Some biological compounds, radical scavenging capacities and antimicrobial activities in the seeds of Nepeta italica L. and Sideritis montana L. subsp montana from Turkey

This study determined some biological compounds (fatty acid compositions, lipid-soluble vitamins, sterols, flavonoids), radical scavenging capacities and antimicrobial activities in the seeds of Nepeta italica L. and Sideritis montana L. subsp. montana. It was found that palmitic acid (C16:0; 8.54 +/- 0.13-3.05 +/- 0.04%), oleic acid (C18:1 n9, 22.41 +/- 0.8-18.83 +/- 0.1%) and alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3 n3;39.56 +/- 0.67-77.04 +/- 2.07%) were the dominant fatty acids in both Nepeta italica L. and Sideritis montana L. subsp. montana. It was concluded that both Nepeta italica L. and Sideritis montana L. subsp. montana contained stigmasterol (630.07 +/- 1.81 mu g/g, 80.74 +/- 0.71 mu g/g, respectively) and ergosterol (1.11 +/- 0.14 mu g/g, 161.32 +/- 0.63 mu g/g respectively) as well as beta-sitosterol (2.93 +/- 0.03 mu g/g). The present findings show that Nepeta italica L. contains morin (37.79 +/- 1.09 mu g/g), catechin (124.39 +/- 2.23 mu g/g), naringin (475.96 +/- 3.57 mu g/g) and Sideritis montana L. subsp. montana contains morin (188.41 +/- 2.53 mu g/g), catechin (64.14 +/- 1.86 mu g/g), naringenin (38.34 +/- 1.78 mu g/g) as major flavonoids. It was also determined that methanol extracts of Nepeta italica L. and Sideritis montana L. subsp. montana were most effective against DPPH radicals. The results of the present study show that the vitamins, flavonoids and fatty acid extracts in the seeds of N. italica L. and S. montana L. subsp. montana prevented the growth of the microorganisms used in the tests at different ratios.