Sage antioxidant compounds

Since water is perhaps the most environmentally friendly solvent available at high purity and low cost, it has been exploited for the extraction of avoparcin in animal tissue (53), fungicides in agricultural commodities (54), fragrances from clove (55), antioxidative compounds from sage (56), anthocyanins and total phenolics from dried red grape skin (48), and other bioactive compounds from plants (57). See also chapters 5 and 6 in this book uid a few review articles (51,58). 

The accessibility of natural phenolic compounds has opened up the intriguing possibility that one could apply these compounds in foods, cosmetics, and other lipid-containing systems. Rosemary and sage are well known for the highest antioxidant activity among herbs, and their extracts are used in foods because of the strong antioxidant properties. 

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. 

The antioxidant properties of plants belonging to the Lamiaceae family such as oregano, th mie, rosemary, mints, maqoram, and sage have been widely studied. However, each plant generally contains different bioactive compounds that possess various amoimts of antioxidants, and therefore different antioxidant capacities (Skrovankova et al. 2012). 

Miura, K., Kikuzaki, H., and Nakatani, N. 2002. Antioxidant activity of chemical compounds of sage (Salvia officinalis) and thyme (Thymus Vulgaris) measured by the oil stability index method. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 50, 1850-1855. 

Carotinoids also can act as scavengers for alkyl radicals. Radicals stabilized by resonance are formed (Formula 3.84), unable to initiate lipid peroxidation. P-Carotenes are most active at a concentration of 5 10 mol/1, while at higher concentrations the prooxidative effect is predominant. Also the partial pressure of oxygen is critical, it should be below 150 mm Hg. Phenolic compounds (cf. 18.1.2.5) which are widely distributed in plant tissues, act as natural antioxidants. The protective effect of several herbs, spices (e. g. sage or rosemary) and tea extracts against fat (oil) oxidation is based on the presence of such natural antioxidants (cf. 21.2.5.1 and 22.1.1.4). The antioxidative effect of phenols depends on the pH. It is low in an acidic medium (pH 4) and high in an alkaline medium (pH 8) when phenolation occurs. 

Common sage and rosemary (see Table 8.32), plants of the Lami-aceae family, contain the diterpenes camosic acid, also known as rosmaricin (8-259), derived from ent-caurene, and bitter carnosol (picrosalvin, 8-260), which are potent antioxidants. Carnosic acid is a major component of fresh rosemary tops (1-2%), but is unstable and is enzymatically transformed into carnosol. These two diterpenoids represent about 15% w/w of plants haulm extracts and exhibit about 90% of extract antioxidant activity. Other transformation products of carnosic acid are rosmanol (7a-hydroxy derivative, 8-261), epirosmanol (7P-isomer, 8-262) and similar compounds. 

Roby, M., M. Atef Sarhan, K. A. Selim, and K. I. Khalel. 2013. Evaluation of antioxidant activity, total phenols and phenolic compounds in thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), sage (Salvia officinalis L.), and marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) extracts. Ind. Crops Prod. 43(1) 827-831. 

Clary sage oil has shown in vitro antimicrobial Escherichia coli. Staphylococcus aureus, and S. epidermis) and antifungal activities Candida albicans). Active constituents were identified as linalool and a-terpineol/ Other antimicrobial compounds obtained from the whole plant include caryophyllene oxide, 2,3-dehydrosalvipisone, and 7-oxoroylea-none/ A methanolic extract of the dried leaves and stems showed high antioxidant activity in... 

Sage extracts, like those of rosemary, have strong antioxidant activities in vitro and in vivo labiatic acid, carnosic acid, and the phenolic acids are reported to be the active compounds (see rosemary). Sage oil displayed chemopreventive activity against... 

An example of the medicinal plant is Rosmarinus officinalis which has chemical components that has significant antioxidant activity [3-6]. Carvalho, Jr. et al., [6] obtained Rosmarinus officinalis extracts via supercritical extraction with CO2 (CO2-SFE) with high antioxidant activity and identified camphor, 1,8-cineole, camosic acid and rosmarinic acid, moreover studied changes in the production scale of extracts. Vincent et al., [7] isolated, by supercritical fluid chromatography, camosic acid (over 80% by mass) from extracts obtained via SFE Rosmarinus officinalis. Camphor, 1,8-cineole, camphene, bomeol, myrcene and a-pinene can be identified as major compounds in extracts via CO2-SFE Spanish sage [8]. 

Diterpenes are a large group of C20 compounds. Their main structural types are acyclic compounds, cyclic compounds, bicyclic diterpenes and tri- and tetra-cyclic diterpenes. The cosmetic use of this group of compounds is restricted to the antioxidant properties of the phenolic diterpenes extracted from rosemary and sage. 

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