The content of heavy metal(oid)s, total phenols, total flavonoids, rosmarinic acid, and antioxidant activity of lemon balm leaves (Melissa officinalis L.)

Chemia Naissensis Volume 7, No.1 (2024) (стр. 63-75) 

АУТОР(И) / AUTHOR(S): Denis Mitov , Katarina Milenković , Stefan Petrović , Jelena Mrmošanin

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DOI: 10.46793/ChemN7.1.63M

САЖЕТАК / ABSTRACT:

Lemon balm is a plant widely used across various industries worldwide, and it contains a significant number of phenolic compounds that can positively affect human health. Given its extensive use today, this study determined the total polyphenols and flavonoid contents, antioxidant activities, rosmarinic acid content, and heavy metal(oid)s levels in the leaves of the pot-grown lemon balm. The heavy metal(oid)s content was compared with the maximum permissible concentrations for medicinal plants, as the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended. The results showed that all analyzed elements (As, Cd, Co, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni and Pb) concentrations were within the recommended limits. The phenolic compound content of lemon balm was compared with literature data for wild-grown lemon balm samples.

КЉУЧНЕ РЕЧИ / KEYWORDS:

lemon balm, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, rosmarinic acid, antioxidant activity, heavy metal(oid)s

ПРОЈЕКАТ/ ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (CN 451-03-66/2024-03/200124 and 451-03-65/2024-03/200124).

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