Phytochemicals, antioxidant and antimicrobial potentials and LC-MS analysis of hydroalcoholic extracts of leaves and flowers of Erodium glaucophyllum collected from Tunisian Sahara

Abstract Erodium glaucophyllum collected from Tunisian Sahara was never presented in the relevant literature yet. In this study, the phytochemical profiles, chemical compositions, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, and Kill-time assay of the hydroalcoholic extract of flowers and leaves were investigated. The highest content in phenols, flavonoids and tannins was shown in flowers extract (350 ± 5 mg GAE/g, 34 ± 1 mg QE/g and 221.8 ± 0.0 mg β-carotene E/g, respectively). The carotenoids amount in leaves was about 6-fold higher than it’s in flowers. Conducted LC/MS analysis revealed the presence of 17 compounds in flowers and leaves extract with the main were quinic acid and naringin followed by rutin, hyperoside, gallic acid and Apegenin-7-o-glucoside. Flowers and leaves extracts showed a powerful antimicrobial effect against all strains and the most observed effect was shown with Gram negative bacteria. Time kill kinetics endorses the effectiveness of both extracts to possess bactericidal effect at a concentration less than 2 MIC. Results of both organs open a new promising way for the development of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents for food preservatives against food deterioration.