Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of Salvia officinalis L. cultivated in Georgia

The chemical composition of the leaves of Salvia officinalis cultivated in Georgia has been investigated. The essential oil tops 1.1% consisting mainly of 1,8-cineole (17.5%), α-thujone (31.6%) and β-thujone (17.6%). Six flavonoids and five phenylpropanoids were found in the water and water-ethanolic extracts of the leaves. Rosmarinic acid, luteolin, luteolin-7-β-D-glucuronide, cinaroside (luteolin-7-β-D-glucoside), vicenin-2 (apigenin 6,8-di-C-D-glucoside) were isolated and the presence of choline was identified. Microelemental composition looks as follows: K (0.4%), Na (0.007%), Fe (0.053%), Cu (0.002%), Mn (0.018%), Zn (0.003%), and Ni (0.02%) [1–3].

Antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated in-vitro and in-vivo (Table) using TBARs method where malondialdehyde (MDA, a product of lipid peroxidation) is expressed as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs) and spectrophotometrically detected in serum [4]. Data were processed statistically (SPSS 12.0).

Antioxidant activity of Salvia officinalis leaves water extract

* – p<0.01 vs. control
	MDA concentration (µmol/l; mean±SD, n=10)
	in vitro	in vivo
Control	5.13±0.16	9.4±0.21
Salvia officinalis water extract	3.41±0.09 *	6.8±0.12 *

On the basis of chemical and biological investigations the biologically active alimentary additive „Salbin“ has been elaborated.

References: [1] Sagareishvili T. et al. (2000), Chem. Nat. Compounds, 36: 360–361. [2] Sagareishvili T. et al. (2006), Georgia Chem. J., 6: 557–559. [3] Sagareishvili T., Bostoganashili M. et al. (2006), Georgia Chem. J., 6: 560–561. [4] Turpeinen, A. et al. (1995), Lipids, 30: 485–492.