Abstract
Three species of Stachys genus (S. byzantina, S. officinalis, S. sylvatica) were investigated in the present study in terms of aromatic profile and total polyphenol content, as well as antibacterial activity and antioxidant capacity. Gas chromatography coupled with flame ionization detection (GC/FID) was used for exploration of the herbal alcoholic extracts. Using statistical analysis, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and total phenolic chemical fingerprints were compared in order to describe differences and identify putative signature traits of the three Stachys species. The results showed that the analyzed Stachys extracts have a total polyphenol content being between 197 ± 0.27 mg GAE/g for S. sylvatica and 232 ± 43 mg GAE/g for S. officinalis. The antioxidant activity was between 444 ± 58 mM Trolox/g (S. sylvatica) and 602 ± 75 mM Trolox/g (S. officinalis). The volatile compounds identified were mostly sesquiterpenes, followed by monoterpenes and secondary compounds. The most abundant in all three species was germacrene D (21.9% 28–25.2%). The multivariate analysis demonstrated the potential of using plant tissue VOC profiles to discriminate between different Stachy species, with a total of 31 VOCs being identified from all three species. Although there were strong similarities among the three species’ VOC profiles, distinctions can be made using chemometric analysis. The microbiological results showed an antimicrobial capacity of all three extracts, especially on Gram-positive bacteria. In addition to increasing consumers’ understanding regarding the health benefits of these Stachy species, this investigation contributes to defining and preserving a precious genetic and cultural-historical biodiversity.
Highlights
In horticulture, quality may be defined as the degree of excellence provided by the combination of various characteristics and traits that provide each plant’s relative value for the intended purpose [1]
Polyphenols can be extracted by various methods and the efficiency of these processes can be correlated with the plant material and with the structure of the phenolic compounds
This study demonstrated the potential of using plant tissue volatile organic compounds (VOCs) profiles to discriminate between different Stachys species, with a total of 31 VOCs being identified from all three species
Summary
Quality may be defined as the degree of excellence provided by the combination of various characteristics and traits that provide each plant’s relative value for the intended purpose [1]. Horticultural breeding has advanced to the point where it is possible to find fruits and vegetables that have attributes that producers and vendors require, such as high yield, better resistance to pest threats and disease, aesthetic design, and the ability to withstand a wide range of collection and storage operations, among other characteristics. Several of these agricultural products achieve superior nutritional and flavor attributes, for many products this is very rare [3]. These aspects are highlighted especially through study of the levels and types of bioactive compounds they contain [11,12,13,14] and/or on their biological activity [15,16,17,18]
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