Physicochemical Characteristics, Phenolic Profile, Antioxidant Potential, and Antimicrobial Activity of Bulgarian Summer Savory (Satureja hortensis L.)

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Abstract
Summer savory (Satureja hortensis L.) is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family and widely used as a culinary spice. The present research aimed to investigate the physicochemical characteristics, phenolic profile, antioxidant potential, and antimicrobial activity of ten summer savory samples (dried leaves and flowers) grown in different regions of Bulgaria. The physicochemical analyses of the dried plant material demonstrated that the ash content varied from 19.51 to 26.92%, proteins from 16.25 to 22.78%, and carbohydrates from 5.37 to 10.01%. The values of the total phenolic content (TPC) ranged from 1.10 to 4.83 mg GAE/g dw (aqueous savory extracts—ASE) and from 3.98 to 9.54 mg GAE/g dw (methanolic savory extracts—MSE). The values of the total flavonoid content (TFC) were from 0.08 to 0.29 mg QE/g dw (ASE) and from 0.73 to 1.23 mg QE/g dw (MSE). The investigated samples exhibited significant antioxidant activity, with values determined by the DPPH method varying between 35.01 and 59.93 mM TE/g dw (ASE) and between 51.75 and 91.85 mM TE/g dw (MSE). The values by the FRAP method ranged from 74.49 to 134.85 µmol Fe2+/g dw (ASE) and from 108.20 to 215.48 µmol Fe2+/g dw (MSE). The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that rosmarinic acid was predominant in all tested samples (3.54–5.90 mg/g dw), whereas ferulic, caffeic and p-coumaric acids were detected in trace amounts. The HPLC analysis of organic acids revealed that ascorbic acid was present in higher concentration in all samples (0.35–0.98 mg/g dw) compared to malic acid, which was found in trace amounts. The antimicrobial activity test demonstrated that methanolic savory extracts showed moderate to high inhibitory activity against most of the microorganisms used (most pronounced against Staphylococcus aureus 6538P, with diameters of the inhibition zones from 20 to 30 mm), while aqueous savory extracts exhibited antifungal rather than antibacterial activity. Based on the results obtained, we can conclude that savory is a plant with potential for use in the pharmaceutical and agricultural sectors, in addition to its culinary applications.
Funding Information
  • European Union–Next Generation EU (BG-RRP-2.004-0009-C02)
  • Medical University - Varna
  • European Commission

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