TOTAL PHENOLIC AND FLAVONOID CONTENTS AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF CACHRYS CRISTATA DC. EXTRACTS

The total phenolic/flavonoid contents and antioxidant potential of the methanol, ethyl-acetate, acetone and water extracts obtained from the aerial parts and fruits of Cachrys cristata DC. (Apiaceae) were compared. The total phenolic contents of the tested extracts were determined using Folin-Ciocalteu's reagent. The amounts per g of dry plant extract of gallic acid (GA) and quercetin (Qu) ranged between 22.60-166.97 mg, and 8.91-46.02 mg, respectively. The antioxidant activity, expressed as IC50, ranged from 1.784-17.621 mg/mL and from 1.01-3.42 mg L(+)-ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)/g when tested with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ABTS, respectively. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts was investigated by the microwell dilution assay, for the most common human gastrointestinal pathogenic bacterial strains: Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027, Salmonella enteritidis ATCC 13076, Bacillus cereus ATCC 10876, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC15313, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and yeast Candida albicans ATCC 10231. The results indicate that C. cristata can be regarded as a potential source of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents.