Phytochemical Analysis of Minuartia hirsuta subsp. asiatica and Evaluation of their Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Potentials

Background Medicinal plants have been used for centuries to treat various diseases. They are rich sources of bioactive compounds with notable antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, making their chemical and biological evaluation highly important. Objective This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical contents, as well as antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of extracts obtained from Minuartia hirsuta subsp. asiatica . Methods Compounds were isolated with various chromatographic techniques. Phenolic profiles and fatty acid compositions were determined by LC-MS/MS and GC-FID, respectively. Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were quantified using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and the aluminum chloride colorimetric method. Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were assessed using the DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assay and the disc diffusion method. Results Seven compounds were elucidated using NMR techniques. LC-MS/MS analysis identified 28 phenolic compounds in dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol (MeOH) extracts, while GC-FID analysis revealed the fatty acid compositions of the hexane extract. The MeOH and DCM extracts exhibited TPC values of 73.32 and 67.20 mg GAE/g and TFC values of 66.91 and 44.69 mg QE/g, respectively. Their radical scavenging activities were 72.83% and 68.72% relative to ascorbic acid, 75.46% and 63.22% relative to trolox. However, none of the extracts demonstrated significant antibacterial activity. Conclusion This study provides valuable insights into the phytochemical diversity and biological properties of M. hirsuta subsp. asiatica. The extracts exhibited strong antioxidant activity and may serve as promising sources of natural antioxidants. These findings contribute to the identification of potential therapeutic agents for human health and may guide future studies toward the sustainable utilization of plant resources.