Increase In Phenolic Acids Research Articles

Widely targeted metabolomics analysis of nutrient changes in a new black rice variety ‘Huamoxiang No.3’ (Oryza sativa L. var. Glutinosa Matsum) under different cooking modes

AbstractBackgroundBlack rice is rich in various nutrients, such as anthocyanins, which may undergo some changes during cooking. However, previous studies have been mainly focused on a single substance and paid less attention to the changes in overall nutrient components. Here, we performed widely targeted metabolomics analysis on the chemical compositional changes in a new black rice variety (‘Huamoxiang No.3’) under three cooking modes, including bottom heating (BH), induction heating (IH), and IH + pressure.ResultsAmong the detected 1458 metabolites, 276 and 108 metabolites were differential metabolites after cooking and in three cooking modes, respectively. Cooking increased the contents of most peptides, phenolic acids, and organic acid compounds but significantly decreased those of lipids and flavonoids, particularly anthocyanins. However, phenolic acids such as chlorogenic acid, erucic acid, and p‐coumaric acid increased significantly, possibly due to the release of bound phenols and degradation of flavonoids to phenolic acids, such as thermal degradation of C3G to protocatechuic acid and among the three heating modes, the IH + pressure mode resulted in the most significant changes.ConclusionAlthough cooking reduced the content of flavonoids and anthocyanins, the increase in phenolic acids and other substances contributed to the healthy effect of cooked black rice, and the content of these active substances increased more significantly in the IH + pressure mode.

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal: Enhanced production of withanolides and phenolic acids from hairy root culture after application of elicitors

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal is an important indigenous medicinal plant with extensive pharmaceutical potential. The root is the main source of major bioactive compounds of this plant species including withanolides, withanine, phenolic acids, etc. Hairy root culture (HRC) is a crucial method for low-cost production of active compounds on a large scale. Four different Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains have been used for the hairy root induction. Maximum transformation efficiency (87.34 ± 2.13%) was achieved with A4 bacterial strain-mediated transformed culture. The genetic transformation was confirmed by using specific primers of seven different genes. Seven HR (Hairy root) lines were selected after screening 29 HR lines based on their fast growth rate and high accumulation of withanolides and phenolic acids content. Two biotic and three abiotic elicitors were applied to the elite root line to trigger more accumulation of withanolides and phenolic acids. While all the elicitors effectively increased withanolides and phenolic acids production, among the five different elicitors, salicylic acid (4.14 mg l–1) induced 11.49 -fold increase in withanolides (89.07 ± 2.75 mg g–1 DW) and 5.34- fold increase in phenolic acids (83.69 ± 3.11 mg g− 1 DW) after 5 days of elicitation compared to the non-elicited culture (7.75 ± 0.63 mg g–1 DW of withanolides and 15.66 ± 0.92 mg g–1 DW of phenolic acids). These results suggest that elicitors can tremendously increase the biosynthesis of active compounds in this system; thus, the HRC of W. somnifera is cost-effective and can be efficiently used for the industrial production of withanolides and phenolic acids.

Fermentation of Orange Peels by Lactic Acid Bacteria: Impact on Phenolic Composition and Antioxidant Activity.

Orange processing generates peel by-products rich in phenolic compounds, particularly flavanones like hesperidin and narirutin, offering potential health benefits. Utilizing these by-products is of significant interest in supporting Spain's circular bioeconomy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the fermentation of orange peels by different lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains and its impact on phenolic composition and antioxidant activity. Three different LAB strains, two Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, and one Levilactobacillus brevis were utilized. The phenolic compounds were measured by HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS, and antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH and ABTS methods. The growth of the LAB strains varied, showing initial increases followed by gradual declines, with strain-specific patterns observed. Medium acidification occurred during fermentation. A phenolic analysis revealed an 11% increase in phenolic acids in peels fermented by La. plantarum CECT 9567-C4 after 24 h, attributed to glycosylation by LAB enzymes. The flavonoid content exhibited diverse trends, with Le. brevis showing an 8% increase. The antioxidant assays demonstrated strain- and time-dependent variations. Positive correlations were found between antioxidant activity and total phenolic compounds. The results underscore the importance of bacterial selection and fermentation time for tailored phenolic composition and antioxidant activity in orange peel extracts. LAB fermentation, particularly with La. plantarum CECT 9567 and Le. brevis, holds promise for enhancing the recovery of phenolic compounds and augmenting antioxidant activity in orange peels, suggesting potential applications in food and beverage processing.

Effect of Storage and Drying Treatments on Antioxidant Activity and Phenolic Composition of Lemon and Clementine Peel Extracts

Obtaining polyphenols from horticultural waste is an emerging trend that enables the valorization of resources and the recovery of value-added compounds. However, a pivotal point in the exploitation of these natural extracts is the assessment of their chemical stability. Hence, this study evaluates the effect of temperature storage (20 and -20 °C) and drying methods on the phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of clementine and lemon peel extracts, applying HPLC-DAD-MS, spectrophotometric methods, and chemometric tools. Vacuum-drying treatment at 60 °C proved to be rather suitable for retaining the highest antioxidant activity and the hesperidin, ferulic, and coumaric contents in clementine peel extracts. Lemon extracts showed an increase in phenolic acids after oven-drying at 40 °C, while hesperidin and rutin were sustained better at 60 °C. Hydroethanolic extracts stored for 90 days preserved antioxidant activity and showed an increase in the total phenolic and flavonoid contents in lemon peels, unlike in clementine peels. Additionally, more than 50% of the initial concentration was maintained up to 51 days, highlighting a half-life time of 71 days for hesperidin in lemon peels. Temperature was not significant in the preservation of the polyphenols evaluated, except for in rutin and gallic acid, thus, the extracts could be kept at 20 °C.

Comparative analysis on metabolites and gene expression difference of various allelopathic potential rice under weed stress

AbstractIn this study, allelopathic rice ‘PI312777’ (PI) and non‐allelopathic rice ‘Lemont’ (LE) were used to study gene expression related to secondary metabolism and relative metabolites in soil under field conditions with and without weeding. The results showed that the inhibition rates of PI and LE soils to barnyard grass were significantly increased under weed stress. The inhibition rate of phenolic acid extracts in PI rhizosphere soils was significantly higher (p < 0.05) without the weeding treatment than with the weeding treatment; however, it was not significantly different in LE rhizosphere soils. There were no significant differences in the inhibition rates of other soil extracts (terpenoids, alkaloids and fatty acids) of PI and LE in treatments with and without weeding. Under weed stress, six genes (PAL, C4H, F5H, COMT, CCR and CAD) related to phenolic acid metabolism were upregulated in the leaves and roots of PI, while only four of the six genes were upregulated and two genes were downregulated in LE. The genes related to terpenoid metabolism (seven genes), alkaloid metabolism (three genes) and fatty acid metabolism (two genes) were upregulated in the roots and leaves of PI and LE under weed stress, but the differences were not significant. These results suggest that the increase in phenolic acids in the presence of weeds under field conditions contributed the majority of the inhibition effect in rice allelopathy.

Black tea kombucha: Physicochemical, microbiological and comprehensive phenolic profile changes during fermentation, and antimalarial activity

This study shows the changes in physicochemical and microbiological composition, and in the phenolic profile of black tea kombucha during fermentation. In addition, the antimalarial potential of the kombucha was evaluated. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry multiplex analysis (UPLC-MSE) results revealed a 1.7 log2 fold-change increase in phenolics with the fermentation time, with emphasis on the increase of phenolic acids (0.3 log2 fold-change). Over time there was degradation of flavonoids such as nepetin, hesperidin and catechin 5-O-gallate, to the detriment of the increase in phenolic acids such as gallic acid and cinnamic acid. In addition, black tea kombucha presented antiplasmodic activity against the 3D7 (sensitive chloroquine) and W2 (resistant to chloroquine) strains. Therefore, important changes in the black tea kombucha phenolic profile take place during fermentation, which may help in the development of kombuchas with higher bioactive potential and contribute to a better understanding of the kombucha fermentation process.

In vitro digestion and colonic fermentation of an Alicante Bouschet (Vitis vinifera L.) skin extract

The grape skin extract obtained from Alicante Bouschet (Vitis vinifera L.) presented anthocyanins (396 mg/L), phenolic acids (76 mg/L) and flavanols (63 mg/L). After in vitro digestion and colonic fermentation there was a significant reduction of anthocyanins and flavanols but there was an increase of phenolic acids, mainly gallic acid and also a concomitant increase of antioxidant capacity. There was no difference for the microorganisms after 24 h of colonic fermentation but there was a significant increase of acetic acid (p < 0.05). The bioaccessibility of phenolic acids was significantly improved (>100%) and grape skin extract favored the metabolic activity of the microbiota.

In vitro simulated digestion and colonic fermentation of lychee pulp phenolics and their impact on metabolic pathways based on fecal metabolomics of mice.

Lychee pulp phenolics (LPP) was subjected to four simulated gastrointestinal digestions and colonic fermentation to investigate the changes in its phenolic composition and bioactivities; the fecal metabolic profiles of LPP-fed mice were also elucidated using UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. After simulated salivary, gastric and intestinal digestion, slight increases in phenolic acids and (+)-catechin occurred relative to undigested LPP, whereas other flavonoids showed an opposite trend. Unlike the above-described separate simulated digestions, successive gastrointestinal digestion significantly enhanced the release of phenolic compounds (p < 0.05), gallic acid (413.79%), ferulic acid (393.69%), (+)-catechin (570.27%) and rutin (247.54%). During colonic fermentation, ten detected phenolics were utilized by gut microbes, among which procyanidin B2 (22.35%) was the most degraded. LPP fermentation accelerated the production of short-chain fatty acids (122.79%). The metabolic pathways altered by LPP including unsaturated fatty acid, biotin, and nicotinamide metabolism may be the potential regulatory mechanisms and associated with the integrity of the gut barrier. These findings indicate that LPP may act as a promising candidate to protect gut health.

Enhancement of the anti-inflammatory properties of grape pomace treated by Trametes versicolor.

The application of solid-state fermentation for the production of value-added products from the agro- and food-industry residues has been recently investigated greatly. The white-rot basidiomycete Trametes versicolor is a widely used fungi for the degradation lignocellulosic material in solid-state conditions. Grape pomace constitutes the major by-product of Vitis vinifera L. and is a source of compounds with recognized health benefits. In this study, a process for treating grape pomace with Trametes versicolor for 15 days under solid-state conditions was developed, and the phenolic profile and anti-inflammatory potential of the grape pomace extracts before and after treatment was studied. The anti-inflammatory potential of the grape pomace extracts was studied via tests based on the inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase and hyaluronidase, two key enzymes in inflammatory processes. A total of 24 phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by HPLC methods. With the exception of anthocyanins, an increase in phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols and the flavonol rutin was observed after a treatment period of 1-4 days with T. versicolor. Moreover, the increase in the phenolic content was accompanied by an enhancement in the anti-inflammatory activity of the grape pomace extracts, which was confirmed by the strong correlation between them. This is the first study providing evidence of the benefits of the application of fungal-based solid-state fermentation as an environmentally friendly process for the enhancement of the phenolic composition and anti-inflammatory potential of grape pomace, increasing the possibility of profiting from the great waste produced by the grape-processing industry.

The effect of drying temperature on bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of Leccinum scabrum (Bull.) Gray and Hericium erinaceus (Bull.) Pers.

In the study the effect of drying temperature on phenolic and organic acid content, total phenolic content, ergosterol content, antioxidant activity and content of 40 elements in fruiting bodies of Leccinum scabrum and Hericium erinaceus was estimated. The analysis was performed for fresh fruiting bodies and those dried at 20, 40 and 70 °C. Drying resulted in changes in the profile of phenolic and organic acids. Drying generally resulted in losses of the content of total phenolics, ergosterol and antioxidant activity in both species. However, a reduction and an increase of phenolic acids and organic acids were observed. The greatest reduction of the compounds was generally observed at 70 °C. The greatest losses concerned organic acids (some single components and total) (even more than 90% of some compounds). The inhibition of free radicals decreased in the following order: fresh samples > air-dried samples > samples dried at 40 °C > samples dried at 70 °C. The drying temperature affected only selected element contents in fruiting bodies.

Enhancement of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of prickly pear fruits by high hydrostatic pressure: A chemical and microstructural approach

Abstract Prickly pears were submitted to high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) (pressure: 100, 350 and 600 MPa; temperature: 17–34 °C; time: come-up time (CUT) and 5 min) to enhance their health potential by increasing the extractability of bioactive compounds. Phenolics, betalains and ascorbic acid were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and spectrophotometry in peels and in pulps to determine their contribution to in-vitro bowel-related antioxidant (oxygen radical absorbance capacity; ORAC) and anti-inflammatory activities (hyaluronidase inhibition and nitric oxide radical scavenging activity). Antioxidant activity in Pelota and Sanguinos pulps increased 81.1 and 68.2% at 350 MPa/5 min, respectively, and correlated with the increase of phenolic acids, isorhamnetin glucosyl-rhamnosyl-rhamnoside (IG1) and isorhamnetin glucosyl-rhamnoside (IG5). Anti-inflammatory activity increased 85.7 and 117.5% in Pelota and Sanguinos pulps, respectively, at 600 MPa/CUT and correlated with the increase of isorhamnetin glucosyl-rhamnosyl-pentoside (IG2), isorhamnetin glucosyl-pentoside (IG4) and IG5. Industrial relevance Prickly pears are potential sources of low-cost functional foods because they are rich in valuable bioactive compounds. However, these are only partially bioaccessible because they compartmentalized within cellular structures and bound to cell walls. By processing with high hydrostatic pressure, we can obtain fruit products with a higher bioactive content. This potentially enhances bowel-related antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. These results take us one step closer to the prevention of chronical diseases with the consumption of our everyday foods. The use of non-thermal technologies for the enhancement of health potential in vegetable foods could result in a useful tool for the development of the novel foods of the 21st century.

Impact of cooking method on phenolic composition and antioxidant potential of four varieties of Phaseolus vulgaris L. and Glycine max L.

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of different cooking conditions - atmospheric (100 °C) and pressure cooking (115 °C) - on the phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts of four Phaseolus vulgaris varieties and soy (Glycine max). Contrary to soy, in P. vulgaris varieties both cooking methods increased drastically the total phenolic, flavonoid, and ortho-diphenol content, as well as antioxidant capacity. These results were corroborated by HPLC analysis, where an overall increase of phenolic acids and flavonoids was detected in processed samples. However, draining the cooking water significantly decreased phenolic acids, flavonoids and antioxidant activity in all P. vulgaris varieties and as well as soy. The hypothesis that cooking increases the compound accessibility and nutritional value through increased release of phytochemicals was verified in the present study for P. vulgaris varieties. Keeping the cooking water is crucial to the increased nutritional value of all Phaseolus varieties. Overall, compared with the tested varieties of Phaseolus, soy, to which many health benefits are attributed, is not the best legume source of antioxidants.

Favouring NO over H2O2 production will increase Pb tolerance in Prosopis farcta via altered primary metabolism

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) are known in triggering defense functions to detoxify heavy metal stresses. To investigate the relevance of ROS production, Pb treatment (400µM) alone and in combination with 400µM sodium ascorbate (Asc: as H2O2 scavenger) were given to hydroponically grown Prosopis farcta seedlings over a time course of 72h. Data presented here indicate that, the low extent of H2O2 due to scavenging by ascorbate, together with high level of NO improved Pb+Asc- treated Prosopis growth. Following the evoked potential of both the signals, significant increases in phenolic acids; caffeic, ferulic and salicylic acid were observed with Pb treatment; which are consistent with observed increase in lignin content and consequently with growth inhibition. In contrast, Pb+Asc treatment induced more flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin), diminished phenolic acids contents and also lignin. Elicited expression rate of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase gene (PAL) and also its enzymatic activity verified the induced phenylpropanoid metabolism by Pb and Pb+Asc treatments. In comparison with Pb stress, Asc+Pb application induced the high expression of arginine decarboxylase gene (ADC), in polyamines biosynthesis pathway, and conducted the N flow towards polyamines and γ-amino butyric acid (GABA). Examining the impact on enzyme activities, catalase, and guaiacol peroxidase; Pb+Asc reduced activity but this increased ascorbate peroxidase, and aconitase activity. Our observations are consistent with conditions favouring NO production and reduced H2O2 can improve Pb tolerance via wide-ranging effects on a primary metabolic network.

Effect of processing technologies and storage conditions on stability of black currant juices with special focus on phenolic compounds and sensory properties.

Juice was pressed from black currants without enzyme treatment (NEB=Non-Enzymatic Berry) followed by re-pressing of the residue with enzymes (EPR=Enzymatic Press Residue) and the results were compared to the conventional enzyme-aided berry pressing (EB=Enzymatic Berry). EPR-juice had 9- and 5-fold higher contents of phenolic compounds compared with the NEB- and EB-juices, respectively. Effect of the low content and stability of phenolics was noticed as loss of the visual color in the NEB-juice during storage. The decrease in monomeric anthocyanins and the increase in phenolic acids were most severe in the NEB-juice, whereas the most significant decline in hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives occurred in the enzyme-treated juices. Storage in light induced less change in the phenolic composition in EPR-juice than in the two other juices. The study gave new knowledge on changes in individual metabolites, in sensory properties and in the shelf life of berry juices.

Influence of canopy-applied chitosan on the composition of organic cv. Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon berries and wines

The effects of canopy-applied chitosan on grapes and derived wine were evaluated in an organically managed mature vineyard. The experiment was performed on Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon red grape cultivars, the application of a chitosan solution was compared to water spraying. Each treatment was applied 3 times (beginning and end of veraison, and pre-harvest) in a randomized block experimental design. Significant differences in (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin and procyanidin B2 amounts in berries and wines were detected in Cabernet Sauvignon but not in Sangiovese. Chitosan did not influence the berry skin anthocyanin and flavonol amount or t-resveratrol concentration in both skins and wines. A considerable increase in γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), together with some other amino acids, ammonium and amines was observed in the berry flesh of cv. Cabernet Sauvignon. The increase in phenolic acids and nitrogenous compounds, especially GABA, in the pulp of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes suggests changes in stress response.

Modulation of Pb-induced stress in Prosopis shoots through an interconnected network of signaling molecules, phenolic compounds and amino acids

Lead (Pb) is a hazardous heavy metal present in the environment which elicits oxidative stress in plants. To characterize the physiological and biochemical basis of Pb tolerance, Prosopis farcta seedlings were exposed to Hoagland's solutions at six different Pb concentrations (0, 80, 160, 320, 400 and 480 μM) for different periods of time. As expected, application of Pb significantly increased hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content. In response, P. farcta deployed the antioxidative defence mechanisms with significantly higher activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), enzymes related to H2O2 removal, and also the increases in proline as a solute marker of stress. Increases were observed in nitric oxide (NO) production which could also act in triggering defense functions to detoxify Pb. Enhanced phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity at early days of exposure to Pb was correlated with increases in phenolic compounds. Significant increases in phenolic acids and flavonoids; daidzein, vitexin, ferulic acid and salicylic acid were observed with Pb treatment. Furthermore, the stress effects were followed by changes in free amino acid content and composition. Aspartic acid and glycine content was increased but glutamic acid significantly decreased. It is likely that stress signal transduction by NO and H2O2 mediated defence responses to Pb by coordination of antioxidative system and metabolic pathways of phenylpropanoid and amino acids.

Role of allene oxide cyclase in the regulation of rice phenolic acids synthesis and allelopathic inhibition on barnyardgrass

Jasmonic acid (JA) and methyl jasmonate are important endogenous signal molecules that can induce plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Allene oxide cyclase (AOC) is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of jasmonates. Here, in order to evaluate the correlation between AOC transcript level and the allelopathic potential of rice, gene expression of AOC was genetic operated in allelopathic rice PI312777 and non-allelopathic rice Lemont, using RNA interference (RNAi) and overexpression (OX) techniques respectively. An increase in endogenous JA was found in AOC-OX rice, and the transcript levels of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, cinnamate-4-hydroxylase, hydroxylase, CoA-ligases, O-methyltransferases, and cinnamoyl alcohol dehydrogenases, which are involved in phenolic acid synthesis, were also up-regulated in AOC-OX transgenic rice when compared with those of the wild type. Higher accumulation of protocatechuic acid, p-hydroxy benzoic acid, ferulic acid, benzoic acid, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoicacid, and cinnamic acid content were found in the AOC-OX transgenic line. The increase of phenolic acids in the AOC-OX transgenic lines led to enhanced inhibitory rates on barnyardgrass, whereas the reverse was true in the AOC-RNAi transgenic line. The results suggest that AOC can regulate the synthesis of rice phenolic acids and thus allelopathic inhibition on barnyardgrass.

Faecal microbial metabolism of olive oil phenolic compounds: in vitro and in vivo approaches.

In the present study, the individual colonic metabolism of the main components of the virgin olive oil phenolic fraction was evaluated by an in vitro model using human faecal microbiota. To assess differences in metabolism related to the molecular structure, four phenolic standards were selected, tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, hydroxytyrosol acetate and oleuropein. After studying the in vitro colonic metabolism pathways of the individual phenols, the presence of their colonic metabolites was investigated in human faecal samples obtained before and after the sustained intake (3 weeks) of a daily dose of 25 mL of a phenol-enriched olive oil. The in vitro colon fermentation of the four individual phenolic compounds revealed (i) an increase in phenolic acids, (ii) the stability of hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol and (iii) the high degradation of hydroxytyrosol acetate and oleuropein. Additionally, a moderate intake of a phenol-rich olive oil raised the concentration in human faeces of free hydroxytyrosol and phenylacetic and phenylpropionic acids. The products of colonic catabolism of olive oil phenolic compounds could be good candidates for novel preventive strategies and open a promising line of research into the preventive action of olive oil phenols in colon and other bowel diseases.

Antioxidative responses in Vitis vinifera infected by grapevine fanleaf virus

The antioxidative response of grapevine leaves (Vitis vinifera cv. Trebbiano) affected by the presence of grapevine fanleaf virus was studied during the summer of 2010 at three different harvest times (July 1st and 26th, and August 30th). At the first and second harvest, infected leaves showed increases in the concentration of superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide, the latter increasing for enhanced activity of superoxide dismutase. In contrast, at the last harvest time, increases in the ascorbate pool and ascorbate peroxidase activity maintained hydrogen peroxide to control levels. The glutathione pool was negatively affected as summer progressed, showing a decrease in its total and reduced form amounts. At the same time, increases in the ascorbate pool were observed, making antioxidant defenses of grapevine effective also at the last harvest time. Increases in phenolic acids, and in particular in p-hydroxybenzoic acid, at the first and second harvest might have enhanced the efficiency of the antioxidant system through an interrelation between a peroxidase/phenol/ascorbate system and the NADPH/glutathione/ascorbate cycle. The lack of increase in p-hydroxybenzoic acid at the third harvest could be due instead to the enhanced utilization of this acid for hydrogen peroxide detoxification. With time, grapevine plants lost their capacity to contrast the spread of grapevine fanleaf virus, but acquired a greater ability to counteract pathogen-induced oxidative stress, being endowed with more reduced antioxidant pools.

Comparative Fingerprint and Extraction Yield of Medicinal Herb Phenolics with Hepatoprotective Potential, as Determined by UV-Vis and FT-MIR Spectroscopy

The present study was aimed to compare the polyphenolic composition of six medicinal herbs, from wild flora of Romania. The plants investigated, Cynara scolimus (artichoke), Taraxacum officinalis (dandelion), Chelidonium majus (celandine), Hypericum perforatum (St. John’s wort), Silybum marianum (Mary thistle) and Lycopodium clavatum (Wolf’s claw) are known, to have hepatoprotective action. Using in parallel glycerol-water, ethanol-water and methanol, the solvent-dependence of the extract fingerprint and composition in bioactive molecules was studied by UV-Vis and Infrared (FT-MIR) spectrometry. The extraction yields, calculated as an extraction factor (EF) were superior in acidic methanol comparative to glycerin and ethanol, favorising the increase in phenolic acids against flavonoid derivatives . Based on the differences of polarity between the three solvents used, higher EF values were obtained for dandelion, artichoke, celandine and St. John wort, more rich in phenolic acids than flavonoids. Mary thistle and Wolf’s claw had lower concentrations of phenolics, but higher content of lignans and terpenoids. Based on the FT-MIR peaks from 8 regions, for each plant extract, has been determined the fingerprint region between 900 and 1500 cm-1and identified the specific functional groups. A good, significant correlation was found between the concentration of total phenolics calculated by UV-Vis spectrometry and FTIR methods, after calibration with gallic acid. The value of the MIR signal at 1743 cm-1 may be considered a good indicator of phenolics concentration in such extracts. Combined UV-Vis and FTIR spectroscopy are recommended as rapid and reliable tools to investigate the fingerprint and to predict the composition of medicinal plants or to evaluate the quality and authenticity of different standardized formulas.