Identification and quantification of phenolic compounds of Tunisian rosmarinus officinalis L.

Abstract

The total phenolic contents in extracts of rosemary plants was determined. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to identify and quantify the phenolic compounds of Rosmarinus officinalis L. Eleven different compounds (gallic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, rosmarinic acid, coumaric acid, carnosol, carnosic acid, hesperidin, luteolin, apigenin and genkwanin) were identified and quantified. HPLC analysis led to the identification of rosmarinic acid, carnosol and carnosic acid as the major compounds of R. officinalis L. methanolic extracts. Therefore, supplementing a balanced diet with herbs may have beneficial health effects. Rosemary extracts obtained by HPLC analysis were shown to be promising with regard to their incorporation into various foods, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products.