Antioxidant activity of Salvia jurisicii Košanin ethanol extracts.

In this study, ethanol extracts (96%, 50%, 30% and 10%) of Salvia jurisicii Kosanin whole plant and different parts (leaves and stems) were investigated for in vitro antioxidant 2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2ʹ-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid diammonium salt (ABTS) free radical-scavenging activity and total phenolic and flavonoid contents. The largest extract yields were obtained from the 50% and 30% leaf extracts (21.22% and 19.85%, respectively). The 50% and 96% ethanol extracts of whole plants showed the highest activities against DPPH radical (97.1 and 100.6 µg/ml, respectively) whereas leaf extracts were superior in the ABTS test (1.76 and 1.65 mg AAE/g, for 96% and 50%, respectively). Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were ranged in similar orders for the various extracts: 96%>50%>30%>10%. Ethanol extracts of leaves were the richest in phenols and flavonoids, followed by the whole plant and stems. A very strong linear correlation between ABTS activity and phenolic content of extracts was established (r=0.932). The results suggest that the herb Salvia jurisicii , particularly the leaves, could be considered as a potential source of natural antioxidants.