An investigation of chemical analysis and green applications of extracts from the yellow bedstraw (Galium verum) aerial part

Plants are important sources of phytochemicals with multiple uses in medicine and other technical fields. Much research attention has been focused on the high natural antioxidant activity of extracts obtained from various plants. Antioxidant activity is a promise not only for biochemical behaviour but also for other reactions involving electron transfer, such as metal protection. Antioxidant activity using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method, total polyphenol (via the Folin-Ciocalteu method), and total flavonoids measured with the aluminium chloride (AlCl 3 ) technique were determined for various ethanol extracts of Yellow Bedstraw or Galium verum. (GV). The current study revealed a variation of total polyphenol content of the extracts from 1.97 ± 0.03 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g to 2.22 ± 0.03 mg GAE/g, total flavonoids content from 6.38 to 6.91 μg QE/ to 7.37 μg QE/g. The antioxidant activity of Galium verum expressed as free radical scavenging capacity, IC 50 is slightly lower than gallic acid ranged from 3.203 to 3.744 μg GAE /mL. Using RP-HPLC chromatographic analysis the next compounds were identified and quantified: gallic acid, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, umbelliferon, and the flavanols: catechin, kaempferol, and quercetin. Reverse-phase HPLC and GC–MS analyses provided detailed insights into the phytochemical composition of Galium verum extracts, revealing a diverse range of bioactive and antioxidant compounds that support their potential in green and sustainable industrial innovations.