A comparative study on phenolic composition, antioxidant activity and essential oil content of wild and cultivated sage (Salvia fruticosa Miller) as influenced by storage

In the present study, the main quality parameters such as moisture content, extract yields, total essential oils, phenolic content and composition, and antioxidant activity of wild and cultivated Salvia fruticosa were elaborately investigated in six-month storage period for two consecutive years. The cultivated samples had higher total phenolic content than those of the wild samples. On the contrary, wild samples had higher extract yields, total flavonoids and total essential oils. Seventeen different phenolic compounds, composed of seven phenolic acids and ten flavonoids, were identified and quantified in both cultivated and wild S. fruticosa. Rosmarinic, p-coumaric and caffeic acids were determined to be the principal phenolic acids. The major flavonoids however were myricetin, morin and luteolin. The phenolic components of vanillic acid, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, myricetin and morin increased, whereas caffeic acid, catechin, epicatechin, luteolin and apigenin decreased by cultivation. The phenolic components were found to be either lower or not changed in consecutive harvesting year. They also did not significantly change during the storage period. The antioxidant activity of the samples was found to be higher for the second harvesting year whereas there were no significant differences between wild and cultivated S. fruticosa during storage period.

► Leading comparative work performed on wild and cultivated Salvia fruticosa.
► Seventeen phenolics were quantified in wild and cultivated S. fruticosa.
► The antioxidant activities of wild and cultivated S. fruticosa were identical.