Abstract
This research aimed to study the chemical composition of Aloysia citrodora methanolic extract and its biological activities as an antioxidant, and its antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory activities based on four bioclimatic collection stages. The contents of total phenols, total flavonoids and total tannins were determined. Nine phenolic compounds were identified by LC-DAD–ESI-MS/MS. The major compound was acteoside, a phenylpropanoid which represented about 80% of the methanolic fraction in the various regions. The antioxidant activities of different locations were measured by different analytical assays, such as DPPH, ABTS and iron reducing power. The results showed that phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities varied with climatic and environmental factors. Moreover, there was a significant dependency between regions and biological activities. The use of a principal component analysis showed that there was a close relationship among phenylpropanoids, phenolic compounds and the studied biological activities.
Highlights
Medicinal plants are an important source of secondary metabolites having therapeutic, cosmetic and food applications
The fingerprinting of methanolic lemon verbena extract led to the detection of nine phenolic compounds (Table 2)
Peak 1 (Rt 11.17 min; λmax, 326 nm) exhibited a pseudomolecular ion [M-H]− at m/z 335, yielding an intense fragment ion at m/z 179 through the loss of shikimic moiety detected as caffeoylshikimic acid [24]
Summary
Medicinal plants are an important source of secondary metabolites having therapeutic, cosmetic and food applications. Among the various plant protection products, phenolic compounds and essential oils generate a large group of secondary metabolites having a remarkable therapeutic effect and play the role of natural antioxidants and preservatives. The effectiveness of the plant extracts depends on their yield, chemical composition and bioactivity. The latter could be generally affected by genetic and/or environmental factors [1]. Phenolic compounds and other secondary metabolites represent a chemical interface between plants and the environment [3]. Variations in phenol quantity directly influence the quality of the plant for food products [4]. Food products rich in antioxidants are in demand because they act as scavengers of reactive oxygen species (ROS) [5]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
