ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY, CHROMATOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS AND ANTI-MICROBIAL EFFECTS OF CARDARIA DRABA GROWING IN IRAN

In the present study, the antioxidant and anti-microbial potential of aerial and underground parts of the Cardaria draba (L.) Desv. Different tests evaluated methanolic extracts. The phenol and flavonoid contents of the extracts were investigated by Folin Ciocalteu and AlCl₃ assays. Phenolic compounds analyzed By HPLC method. DPPH Radical-Scavenging, reducing power, nitric oxide-scavenging, and Fe²⁺ chelating tests were used to measure antioxidant activity and evaluate anti-microbial properties MIC, MBC, and ZOI values of extracts were measured. Extracts contained significant amounts of phenols and flavonoids. In the HPLC analysis, chlorogenic and a suitable mobile phase separated coumaric acid peaks. IC₅₀ of DPPH Radical-Scavenging Activity for the aerial part was 403 ± 2.3 µg ml^-1 and for the underground part was 555 ± 3.1 µg ml^-1. Extracts showed weak reducing power that significantly differed significantly with Vitamin C (p <0.01). In the case of the nitric oxide-scavenging effect, quercetin activity was much more than in both extracts. Also, extracts had a weak capacity for Fe²⁺ chelating activity. The MIC values for C. draba aerial and underground part extracts were 100 mg/ml, while their MBC values were 150 mg/ml. The aerial part extract exhibited higher ZOI values. Our findings suggest that this plant can be studied further for use as a natural antioxidant and anti-microbial agent in the pharmaceutical industry.