Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Screening of free radical scavenging capacity and antioxidant activities of Rosmarinus officinalis extracts with focus on location and harvesting times

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
European Food Research and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Methanolic extracts from the leaves of Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) harvested from different locations of Turkey at four different times of the year were analyzed by HPLC, and their radical scavenging capacities and antioxidant activities were studied by various assays. The amounts of carnosol, carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid, active constituents of rosemary, varied in different geographical regions of growth, and also showed a seasonal variation. The levels of the constituents were higher in the warm months of June 2004 and September 2004. The antioxidant activities of 12 extracts were determined by in vitro DPPH radical scavenging activity, by Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and by reversing H2O2-induced erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation (EMLP). The two antioxidant enzyme activities of human erythrocyte, namely superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), after in vitro incubation with the extracts, were also examined in order to see whether the observed effects are related to altered enzymatic efficiency. The resulting values were correlated with active metabolite and total phenol contents of the extracts. The results indicated that the plants harvested in September possessing higher levels of active constituent had superior antioxidant capacities compared to the ones collected at other times. With respect to the location, plants harvested from the Izmir region had lower total phenol and active constituent levels resulting in poorer antioxidant activity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Simonetti P, Pietta P, Testolin G (1997) J Agric Food Chem 45:1152–1155

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Arts MJTJ, Haenen GRMM, Voss HP, Bast A (2001) Food Chem Toxicol 39:787–791

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Aruoma OI (1994) Food Chem Toxicol 32:671–683

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Hertog MGL, Kromhout D, Aravanis C, Blackburn H, Buzina R, Fidanza F, Giampaoli S, Jansen A, Menotti A, Nedeljkovic S, Pekkarinen M, Simic BS, Toshima H, Feskens EJM, Hollman PCH, Katan MB (1995) Arch Intern Med 155:381–386

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Lampe JW (1999) Am J Clin Nutr 70:475S–490S

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Frankel EN, Meyer AS (2000) J Sci Food Agric 80:1925–1941

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Richheimer SL, Bernart MW, King GA, Kent MC, Bailey DT (1996) JAOCS 73(4):507–514

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Frankel EN, Huang SW, Aeschbach R, Prior E (1996) J Agric Food Chem 44:131–135

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Cuvelier ME, Richard H, Berset C, (1996) JAOCS 73(5):645–652

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Sebastian SL, Ramos E, Ibanez E, Bueno JM, Ballester L, Tabera J, Reglero G (1998) J Agric Food Chem 46:13–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Chang SS, Ostric-Matijasevic B, Hsieh OAL, Huang C (1977) J Food Sci 42(4):1102–1106

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Dorman HJD, Peltoketo A, Hiltunen R, Tikkanen MJ (2003) Food Chem 83:255–262

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Amarowicz R, Pegg RB, Moghaddam PR, Barl B, Weil JA (2004) Food Chem 84:551–562

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Re R, Pellegrini N, Proteggente A, Pannala A, Yang M, Rice-Evans C (1999) Free Radic Biol Med 26:1231–1237

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Orhan H, Sahin G (2001) Exp Toxicol Pathol 53(2–3):133–140

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Templar J, Kon SP, Milligan TP, Newman DJ, Raftery MJ (1999) Nephrol Dial Transplant 14(4):946–951

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Orhan H, Marol S, Hepsen IF, Sahin G (1999a) Toxicology 139(3):219–232

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Orhan H, Dogruer DS, Cakır B, Sahin G, Sahin MF (1999b) Exp Toxicol Pathol 51:397–402

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Miller GL (1959) Anal Chem 31:964

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Del Bano MJ, Lorente J, Castillo J, Benavente-Garcia O, Del Rio JA, Ortuno A, Qurin KW, Gerard D (2003) J Agric Food Chem 51:4247–4253

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Hidalgo PJ, Ubera JL, Tena MT, Valcarcel M (1998) J Agric Food Chem 46:2624–2627

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Munne-Bosch S, Alegre L, Schwarz K (2000) Eur Food Res Technol 210:263–267

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Pellegrini N, Serafini M, Colombi B, Del Rio D, Salvatore S, Bianchi M, Brighenti F (2003) Am Soc Nutr Sci 2812–2819

  24. Thorsen MA, Hildebrandt KS (2003) Quantitative determination of phenolic diterpenes in rosemary extracts: Aspects of accurate quantification. J Chromatogr A 995:119–125

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

This project is supported by the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TBAG-2479 (104T078)). Besides NATO grant provided by TUBITAK-BAYG is highly appreciated. Additionally, we would like to thank the Agrotechnology and Food Innovations Institute of Wageningen University for the access of their facilities.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ege University Science and Technology Center, 35100, Bornova-Izmir, Turkey

    O. Yesil-Celiktas

  2. Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, 06100, Ankara, Turkey

    G. Girgin & H. Orhan

  3. Agrotechnology and Food Innovations Institute, Wageningen University, 6700, AA Wageningen, The Netherlands

    H. J. Wichers

  4. Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, 35100, Bornova-Izmir, Turkey

    E. Bedir & F. Vardar-Sukan

Authors
  1. O. Yesil-Celiktas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G. Girgin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H. Orhan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. H. J. Wichers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. E. Bedir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. F. Vardar-Sukan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. Bedir.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yesil-Celiktas, O., Girgin, G., Orhan, H. et al. Screening of free radical scavenging capacity and antioxidant activities of Rosmarinus officinalis extracts with focus on location and harvesting times. Eur Food Res Technol 224, 443–451 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-006-0306-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-006-0306-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation