OBTAINING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A SELECTIVE
PELARGONIUM GRAVEOLENS L’HÉR. DRY EXTRACT WITH
POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY IN METABOLIC DISEASES
ALEXANDRA FILARETA NEAGU 1#, TEODORA COSTEA 2#*, IOANA NENCU 2#, LIGIA ELENA DUŢU 2#, MARIA LIDIA POPESCU 2#, OCTAVIAN TUDOREL OLARU 3#, CERASELA ELENA GÎRD 2#
"Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, 6 Traian Vuia Street, 020956, Bucharest, Romania
1Analytical Chemistry Department,
2Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry and Phytotherapy Department,
3Pharmaceutical Botany and Cellular Biology Department
*corresponding author: teodoracostea85@yahoo.com
#All authors contributed equally.
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Abstract:
The aim of our study was the obtaining, phytochemical characterization, evaluation of antioxidant activity and cytotoxic effects
of a selective dry extract obtained from indigenous Pelargonium graveolens L’Hér (rose geranium, rose scented geranium) aerial
parts, with potential therapeutic activity in metabolic diseases (diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia). Rose geranium flowers, leaves
and aerial parts quality were determined by means of spectrophotometric methods (quantitative determination of anthocyanins,
total phenolic content, flavones and phenolcarboxylic acids). The dry selective extract (obtained in 50% ethanol) contains: 0.45 g
anthocyanins (expressed as cyanine chloride)/100 g dry extract and 45.73 g total phenolic content (expressed as tannic acid
equivalents)/100 g dry extract. HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) analysis revealed the presence of epigallocatechin
and catechin derivatives. The dry extract antioxidant capacity was assessed using ABTS•+ (2,2’-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-
6-sulfonic acid) free radical scavenger activity and ferric reducing power assay. Antioxidant activity was expressed as EC50
(μg/mL) (which represent the dry extract’s concentration that inhibited 50% of ABTS•+ activity/ the concentration that provides
0.5 absorbance for ferric reducing power assay - EC50 = 17.53 μg/mL/EC50 = 74.43 μg/mL). The extract induced dose and
time dependent cytotoxic effect against Daphnia magna invertebrates. Our preliminary results offer encouraging premises for
obtaining a phytomedicine with potential therapeutic effect in metabolic diseases.






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