Phenolic Acids Investigation and <i>In Vitro</i> Antioxidant and Antiacetylcholinesterase Potential of <i>Galeopsis</i> spp. (<i>Lamiaceae</i>) from Romania Flora
Listed in
This article is not in any list yet, why not save it to one of your lists.Abstract
Background/Objectives: Galeopsis spp. (Lamiaceae) are widely distributed across extensive areas in Romania, being used mainly for their sedative, neuroprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, astringent and diuretic properties. The paper reports, for the first time, the investigation of total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and phenolic acids profile in roots, aerial parts and leaves from three wild-grown Galeopsis spp. (G. bifida Boenn., G. speciosa Mill. and G. tetrahit L.), along with their . Methods: Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/ultraviolet/mass spectrometry (HPLC/UV/MS) method was used for the identification and quantification of key phenolic acids. The spectrophotometric method was applied for the determination of TPC, TFC, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activities, and also ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) was employed for the assessment of in situ antioxidant (DPPH assay) and AChE inhibitory potential. Results: Galeopsis spp. significantly contributes to polyphenol accumulation. Chlorogenic acid was the most abundant compound, with the highest levels detected in G. tetrahit leaves, followed by G. tetrahit aerial parts and G. speciosa leaves. G. tetrahit consistently showed the highest antioxidant potential, followed by G. speciosa, while G. bifida exhibited the weakest activity. AChE inhibition activity increases progressively from roots to aerial parts to leaves, with leaves consistently exhibiting the strongest inhibitory effects across all Galeopsis spp. Conclusions: Our study provides novel and valuable insights into the bioactivity of Galeopsis spp., a group of plants that has been largely overlooked in phytochemical and pharmacological research.