Phytochemical Composition and Bioactive Potential of Melissa officinalis L., Salvia officinalis L. and Mentha spicata L. Extracts

Abstract

Plants are rich in bioactive phytochemicals that often display medicinal properties. These can play an important role in the production of health-promoting food additives and the replacement of artificial ones. In this sense, this study aimed to characterise the polyphenolic profile and bioactive properties of the decoctions, infusions and hydroethanolic extracts of three plants: lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.), sage (Salvia officinalis L.) and spearmint (Mentha spicata L.). Total phenolic content ranged from 38.79 mg/g extract to 84.51 mg/g extract, depending on the extract. The main phenolic compound detected in all cases was rosmarinic acid. The results highlighted that some of these extracts may have the ability to prevent food spoilage (due to antibacterial and antifungal effects) and promote health benefits (due to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacities) while not displaying toxicity against healthy cells. Furthermore, although no anti-inflammatory capacity was observed from sage extracts, these stood out for often displaying the best outcomes in terms of other bioactivities. Overall, the results of our research provide insight into the potential of plant extracts as a source of active phytochemicals and as natural food additives. They also support the current trends in the food industry of replacing synthetic additives and developing foods with added beneficial health effects beyond basic nutrition.

In vitro antimicrobial activity of extracts and essential oils ofCinnamomum,Salvia, andMenthaspp. against foodborne pathogens: A meta‐analysis study

“…Our findings are consistent with the results of the study conducted by Silva et al. (2023), which also showed that the determination method can affect the inhibitory activity of plant extracts against specific bacterial strains. These results suggest that the choice of determination method should be carefully considered when assessing the inhibitory activity of plant extracts against specific bacterial strains to ensure accurate and reliable results.…”

“…This finding suggests that the antimicrobial effects of these extracts and EOs were comparable regardless of the determination method used. A recent study by Silva et al (2023) revealed that the method employed to determine the MIC had a substantial impact on the results obtained for oregano extracts and EOs in models adjusted for L. monocytogenes and S. aureus . In contrast, no noteworthy variation in the results was observed for Syzygium aromaticum and Citrus spp.…”

“…How to cite this article: Ezzaky, Y., Elmoslih, A., Silva, B. N., Bonilla-Luque, O. M., Possas, A., Valero, A., Cadavez, V., Gonzales-Barron, U., & Achemchem, F. (2023). In vitro antimicrobial activity of extracts and essential oils of Cinnamomum, Salvia, and Mentha spp.…”

“…Previous studies have employed regression analysis to compare and correlate outcomes obtained through various methods (Bruin et al, 2013;DeCross et al, 1993;Gaudreau & Gilbert, 1997;Steward et al, 1999). However, to the best of our knowledge, only one study by Silva et al (2023) utilized meta-analysis to investigate the correlation between ID and MIC measurements of extracts and EOs derived from Syzygium aromaticum, Citrus L. and Origanum L. Therefore, there is a critical need to fill the gap in knowledge regarding the lack of studies that have explored the relationship between ID and MIC. The findings of this research will contribute to a better understanding of the antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) and aid in the interpretation of the results obtained from ID and MIC measurements mainly for natural/or plant antimicrobials.…”

The Valorisation of Melissa officinalis Distillation By-Products for the Production of Polyphenol-Rich Formulations

“…The infusions obtained by Barros et al [ 11 ] (1 g powder mixed with 200 mL boiling water, for 5 min) recovered rosmarinic acid at a level of 55.68 mg/g dried extract. Silva et al [ 12 ], who prepared infusions of lemon balm in a similar way (2 g powder mixed with 200 mL boiling water, for 5 min), obtained rosmarinic acid in the range of 34.41–41.71 mg/g dried extract.…”