Investigating the eco-friendly extracts of Salvia pratensis L. for sustainable agricultural applications

Abstract

Salvia pratensis L. extracts boast a rich history in the food, cosmetic, and perfume industries. This study focuses on analyzing the chemical composition of S. pratensis, with emphasis on their phenolic, flavonoid, and rosmarinic acid content. Additionally, the research aims to assess the phytotoxic and antioxidant activities of S. pratensis extracts prepared using a 60 °C water bath and a Soxhlet extractor with different solvents: water, 10%, 30% and 70% alcoholic solutions. The highest dry mass was obtained for the water extract prepared in a water bath at 60 °C. The extraction method significantly impacted the quantity of phenols in the extracts. The extract prepared with 30% alcohol exhibited a notably higher concentration, with 148.4 mg/g DM (dry mass) of total phenols, compared to the aqueous extract which contained only 91.1 mg/g DM. The most evident DPPH• activity was noted in the 30% alcohol extract (DPPH• IC50 = 15.6 µg/mL DM), while the lowest activity was in the water extract (DPPH• IC50 = 37.1 µg/mL DM). The Soxhlet extract prepared with 10% ethanol demonstrated the highest efficacy in phytotoxic activity. In summary, S. pratensis appears to be a promising natural reservoir of secondary metabolites, suggesting potential herbicidal effects.