{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,18]],"date-time":"2026-04-18T06:18:36Z","timestamp":1776493116910,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"23","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2019,11,27]],"date-time":"2019-11-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1574812800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In the present study, aqueous extracts of Salvia africana, Salvia officinalis \u2018Icterina\u2019 and Savia mexicana origin were screened for their phenolic composition and for antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic properties. The three aqueous extracts contained distinct phenolic compounds, with S. africana presenting the highest total levels (231.6 \u00b1 7.5 \u03bcg\/mg). Rosmarinic acid was the dominant phenolic compound in all extracts, yet that of S. africana origin was characterized by the present of yunnaneic acid isomers, which overall accounted for about 40% of total phenolics. In turn, S. officinalis \u2018Icterina\u2019 extract presented glycosidic forms of apigenin, luteolin and scuttelarein, and the one obtained from S. mexicana contained several simple caffeic acid derivatives. S. africana aqueous extract exhibited high antioxidant potential in four methods, namely the DPPH\u2022 (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging ability, iron-reducing power, inhibition of \u03b2-carotene bleaching and of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), for which EC50 values were equal or only 1.3\u20133.1 higher than those of the standard compounds. Moreover, this extract was able to lower the levels of nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages (EC50 = 47.8 \u00b1 2.1 \u03bcg\/mL). In addition, the three sage aqueous extracts showed promising cytotoxic effect towards hepatocellular HepG2, cervical HeLa, and breast carcinoma cells MCF-7. Overall this study highlights the potential of three little-exploited Salvia species, with commercial value for applications in food or pharmaceutical industries.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules24234327","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2019,11,27]],"date-time":"2019-11-27T03:55:51Z","timestamp":1574826951000},"page":"4327","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":84,"title":["Phytochemical Composition and Bioactive Effects of Salvia africana, Salvia officinalis \u2018Icterina\u2019 and Salvia mexicana Aqueous Extracts"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"24","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8858-1617","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea F.","family":"Afonso","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"QOPNA &amp; LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"Public Health Laboratory of Bragan\u00e7a, Local Health Unit, Rua Eng. Adelino Amaro da Costa, 5300-146 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6275-3134","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ol\u00edvia R.","family":"Pereira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]},{"given":"\u00c2ngela","family":"Fernandes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6801-4578","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ricardo C.","family":"Calhelha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2861-8286","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Artur M. S.","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"QOPNA &amp; LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4910-4882","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Isabel C.F.R.","family":"Ferreira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7882-737X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Susana M.","family":"Cardoso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"QOPNA &amp; LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,11,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Kintzios, S.E. (2005). The Sage Plants of Greece: Distribution and Infraspecific Variation. 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