Salvia clandestina L.: unexploited source of danshensu

We report the characterisation of Salvia clandestina L. shoots and roots aqueous extract using HPLC-ESI/MS-TOF. Among the 29 compounds detected, we observed the presence of danshensu (3-(3,4-dihydroxy-phenyl) 2-hydroxy-propinic acid), a powerful antioxidant and a cardio-protective agent. The danshensu content found in the shoots of S. clandestina was considerable (4.96 mg g⁻¹ DW) if compared with previous studies on S. miltiorrhiza Bunge, the main source of this compound. We also determined the total phenolic concentration and we evaluated their antioxidant activity by ABTS, FRAP and Superoxide anion scavenging methods. All the three assays confirmed a greater antioxidant activity for the shoots in comparison to roots. S. clandestina shoots may represent a valuable and natural unexploited source of danshensu and other phenolic compounds, so that it may be useful for future applications in functional foods and pharmaceutical industries.