Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of O. vulgare var. vulgare and var. heracleoticum

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is an aromatic plant from the Lamiaceae family. Due to its rich content of polyphenols, flavonoids and other important secondary metabolites, oregano have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. This research was aimed to compare the chemical composition of O. vulgare var. vulgare and var. heracleoticum and their antioxidant activity. Investigated extracts were prepared by ethanol maceration. The total phenolic content was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The total amount of flavonoids was determined spectrophotometrically by analysing flavonoid complex formation with AlCl3. Chemical characterization was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The ability of the tested extract to neutralize 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl (OH•) and nitroso (NO•) radicals was tested by the spectrophotometric methods. The total phenolic content was аpproximately equal in both, O. vulgare var. vulgare and var. heracleoticum (87.53 and 90.5 mg of the gallic acid equivalents/g dry extract, respectively). Also, the total amount of flavonoids was аpproximately equal in both, O. vulgare var. vulgare and var. heracleoticum (21.8 and 23.23 mg of the quercetin equivalents/g dry extract, respectively). Rosmarinic, ferulic and chlorogenic acids, and rutin were identified as dominant polyphenolic compounds. Moreover, antioxidant activity of both extracts was similar. Half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) for DPPH was 2.28 mg/mL for O. vulgare var. vulgare and 2.59 mg/mL for O. vulgare var. heracleoticum. The ability of the tested extract to neutralize NO• was similarly good for both extracts (IC50= 17.71 and 20.53 mg/mL). The tested extracts showed weaker activity in neutralizing OH• (IC50= 285.37 and 192.24 mg/mL). Due to the similarity in chemical composition and antioxidant activity both varieties can be used as medicinal herbal drugs

Artemisia annua L. (Asteraceae) – Chemical analysis and antioxidative activity

Artemisia annua, u narodu poznata kao slatki pelin, je zeljasta biljka iz familije Asteraceae. Od davnina se upotrebljava u tradicionalnoj medicini kao biljka koja ima antimalarijsku aktivnost, usled prisustva seskviterpenskog laktona artemisina. Takođe, sadrži fenole i flavonoide, te se svrstava u biljke sa antioksidativnim, antiinfektivnim i antiinflamatornim dejstvom. Cilj rada bilo je ispitivanje hemijskog sastava i antioskidativne aktivnosti etanolnog ekstrakta slatkog pelina. U etanolnom ekstraktu herbe A. annua određen je sadržaj ukupnih fenola metodom po Folin-Ciocalteu. Rezultati su izraženi kao mg ekvivalenta galne kiseline/g suvog ekstrakta (mg EGK/g s.e.). Ukupni flavonoidi određeni su spektrofotometrijski praćenjem formiranja kompleksa sa AlCl3. Rezultati su izraženi kao mg ekvivalenta kvercetina/g suvog ekstrakta (mg EK/g s.e.). Antioksidativna aktivnost određena je in vitro testovima inhibicije 2,2-difenil-1-pikrilhidrazil (DPPH), hidroksil (OH), nitrozo (NO) radikala i testom inhibicije lipidne peroksidacije. Rezultati su izraženi kao koncentracija pri kojoj je neutralisano 50% radikala tj. koncentracija pri kojoj je inhibisano 50% procesa lipidne peroksidacije (IC50). Visokoefikasnom tečnom hromatografijom (HPLC) izvršena je detaljna hemijska karakterizacija. Rezultati su izraženi kao μg/g suvog ekstrakta.Artemisia annua, popularly known as sweet wormwood, is a herbaceous plant from the family Asteraceae. Since ancient times, it has been used in traditional medicine as a plant that has antimalarial activity, due to the presence of the sesquiterpene lactone artemisinin. It also contains phenols and flavonoids because it is classified as a plant with antioxidant, anti -infective and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of the work was to examine the chemical composition and antioxidative activity of the ethanolic extract of sweet wormwood. In the ethanolic extract of A. annua herb, the content of total phenols was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The results are expressed as mg gallic acid equivalents/g dry extract (mg GAE/g d.e.). Total flavonoids were determined spectrophotometrically by monitoring the formation of complexes with AlCl3. Results are expressed as mg quercetin equivalents/g dry extract (mg QE/g d.e.). Antioxidant activity was determined by in vitro tests of inhibition of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl (OH), nitroso (NO) radicals and lipid peroxidation inhibition test. The results are expressed as the concentration at which 50% of the radicals are neutralized, or the concentration at which 50% of the lipid peroxidation process is inhibited (IC50). Detailed chemical characterization was investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results are expressed as μg/g dry extract

Hemijski sastav i antioksidantna aktivnost žućkastog sporiša (Achillea nobilis L. subsp. neilreichii (Kerner) Velen.)

Species of the genus Achillea are well-known ancient medicinal plants. Noble yarrow is presented in eastern Serbia, Suva planina and Kosovo (around Peja). Due to the traditional use, it is important to determine the chemical composition and biological activities of these species widespread in Serbia. The aim of this study was to determine the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of noble yarrow. The content of total phenols in the prepared infusion was determined by the Folin – Ciocalteu method. Total flavonoids were determined spectrophotometrically by forming complexes with AlCl3. Chemical characterization was performed by high performance liquid chromatography. The antioxidant activity was examined spectrophotometrically by determining the "scavenger" activity of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl (OH •) radical and nitroso (NO •) radical, as well as redox potential testing by FRAP test and determination of inhibition lipid peroxidation in the Fe2 + / H2O2 induction system. The total phenol content in the tested infusion was 33.52 mg of gallic acid equivalent per gram of dry extract, while the content of total flavonoids was 6.79 mg of quercetin equivalent per gram of dry extract. Phenolic acids are dominantly presented in the infusion. Rosmarinic and p-coumaric acids are the most abundant (13.34 and 12.74 mg/g of dry extract). The infusion showed the ability to neutralize free radicals at medium high concentrations. Unlike the results of other antioxidant tests, inhibition of lipid peroxidation was not achieved. The tested plant is a good source of phenolic compounds with established antioxidant activity.Vrste roda Achillea su široko rasprostranjene lekovite biljke sa poznatom tradicionalnom primenom od davnina. Achillea nobilis L. subsp. neilreichii (Kerner) Velen., u narodu poznata kao žućkasti sporiš, rasprostranjena je na teritoriji istočne Srbije, Suve planine i Kosova (okolina Peći). Zbog raširene tradicionalne primene, značajno je da se detaljno prouče hemijski sastav i biološke aktivnosti vrsta roda Achillea rasprostranjenih u Srbiji, pa je cilj ovog rada bio da se odrede hemijski sastav i antioksidantna aktivnost infuza žućkastog sporiša. U pripremljenom infuzu određen je sadržaj ukupnih fenola metodom po Folin–Ciocalteu. Ukupni flavonoidi određeni su spektrofotometrijski praćenjem formiranja kompleksa sa AlCl3. Hemijska karakterizacija izvršena je visokoefikasnom tečnom hromatografijom. Antioksidativno delovanje infuza ispitano je spektrofotometrijski određivanjem „skevindžer“ aktivnosti na 2,2-difenil-1-pikrilhidrazil (DPPH), hidroksil (OH•) radikal i nitrozo (NO•) radikal, kao i ispitivanjem redoks potencijala pomoću FRAP testa i određivanjem inhibicije lipidne peroksidacije u Fe2+/H2O2 sistemu indukcije. Sadržaj ukupnih fenola u ispitivanom infuzu je 33,52 mg ekvivalenata galne kiseline po gramu suvog ekstrakta, dok je sadržaj ukupnih flavonoida 6,79 mg ekvivalenata kvercetina po gramu suvog ekstrakta. U infuzu su dominantno prisutne fenolne kiseline od kojih su najzastupljenije rozmarinska (13,34 mg/g suvog ekstrakta) i p-kumarna kiselina (12,74 mg/g suvog ekstrakta). Infuz je pokazao sposobnost da neutralizuje slobodne radikale pri srednje visokim koncentracijama. Za razliku od rezulata ostalih antioksidativnih testova, pomoću analiziranog infuza nije postignuta inhibicija lipidne peroksidacije. Ispitivana biljka predstavlja dobar izvor fenolnih jedinjenja sa utvrđenim antioksidantim delovanjem