SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC EVALUATION OF FLAVONOIDS, PHENOLCARBOXYLIC ACIDS AND TOTAL PHENOLIC CONTENTS OF SEVERAL INDIGENOUS HERBAL PRODUCTS WITH POTENTIAL HEPATOPROTECTIVE EFFECT

Abstract

Chronic liver diseases (CLD) are leading causes of morbidity worldwide. Current evidence highlights the beneficial properties associated to polyphenols in CLD, due to their antioxidant activity. Therefore, the aim of our study was the evaluation of phenolic content of several indigenous herbal products (agrimony, cichory and dandelion aerial parts; artichoke and rosemary leaves), in view of obtaining a phytomedicine with hepatoprotective effect. Flavonoids, phenolcarboxylic acids and total phenolic contents were assessed by means of spectrophotometric methods using different solvents (70% ethanol, 50% ethanol, 20% ethanol and water). Agrimony aerial parts and rosemary leaves showed the highest flavonoids (1.17 g rutin/100 g dried herbal product and 1.27 g rutin/100 g dried herbal product) and phenolcarboxylic acids contents (6.55 g chlorogenic acid/100 g dried herbal product and 5.67 g chlorogenic acid/100 g dried herbal product). Moreover, according to our results, 50% ethanol provided the optimal extraction of phenolic compounds for all analysed herbal products, except for dandelion aerial parts, for which 20% ethanol was the best extraction solvent. Analysed herbal products are a source of phenolic compounds. Nevertheless, the solvent is a key factor that greatly influences the phenolic content.