Evaluation of some biological activities of phenolic compounds obtained from two Algerian medicinal plants: Mentha rotundifolia and Satureja calamintha

Abstract

In this work phytochemical characterization of two medicinal plants from Lamiaceae family, Mentha rotundifolia and Satureja calamintha, has been carried out. Extracts obtained with different solvents were screened for different plant secondary metabolites and were biologically characterized by defining their antiradical and antibacterial activities. Phytochemical screening of M. rotundifolia and S. calamintha confirmed their richness in different secondary metabolites. The determination of phenolic compounds revealed high polyphenols contents in water: methanol (30:70) extracts with concentrations of 20.64?1.74 mg EAG/g DW and 13.45?0.91 mg EAG/g DW for M. rotundifolia and S. calamintha, respectively. These extracts were also characterized by high concentrations of flavonoids (Mentha rotundifolia 12.33?1.58 mg EQ/g DW, Satureja calamintha 7.11?0.02 mg EQ/g DW). Furthermore, the water: methanol (30:70) extract of M. rotundifolia was the most effective in inhibiting free radicals. Recorded inhibition diameters for both plant samples and tested microbial strains ranged from 6.66 mm to 13.66 mm. Presented results confirmed that tested indigenous Algerian plants are favorable sources of polyphenols with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.