Study of aromatic and medicinal plants as potential natural ingredients for food industry

Abstract

Considering the association of plants consumption and utilization with the treatment of some illnesses and diseases, several aromatic and medicinal plants have been used in traditional and contemporary medicine. This capacity has been proven scientifically and there are numerous studies describing their therapeutic properties in the treatment of inflammatory and cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, among other conditions [1] . The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities have already been studied in a wide variety of plants, which have been shown to contain bioactive molecules effective against pathogenic microorganisms and capable of removing reactive oxygen species formed in cells [2,3]. In this sense, ten aromatic and medicinal plants ( Eucalyptus globulus Labill., Olea europaea L., Melissa officinalis L., Origanum vulgare L., Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Arbutus unedo L., Matricaria recutita L., Thymus vulgaris L., Ocimum vulgare L., and Salvia officinalis L.) were selected to perform an initial screening for the exploration of natural ingredients with bioactive potential. The plant extracts were obtained after ethanolic extraction. The antioxidant activity was evaluated through two in vitro cell-based assays, namely the lipid peroxidation inhibition test (TBARS) and the oxidative hemolysis inhibition test (OxHLIA), and antimicrobial activity was tested by the broth microdilution method, against a panel of bacteria and fungi, selected according to their public health importance. These analyses presented very promising results, showing a high bioactive potential for all plant extracts. In the TBARS assay, E. globulus and O. vulgare stood out with lower EC 50 values, followed by T. vulgaris and S. officinalis . In turn, in the OxHLIA assay, for Δ t 60 min and Δ t 120 min, the excellent antioxidant capacity of S. officinalis and T. vulgaris was also evidenced, respectively. In addition, the evaluation of the antimicrobial activity highlighted the sample of G. glabra , both at the bacterial and fungal levels. Overall, it was possible to prove the great bioactive potential of the E. globulus , O. vulgare , S. officinalis , T. vulgaris and G. glabra extracts, and to highlight them as promising options for exploitation in the food industry.