Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology

Origanum vulgare is traditionally used as food and medicinal plant. In the present study, the influence of three solvents; methanol, acetone and dichloromethane on total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, HPLC profile of phenolic compounds, antioxidant, and anticoagulant activities of O. vulgare were evaluated. Methanol extract showed the highest total phenolic content among the other two extracts; however the highest total flavonoid content was detected in acetone extract. HPLC results revealed the presence of eleven phenolic compounds and the methanol extract had the highest extraction capacity from quercetin, rutin and catechin as compared to acetone and dichloromethane extracts. All extracts exhibited both antioxidant and anticoagulant activities and methanol extract was superior compared to other extracts in the antioxidant activity while the acetone and dichloromethane extracts exhibited the highest anticoagulant activity in prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) tests. This study showed that extracts of O. vulgare may be considered as an important source for natural antioxidant and anticoagulant agents for application in pharmaceutical and food industries.