Sideritis species (Lamiaceae) have been used for many years in the folk medicine. In Cyprus,
three endemic Sideritis species have been found; S. curvidens Stapf, S. perfoliata L. and S.
cypria Post. S. cypria is a perennial herb belonging to the section Empedoclia Rafin., growing
in Pentadactylos Mountains (Cyprus). Traditionally, the infusion of S. cypria is locally used
as diaphoretic, tonic, as well as against stomach disorders, headache and common cold.
Previous studies reported the chemical characterization of wild S. cypria of its essential oil
and extracts. In the present study, we report, here in, the first study of the cultivated S. cypria.
The infusions of flowers and leaves were examined separately for their contents. So far,
eleven compounds have been isolated using chromatographic techniques; four flavones, five
phenylethanoid glucosides, one iridoid and one quinic acid derivative. Furthermore, the
antioxidant activities, as well as the total phenolic and flavonoid contents from both the
infusions and the decoctions of flowers and leaves were investigated. As far as we know, no
literature concerning the antioxidant activity of the specific species has been reported
previously. The compounds were identified using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy (COSY,
HSQC, HMBC, NOESY)

 

Frontiers in Pharmacology 2020, DOI:10.3389/fphar.2020.00650
Krystalia Lytra 1, Ekaterina-Michaela Tomou 1, Antonios Chrysargyris 2, Chryssoula Drouza 2,
Helen Skaltsa 1, *and Nikolaos Tzortzakis 2*

1 Department of Pharmacognosy & Chemistry of Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, National &
Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Zografou, 15771, Athens, Greece
2 Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science, Cyprus University of
Technology, 3036 Lemesos, Cyprus