Work

Temporal Phenolic Profile and Bioactivity of Endemic Salvia transsylvanica (Transylvanian Sage) During Flowering

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Salvia transsylvanica, an endemic Romanian sage, remains understudied despite co-occurrence with validated medicinal Salvia species. In this study, leaves and flowers were harvested weekly during flowering (May and June) and subjected to classical hydroethanolic extraction, HPLC–DAD–ESI/MSn profiling, in vitro antioxidant assays (ABTS, DPPH, FRAP), and enzyme-inhibitory screening, with multivariate analysis correlating compositional patterns with bioactivity. Rosmarinic acid dominated the phenolic profile (68.6 mg/g maximum in week 4), alongside salvianolic acids (salvianolic acid K isomers) and flavonoid glycosides (luteolin, apigenin, and hispidulin hexosides). Leaf extracts displayed higher ABTS/DPPH scavenging (higher phenolic acid content), while flowers showed superior FRAP and α-glucosidase inhibition (IC50 84–143 μg/mL, higher flavonoids), with maximal values being identified during week 4. S. transsylvanica offers complementary antioxidant profiles to commercial sages, warranting future in vivo validation for therapeutic applications.

Source: Antioxidants

DOI: 10.3390/antiox15040417

Authors: Maria-Doroteia Brudiu, Alexandru Nicolescu, Beatriz H. Paschoalinotto, Maria Inês Dias, Gianina Crișan, Andrei Mocan

Institutions: Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Universidade Politécnica de Bragança

Language: English

Topic: Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activities

Subfield: Biochemistry

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,499

Funders: Kansainvälisen Liikkuvuuden ja Yhteistyön Keskus, Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia