Abstract
In an extensive search for bioactive compounds from plant sources, the composition of different extracts of rosemary leaves collected from different geographical zones of Serbia was studied. The qualitative and quantitative characterization of 20 rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) samples, obtained by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), was determined by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (HPLC–ESI-QTOF-MS). The high mass accuracy and true isotopic pattern in both MS and MS/MS spectra provided by the QTOF-MS analyzer enabled the characterization of a wide range of phenolic compounds in the extracts, including flavonoids, phenolic diterpenes and abietan-type triterpenoids, among others. According to the data compiled, rosemary samples from Sokobanja presented the highest levels in flavonoids and other compounds such as carnosol, rosmaridiphenol, rosmadial, rosmarinic acid, and carnosic acid. On the other hand, higher contents in triterpenes were found in the extracts of rosemary from Gložan (Vojvodina).
Highlights
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis, Lamiaceae) is a shrubby herb that grows wild in the Mediterranean basin
The present study demonstrates that different extracts of this plant could be used as natural sources of several bioactive compounds, especially carnosol, carnosic acid and triterpenes, which could be useful ingredients in complementary alternative medicine and nutritional supplements, as well as natural antioxidants for food preservation
The rosemary leaves harvested at different sites in Serbia were extracted by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and subsequently analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (HPLC–ESI-QTOF-MS)
Summary
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis, Lamiaceae) is a shrubby herb that grows wild in the Mediterranean basin. Today, this plant is cultivated worldwide due to its diverse uses as a common household culinary spice for flavoring. Rosemary extracts have been widely used as a preservative in the food industry due to their inherent high antioxidant activity. It has been used as a medicinal herb for centuries, due to significant activities against many illnesses. Many major biological properties have been attributed to this plant, mainly hepatoprotective [1], antimicrobial [2,3], antithrombotic [4], diuretic [5], antidiabetic [6], anti-inflammatory [7], antioxidant [8], and anticancer [9,10,11,12].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
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 call
