GeneralUV spectra were recorded on Shimadzu U.V.-1700 spectrophotometer (Japan). EI/MS spectra on Shimadzu GC-MS-QP5050A. 1 H-and 13 C-NMR spectral analyses were carried out using Bruker (Switzerland) at 400 and 100 MHz, respectively. Rotatory evaporator (Büchi,Germany). Heidolph U.V lamp U.V.P.,GL-58 (λ max 254 and 365nm), ammonia and anisaldhyde sulfuric acid as visualizing agents for TLC. Circulating hot air oven (W.T-binder 7200, Germany).Silica gel column (5 x 120 cm), Sephadex LH 20 (Fluka AG, Buchs SG).Pre-coated TLC plates (silica gel 60, GF 254 , 60-250 mesh), Merck, Germany. Infrared spectral analysis were recorded in potassium bromide disks on a PyeUnicam SP 3000 and IR spectrophotometer of Alpha (100523), Jasko, FT/IR-460 plus, Japan. Melting point apparatus, Digital, electro-thermal LTD (England).

Salvia hispanica L. is an annual herbaceous plant commonly known as “Chia”. It has been recommended for therapeutic use because of its use as an excellent source of fatty acids, protein, dietary fibers, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. A literature survey concerning phytochemical and biological investigations of chia extracts revealed less attention towards the non-polar extracts of S. hispanica L. aerial parts, which motivates us to investigate their phytochemical constituents and biological potentials. The phytochemical investigation of the non-polar fractions of S. hispanica L. aerial parts resulted in the tentative identification of 42 compounds using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis with the isolation of β-sitosterol (1), betulinic acid (2), oleanolic acid (3), and β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucoside (4). GLC-MS analysis of the seeds’ oil showed a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acid, with a percentage of 35.64% of the total fatty acid content in the seed oil. The biological results revealed that the dichloromethane fraction showed promising DPPH radical-scavenging activity (IC50 = 14.73 µg/mL), antidiabetic activity with significant inhibition of the α-amylase enzyme (IC50 673.25 μg/mL), and anti-inflammatory activity using in vitro histamine release assay (IC50 61.8 μg/mL). Furthermore, the dichloromethane fraction revealed moderate cytotoxic activity against human lung cancer cell line (A-549), human prostate carcinoma (PC-3), and colon carcinoma (HCT-116) with IC50s 35.9 ± 2.1 μg/mL, 42.4 ± 2.3 μg/mL, and 47.5 ± 1.3 μg/mL, respectively, and antiobesity activity with IC50 59.3 μg/mL, using pancreatic lipase inhibitory assay. In conclusion, this study’s findings not only shed light on the phytochemical constituents and biological activities of the non-polar fractions of chia but also should be taken as a basis for the future in vivo and clinical studies on the safety and efficacy of chia and its extracts. Further study should be focused towards the isolation of the active principles of the dichloromethane fraction and studying their efficacy, exact mechanism(s), and safety, which could benefit the pharmaceutical industry and folk medicine practitioners who use this plant to cure diseases.

The macro-and micro-morphological characters of leaf, petiole, stem, calyx, corolla, androecium, gynoecium, seed and root of Salvia hispanica L. are presented with their diagnostic elements by which the plant can be easily identified in both entire and powdered form. The fascinating thing during the current research is the determination of the presence of different types of non-glandular and glandular trichomes in different organs, also the epidermal cells of leaves and seeds contain mucilage content, the stem contains pericyclic fibers and the root is covered by metaderm layer.