Characterization of the Biological Activity and Phenolics in Achillea lycaonica

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to comparatively evaluate for the first time the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiurease effects of A. lycaonica extracts obtained using three extraction methods and five solvents followed by identification of the phenolic compounds obtained by Soxhlet extraction with ethyl acetate and maceration with chloroform that showed the highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents with antioxidant and antiurease activity. The phenolic compounds were identified to be chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, dicaffeoylquinic acid, salicylic acid, luteolin, quercetin, naringenin, apigenin, and 8-hydroxy- salvigenin. Among the solvent extraction procedures, Soxhlet approach was found to have higher recoveries than other approaches. The results of 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays showed that the 1: 1 ethanol-water Soxhlet, ethanol ultrasonic bath, and ethyl acetate Soxhlet extraction methods had the highest DPPH antioxidant activities. The ethyl acetate Soxhlet extraction method showed the highest 2, 2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline- 6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) antioxidant activity. In addition, the chloroform maceration extraction method exhibited the highest antiurease activity. Therefore, 1: 1 Soxhlet ethanol-water, ultrasonic bath ethanol, and Soxhlet ethyl acetate extracts may be used in medicine and food production as natural antioxidant sources. In addition, maceration with chloroform may provide a potential antiurease agent.