Comparison of the antioxidant activity and total phenolic contents in some species of Lamiaceae family

Antioxidant compounds in food play an important role as a health protecting factor. In this study, The methanolic extracts of the aerial parts of nine Lamiaceae species: Mentha spicata L., Mentha aquatica L., Mentha piperita L., Stachys byzantina K.Koch, Marrubium vulgare L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Salvia officinalis L., Thymus vulgaris L. and Melissa officinalis L. were investigated for their antioxidant activity and total phenolic and flavonoid content using DPPH and Folin-Ciocalteu and potassium chloride assays respectively. The IC₅₀ of the methanolic extracts ranged between 42.67–489.97µg/ml, total phenolic content were between 38.27–59.14 mgGAEg^-1dw. R. officinalis and M. vulgare showed the most content of antioxidant activity. There was a direct correlation between total phenol and antioxidant activity which indicates that polyphenols are the main antioxidants.