Labiatae herb antioxidants

The abietane diterpene carnosic acid (89), a derivative of ferruginol, is found in the popular Labiatae herb, sage and rosemary and is considered a precursor of other diterpenoid constituents in the herb [20,21]. Wenkert et al [22] have established the structure of carnosic acid (89). Carnosic acid (89) and related diterpenes such as camasol (90) and rosemanol (91) Fig. (11) possess powerful antioxidant activities [23] but carnosic acid (89) is the most powerful potency among these diterpenes. Carnosic acid (89)... 

Nguyen, U, Frankman, G and Evans, D (1991) Process for extracting antioxidants from Labiatae herbs. US Patent 5,017,397. 

Traditional Korean herbs. Extracts of the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Labiatae) have been widely used to relieve fever related to bacterial infection and inflammatory diseases in traditional Korean medicine and have been reported to be effective in brain diseases. Administration of Scutellaria baicalensis mitigated alterations of hippocampal MAPK signaling by chronic cerebral infusion and microglial activation by chronic LPS infusion. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition, modification of monoamines, antiamyloid aggregation effect, and antioxidant activity have been reported to be induced by extracts of a few plants of... 

Extracts derived from most members of the Labiatae family (Table 3) have the potential to reduce the oxidation of food products and extend shelf life. This antioxidant action is dependent on the ability of the constituent phenolics to scavenge free radicals and chelate metals [27]. This dual effect has implications for CHD since it has been proposed in some studies, mainly from Europe, that a high status of iron increases the risk of CHD [28]. A number of the active compounds found in rosemary have also been found in sage and other herbs. In oregano, four flavonoids were identified among the active fraction [29], while in thyme, dimers of thymol and flavonoids have been isolated and characterized. 

Other abietane derivatives with benzenoid ring C are among the active substances in some well-known medicinal herbs. The parent hydrocarbon (-)-8,l 1,13-abieta-triene occurs in the pine tree Pinus pallasiana (Pinaceae). (+)-Camosolic acid and the 20,7p-lactone (-olide) of its hydroxy-derivative referred to as camosol belong to the bitter substances of the oil of sage from Salvia camosa (Labiatae) and related species. (-)-Rosmanol, a 20,6p-lactone, is an antioxidant isolated from the leaves of rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis (Labiatae), which also contain camosol. 

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