol extracts of Cretan Salvia pomifera L. (Lamiaceae) were analysed. The ethyl acetate extract showed the highest content of total phenolics and total flavonoids. The ethanol extract exhibited the highest activity in the DPPH and FRAP assays, while the dichloromethane extract had the highest activity in the ABTS test. The ethyl acetate extract showed the highest activity in the β-carotene--linoleic acid system. The antioxidant activity of extracts was positively correlated with the total content of phenolics. Extracts demonstrated weak antibacterial activity. The ethyl acetate extract had the highest acethylcholinesterase inhibition at 50 μg/mL, while the ethanol and dichloromethane extracts showed the highest activity of tyrosinase inhibition at 25 μg/mL. In view of the significance of antioxidants in prevention and treatment of neurological diseases, the noticeable antioxidant and anti-neurodegenerative effects of the ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts recorded in this study make further research on S. pomifera seem promising

Keywords

• antibacterial activity; anti-neurodegenerative activity
• antioxidant activity
• extracts
• Salvia pomifera