A study on antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Phlomis amanica, Echinops viscosus and Ruscus aculeatus from Hatay, Türkiye

This study aimed to examine the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Ruscus aculeatus, Phlomis amanica and Echinops viscosus plants growing in Hatay, Türkiye. The antioxidant effect was evaluated by utilizing the Folin-Ciocalteu, DPPH free radical scavenging, and β-carotene-linoleic acid emulsion methods. Findings were compared to BHA and BHT. Antimicrobial effect was evaluated by the disk diffusion agar method using Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Candida albicans fungi. Phenolic substance content was highest in Phlomis amanica (859.1 mg/g GAE), followed by Echinops viscosus (453.5 mg/g GAE) and Ruscus aculeatus (229.7 mg/g GAE). According to the results of both DPPH free radical scavenging and β-carotene-linoleic acid emulsion methods, Phlomis amanica showed the highest antioxidant activity because of IC50 (0.013 mg/mL) and % inhibition values (62.07%) among the plants examined. Considering antimicrobial analysis, it was determined that all plants were the least effective against Escherichia coli and the most effective against Staphylococcus aureus. Phlomis amanica exhibited the strongest antimicrobial activity with an inhibition zone of 21 mm.