LC-MS/MS Profiles and In Vitro Biological Activities of Extracts of an Endemic Species from Turkey: Stachys cretica ssp. anatolica

Abstract

<i>Background</i>: Genus <i>Stachys</i> is one of the largest of the <i>Lamiaceae</i> family, having around 300 different plant species inhabiting areas with temperate and warm climates. The <i>Stachys</i> species in Turkey are represented with 81 taxa; 51 of them being endemic. Plants of the <i>Stachys</i> genus have been known for their biological activity and their use in ethnomedicine. <i>Methods</i>: The dominant components of <i>S. cretica</i> ssp. <i>anatolica</i> aqueous and methanol extracts were studied with the LC-MS/MS technique. <i>Results</i>: Chlorogenic acid, apigenin-7-glucoside and verbascoside present as the dominant polyphenols found in studied extracts. The prominent biological activity of the studied <i>S. cretica</i> ssp. <i>anatolica</i> methanol and aqueous extracts showed strong antioxidant activity and inhibition of enzymes tyrosinase and α-amylase, involved in skin disorders and diabetes mellitus type II. <i>Conclusions</i>: This study has proven that the aqueous and methanol extracts of <i>S. cretica</i> ssp. <i>anatolica</i> have prominent antioxidant activity, due to a high abundance of polyphenols. The strong antioxidant properties of <i>S. cretica</i> ssp. <i>anatolica</i> extracts show promising application for the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics industries.