Potentillae argenteae herba—Antioxidant and DNA-Protective Activities, and Microscopic Characters

Antioxidants from natural sources are essential for the development of new therapeutics to improve human health. The objects of study are the aerial flowering parts of <i>Potentilla argentea</i>, a plant species known in traditional medicine for the astringent, hemostatic, wound-healing, and anti-inflammatory effects of its rhizomes. A <i>Potentillae argenteae herba</i> ethanol dry tincture was chromatographically analyzed (GC/MS, HPLC) and its antioxidant (ABTS, DPPH, CUPRAC, FRAP assays) and DNA nicking protection potentials were evaluated. The eighteen volatiles were identified by GC/MS, where the predominant components were n-nonacosane (39.38 mg/g dt), squalene (28.88 mg/g dt), n-tricosane (18.36 mg/g dt), ethyl oleate (15.24 mg/g dt), and n-pentacosane (10.60 mg/g dt). A high content of total polyphenols was obtained (440.78 mg GAE/g dt), and HPLC analysis identified two flavonoids and three phenolic acids, of which rosmarinic acid and rutin were above 10 mg/g dt. The tincture exhibited strong antioxidant activity by all four methods, especially CUPRAC assay (8617.54 μM TE/g). DNA protective activity against oxidative damage and microscopic identification of <i>P. argenteae herba</i> powder were established for the first time. Therefore, the tincture could be incorporated into phytopreparations for the treatment of human diseases caused by reactive oxygen species.