Abstract

This investigation dealt with the determination of the content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, anthocyanins, tannins and in vitro antioxidant activity of the ethanol extract of the leaves of Globularia alypum. The physicochemical characteristics of the leaf powder of Globularia alypum such as metabolic energy, mineral element and organic matter were evaluated. Fatty acid content was determined using gas chromatography. This investigation appeared to be the first to report the analysis of the leaf powder, ethanol extracts of G. alypum L. In this study dried extracts, ashes, proteins, crude fat fibre, percent sugar, metabolic energy and minerals such as calcium, sodium and potassium were quantified. The ethanol extract of the leaf had shown antioxidant activity and a high percentage of polyphenols and flavonoids (180.5±2.1 mg Globularia alypum extracts/g and 20.7 mg QE/g). A high correlation was observed between the total phenolic and flavonoid content and the antioxidant activity (R²=0.943 and R²=0.910, respectively). Gas chromatographic analysis showed the presence of 13 acids in this extract, mainly linoleic acid (30.1 %) and linolenic acid (24.8 %). The leaf powder of this plant is considered as a source of mineral elements even though, it is full of fatty acids in comparison to proteins and sugar. The ethanol extract of the leaf of Globularia alypum could be considered as a source of polyphenols and as an extract with potential antioxidant activity.