PRELIMINARY RESEARCH CONCERNING THE OBTAINING OF
HERBAL EXTRACTS WITH POTENTIAL NEUROPROTECTIVE
ACTIVITY NOTE I. OBTAINING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A SELECTIVE ORIGANUM VULGARE L. DRY EXTRACT
CERASELA ELENA GÎRD1, LIGIA ELENA DUŢU1, TEODORA COSTEA1*, IOANA NENCU1,
MARIA LIDIA POPESCU1, OLARU OCTAVIAN TUDOREL2
1"Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry and
Phytotherapy Department, 6 Traian Vuia Street, 020956, Bucharest, Romania
2"Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Botany and Cellular Biology
Department, 6 Traian Vuia Street, 020956, Bucharest, Romania
*corresponding author: teodoracostea85@yahoo.com
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Abstract:
The aim of our research was obtaining, characterization and evaluation of the antioxidant activity, cytotoxic properties of a
selective dry extract from indigenous Origanum vulgare L. (oregano), which might be used for the formulation of a
phytomedicine with neuroprotective activity. Oregano phytochemical analysis was based on the HPLC determination of
rosmarinic acid (identification, quantification) and spectrophotometric assays of flavonoids, phenolcarboxylic acids and total
phenols. The antioxidant capacity was determined using DPPH and ferric reducing power activity methods. The dry selective
extract (obtained with 50% ethanol) contains: 4.21 g flavones (expressed as rutin)/100 g dry extract, 52.67 g phenolcarboxylic
acids (expressed as chlorogenic acid)/100 g dry extract, 27.30 g polyphenols (expressed as tannic acid)/100 g dry extract and
5.76 g rosmarinic acid/100 g dry extract. It has a good antioxidant activity (EC50 = 2.62 μg/mL - DPPH method and
EC50 = 104.5 μg/mL - reducing power). Cytotoxic properties against Daphnia magnia invertebrate were observed only at
high concentrations, above 500 μg/mL. Our results offer encouraging premises for the formulation of a phytomedicine with
potential neuroprotective activity.

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