Micromeria myrtifolia: The influence of the extracting solvents on phenolic composition and biological activity

Currently, there is much interest in using the active compounds that exist in plants as natural treatments. The pharmaceutical industry is also looking for novel chemical compounds from natural sources that do not have side effects. The purpose of this study was to identify the antioxidant and enzymatic inhibition activities of different extracts (ethyl acetate, methanol and water) of Micromeria myrtifolia from Turkey. The phenolic constituents in the extracts were also identified using liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. The methanol and water extracts were rich in rosmarinic, syringic, chlorogenic, caffeic, and protocatechuic acids, while rosmarinic acid and apigenin were the main compounds in the ethyl acetate extract. Hence, the water extract showed the highest antioxidant activity and total phenol and flavonoid contents, followed by those of the methanol extract. However, inhibition of alpha-amylase and tyrosinase was the most efficient in the methanol extract. The results of this study demonstrate that M. myrtifolia has significant potential as an antioxidant and inhibitor of tyrosinase and alpha-amylase. Consequently, it could be considered a valuable resource for the food and cosmetics industries.