Comprehensive Pharmacobotanical and Phytochemical Profiling of Glechoma hederacea L. from Bihor County, North-West Romania

<i>Glechoma hederacea</i> L. (GH) is an understudied species with significant phytotherapeutic potential, whose botanical characteristics and phytochemical profile have not previously been investigated from Bihor County, North-West Romania, namely Săldăbagiu de Munte (261 m a.s.l.) and Beiuș (553 m a.s.l.). In this study, we aimed to examine the species from both pharmacobotanical and phytochemical perspectives focusing on two populations originating from areas with different altitudes, which were selected as representative sites for collecting GH populations. The morphological analysis included both macroscopic and microscopic examinations performed with optical microscopy, complemented by phytochemical profiling and antioxidant activity evaluation. The phenolic profile was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Total phenolic content was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method, while total flavonoid content was assessed by the aluminum chloride colorimetric assay. In addition, the total anthocyanin content was determined, too. The antioxidant properties of the samples were evaluated using cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Our results indicate that GH from the higher-altitude area is a rich source of phenolics and exhibits notable antioxidant activity. Among the identified active compounds, apigenin and caffeic acid were found in the highest concentrations. These findings support the potential use of this species in phytopharmaceutical formulations.