Active Ingredients and Antioxidant Activities of Salvia plebeia R. Br. According to Pretreatment Conditions

This study examined changes in antioxidant activity as well as contents of rosmarinic acid, homoplantaginin, and luteolin, which is the main substance of Salvia plebeia R. Br. (SPR) known to have anti-inflammatory efficacy, according to drying, blanching, and fermentation conditions. Rosmarinic acid content was 16.42 ㎎/g upon hot-air drying and 10.19 ㎎/g upon hot-air drying after blanching, and there was no significant difference in the case of leaf and root freezing or cold-air drying. Rosmarinic acid content was 8.69 and 8.15 ㎎/g in the case of air-drying in the shade and freeze-drying, respectively, and decreased to 0.05 ㎎/g or undetected after fermentation. SPR processed by freeze-drying, cold-air drying in the shade, and hot-air drying showed ABTS radical scavenging ability over 98.5% at a concentration over 500 μg/mL as well as excellent radical scavenging ability of 87.3% in the case of hot-air drying after blanching. Root showed lower ABTS radical scavenging ability than leaves. SOD-like activity was measured to be 6.1～27.8% at a concentration of 1,000 ㎍/mL, which was significantly difference from ABTS radical scavenging ability. As rosmarinic acid and homoplantagine, an anti-inflammatory material contained in SPR, are almost undetectable after oxidation fermentation during processing, hot-air drying after blanching or drying seems to be suitable to develop SPR as a functional substance.