ABSTRACT
Background: Many members of the genus Satureja L. [Lamiaceae] have interesting pharmacological and biological properties
Objective: In this research, major essential oil [EO] compositions, rosmarinic acid [RA] content, and antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the leaf extracts of nine Satureja species [S. bachtiarica, S. mutica, S. sahandica, S. macrantha, S. atropatana, S. edmondi, S. spicigera, S. isophylla and S. intermedia] were assessed
Methods: The chemical composition of EO was determined using Gas Chromatography [GC] and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry [GC-MS] analysis. RA content of the extract was detected using a High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography [HPTLC] method, and the 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydracyl hydrate [DPPH] radical scavenging procedure was used to study of antioxidant capacity
Results: According to the analytical results, EO of the most samples were mainly composed of p-cymene, gamma-terpinene, thymol, and carvacrol. There was a wide variability for RA content among the studied species ranging from 0.03 mg g[-1] RA [S. sahandica] to 1.11 mg g[-1] RA [S. isophylla]. The lowest IC[50] in the radical scavenging assay was shown by S. sahandica extracts as compared to the other samples. This activity was followed by S. spicigera and S. edmondi. The minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] varied from 0.06 to 32 mg ml[-1], however, the minimum bactericidal concentration [MBC] value differed from 0.06 to >64 mg ml[-1]. Moreover, S. sahandica revealed the lowest inhibitory activity against all microorganisms tested particularly on E. coli
Conclusion: In conclusion, the extracts of certain Satureja species have the potential to be considered as alternatives for synthetic food preservatives and antibiotics