Phytochemical Characterization and Antioxidant Potential of Two Wild-Growing Mediterranean Medicinal Plants: Satureja montana L. and Teucrium montanum L.

The Mediterranean region is a hotspot for many plants rich in bioactive compounds due to its climate and geological regime. Aerial parts of native perennials Satureja montana and Teucrium montanum (Lamiaceae) were spectrophotometrically compared on the levels of antioxidant potential, phenolics, soluble sugars and proteins. S. montana had a notably higher antioxidant potential than T. montanum across all three assays applied, ABTS, DPPH and FRAP. This was accompanied by a significantly higher amount of most analyzed groups of phenolic compounds. Compared with T. montanum, S. montana had more total phenols (45.09 mg galic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dw; 1.54-fold higher), flavonoids (137.17 mg quercetin equivalents (QE)/g dw; 1.42-fold higher), flavonols (2.24 mg QE/g dw; 1.58-fold higher), phenolic (39.52 mg caffeic acid equivalents/g dw; 1.45-fold higher) and hydroxycinnamic acids (180.84 mg cinnamic acid equivalents /g dw; 1.57-fold higher), as well as tannins (23.95 mg GAE/g dw; 2.17-fold higher). Total proteins were also higher in S. montana (96.12 mg bovine serum albumin equivalents/g dw; 6.50-fold higher). On the contrary, total proanthocyanidins were significantly higher in T. montanum (1.46 mg catechin equivalents/g dw; 1.55-fold higher), as well as soluble sugars (49.86 mg sucrose equivalents/g dw; 1.42-fold higher). Finally, S. montana exhibited a 1.5-fold higher phenolic index than T. montanum, whereas T. montanum showed a 1.3-fold higher metabolic index than S. montana. Therefore, S. montana prioritizes synthesis of defense-related compounds, while T. montanum invests more energy into growth-related metabolism. Based on the results, S. montana had higher phenolic content, suggesting a greater potential for phenolic-associated bioactivity. However, further analyses regarding bioavailability, toxicity and nutritional composition are required for assessment of its nutritional quality.