Phenolic substance contents and biological activities of Verbascum insulare boiss. & heldr. extracts

In the present study, 17 different phenolic contents of Verbascum insulare Boiss. & Heldr. ethanolic leaf (LEtOH), aqueous leaf pure (LPW), ethanolic root (REtOH) and aqueous root pure (RPW) extracts were determined by HPLC. Moreover, their antimicrobial, antioxidant and DNA protective activities were identified. Curcumin and salicylic acid were not detected in V. insulare LPW extract, whereas vanillin was not found in RPW extract. The gallic acid and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid presence were not determined in any extract. Based on the results of the biological activity, it was found that the ethanolic extract showed a higher antioxidant and antifungal activity compared to pure aqueous extract and increased the DNA stability. As a result, it may be argued that the biological activity of the ethanolic extract is higher due to the total phenolics compared with the aqueous extract. Since no previous studies were available on the biological activities of this plant, the data obtained in the present study will contribute to future pharmacological studies. © 2019, Romanian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences. All rights reserved