Determination of the Total Phenolic Content, Antioxidant Activity and Cytotoxicity of Selected Aromatic Herbs

Aromatic plants used as culinary herbs contain phytochemicals with distinct properties affecting the population that utilizes them, yet there is still insufficient data on their bioactive profile. The present study investigated the antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of five aromatic herbs: Allium schoenoprasum L. (ASPR), Allium ursinum L. (AUR), Anthriscus cerefolium L. Hoffm. (ACH), Capsicum annuum L. var. annuum (CAF) and Foeniculum vulgare Mill (FVH). Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were determined by Folin- Ciocalteu method and AlCl3 method. Antioxidant activity of the extracts was examined by 2,2’-diphenyl-1-pycrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), Non- site-specific-degradation (NSSOH) and Site-specific-deoxyribose-degradation (SSOH) assays. The cytotoxicity of the extracts was evaluated by Brine shrimp lethality assay (BSLA). Considerable variations were observed for TPC values from 65.03 to 253.74 mg GAE/g crude extract and TFC values from 8.02 to 49.58 mg QE/g crude extract. Highest quantity of total polyphenols and flavonoids was measured in CAF, which also demonstrated strong radical scavenging ability, reducing power and chelating activity. ACH showed lower amount of polyphenols and weak antioxidant activity. Obtained LC50 values by BSLA revealed strong cytotoxicity for CAF, moderate for FVH and ASPR, weak cytotoxicity for AUR, while ACH caused no toxic effects against the shrimps