Implications of the Cultivation of Rosemary and Thyme (Lamiaceae) in Plant Communities for the Development of Antioxidant Therapies

Abstract

Oxidative stress is the most critical factor in multiple functional disorders’ development, and natural antioxidants could protect the human body against it. Our study aims to investigate the polyphenol content of four extracts of two medicinal plants (Rosmarinus officinalis L. and Thymus vulgaris L.) and analyze the correlation with their antioxidant activity. The research was carried out on extracts of rosemary and thyme obtained from species cultivated together in plant communities. Both were compared with extracts from species cultivated in individual crops (control crops). Their polyphenols were determined by spectrophotometric methods (dosage of flavones, phenol carboxylic acids, and total polyphenols) and chromatography (UHPLC–MS and FT–ICR MS). Triterpenic acids were also quantified, having a higher concentration in the thyme extract from the culture. The antioxidant activity of the dry extracts was evaluated in vitro (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP) and in silico (prediction of interactions with BACH1/BACH2 transcription factors). The concentrations of polyphenols are higher in the extracts obtained from the sources collected from the common crops. These observations were also validated following the chromatographic analysis for some compounds. Statistically significant differences in the increase in the antioxidant effect were observed for the extracts from the common batches compared to those from the individual ones. Following the Pearson analysis, the IC50 values for each plant extract were strongly correlated with the concentration of active phytoconstituents. Molecular docking studies revealed that quercetin could bind to BTB domains of BACH1 and BACH2 transcription factors, likely translating into increased antioxidant enzyme expression. Future studies must validate the in silico findings and further investigate phytosociological cultivation’s effects.

Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Potential of Capsicum annuum (L.) Dry Hydro-Ethanolic Extract

“…A heated electrospray ionization (HESI) ion source was used for the ionization in the negative mode [ 8 ]. The ion source parameters were optimized, the nitrogen as sheath, and the auxiliary gas flow rate was set to 8 and 6 units, respectively.…”

“…The absorbance value was measured at λ = 515 nm. The IC 50 value was determined from inhibition curves and their linear equations [ 8 ].…”

Phytochemical Screening and Antibacterial Activity of Commercially Available Essential Oils Combinations with Conventional Antibiotics against Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria

“…1418 by Lumivero (Denver, CO, USA) [ 63 ]. Statistical significance was established at p < 0.05 [ 64 ].…”

Cytotoxicity Analysis and In Silico Studies of Three Plant Extracts with Potential Application in Treatment of Endothelial Dysfunction

“…The correlations between the bioactive constituents of the extracts [ 5 ] and their antioxidant activity (results published in our previous work [ 5 ] and displayed in Supplementary Materials ) and cytotoxicity were determined using Principal Component Analysis performed with XLSTAT 2023.1.4. by Lumivero (Denver, CO, USA) through Pearson correlation [ 25 , 26 ].…”