Polyphenol composition and antioxidant activity from the vegetable plant Artemisia absinthium L

The aim of this work was to establish the antioxidant capacity and the polyphenolic profile of Artemisia absinthium that could potentially be used in the human diet. An ultra-high performance liquid chromatographic method was used to identify and quantify individual phenolic compounds of the A. absinthium leaves. A total of 20 polyphenolic compounds were identified and quantified in A. absinthium leaves, including hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols and other groups of phenolic compounds. The ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) analysis of the phenolic compounds profile revealed that salicylic acid was the dominant phenolic compound present in the leaves extract followed by myricetin, caffeic acid, gallic acid and ferulic acid. The A. absinthium leaves was extracted with 3 different solvents (ethyl acetate, methanol and water) and screened for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of A. absinthium was assessed by evaluating the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), reducing power and phosphomolybdenum assay. Water extract exhibited the highest phenolic content (134.47 mg gallic acid equivalent 100g DW) whereas, ethyl acetate extract showed highest flavonoid content (87.04 mg quercetin equivalent 100g DW). The water extract possesses highest antioxidant activity towards DPPH, reducing power and phosphomolybdenum assay. The antioxidant activity among the A. absinthium leaves extracts assayed through all the three methods was found to be water extract > methanol extract > ethyl acetate extract. Compared with those of major commercial leafy vegetables, leaves of Artemisia contain high content of phenolic acids and flavonoids, which provide significant health benefits.