Etude phytochimique et évaluation de l’activité antioxydante de l’extrait brut de Satureja candidissima (Munby.) Briq.

Abstract

Satureja candidissima (Munby.). Briq. known as Nabta Elbida, is a medicinal plant of Lamiaceae family, widely used in traditional medicine throughout the Arab world and as a food condiment. This study concerns the phytochemical study and the evaluation of the antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract of this plant. Phytochemical tests reveal the presence of different families of chemical compounds such as tannins, reducing compounds, flavonoids, and polyphenols. The antioxidant activity of the extract is evaluated by two techniques, iron reduction (Ferric reducing antioxidant power or FRAP) and the trapping of the free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The quantitative estimation of flavonoids and total phenols by the colorimetric method showed that the extract is rich in these compounds. The assessment of antioxidant potency using the DPPH free radical trapping method indicated that methanolic extract has considerable antioxidant effectiveness (IC 50 = 6.81 mg/ml) but inferior than ascorbic acid. And even if using the iron reduction method: FRAP (Ferric reducing antioxidant power), the method that is based on the capacity of polyphenols to reduce iron, we also find an anti-iron effectiveness (EC 50 = 2.7 mg/ml), less than ascorbic acid (EC 50 = 0.098 mg/ml)