The Essential Oil of Salvia rosmarinus Spenn. from Italy as a Source of Health-Promoting Compounds: Chemical Profile and Antioxidant and Cholinesterase Inhibitory Activity

Abstract

The chemical composition of the essential oil from Salvia rosmarinus Spenn. collected in Calabrian Ionian (R1) and Tyrrhenian (R2) coast (Southern Italy) was examined by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Essential oils are mainly characterized by monoterpene hydrocarbons (39.32–40.70%) and oxygenated monoterpenes (36.08-39.47%). The 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, camphor, and trans-caryophyllene are the most representative compounds. S. rosmarinus essential oils were investigated for their antioxidant activity by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing ability power (FRAP), and β-carotene bleaching tests. Additionally, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activity assays were used to screen the neuroprotective effects of S. rosmarinus. R2 showed the highest antioxidant potential as confirmed by relative antioxidant capacity index (RACI) and exhibited a selective activity against AChE (half maximal inhibitory concentration, IC50, value of 41.86 μg/mL). These results suggest S. rosmarinus essential oil as a potential source of bioactive compounds.

Concentration of Bioactive Phenolic Compounds in Olive Mill Wastewater by Direct Contact Membrane Distillation

“…The β-carotene bleaching test was done following the method previously described [ 49 ]. A solution of β-carotene, linoleic acid, and Tween 20, was prepared and added to a 96-well microplate containing samples at concentrations ranging from 2.5 to 100 μg/mL.…”

“…The radical scavenging ability of our samples were investigated by the ABTS test [ 49 ]. In brief, a solution of ABTS radical cation and potassium persulfate was prepared and stored at 25 °C for 12 h. Then, this solution was diluted with ethanol, read to obtain an absorbance of 0.70 at 734 nm, and added to samples at concentrations ranging from 1 to 400 μg/mL.…”

“…In this assay, a ethanolic solution of DPPH 0.25 mM and samples at different concentrations in the range 1–1000 μg/mL were prepared, shaken, and incubated at room temperature for 30 min [ 49 ]. The positive control was ascorbic acid.…”

“…The absorbance was measured at 595 nm after 30 min of incubation at room temperature. Samples were tested at the concentration of 2.5 mg/mL and the positive control was butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) [ 49 ].…”

Salvia officinalis L. from Italy: A Comparative Chemical and Biological Study of Its Essential Oil in the Mediterranean Context

“…The chemical composition of S. officinalis EOs was investigated using a Hewlett-Packard gas chromatograph (Agilent, Milan, Italy) equipped with an HP-5 capillary column (30 m × 0.25 mm, 0.25 μm), associated with a Hewlett-Packard mass spectrometer (Agilent, Milan, Italy) (GC-MS) using electron impact ionization (EI) carried out at 70 eV as previously reported [ 58 ]. Helium was used as carrier gas.…”