title: Comparative study of rosmarinic acid content in some plants of Labiatae family.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plants of Labiatae are used in traditional medicine and phytotherapy. Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a phenolic compound which is found in many genus of Labiatae and exhibits important biological activities.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this investigation, RA contents of 29 species of Labiatae named Salvia officinalis, Salvia limbata, Salvia virgata, Salvia hypoleuca, Salvia macrosiphon, Salvia choloroleuca, Melissa officinalis, Origanum vulgare, Lavandula angustifolia, Rosmarinus officinalis, Thymus daenensis, Thymus citriodorous, Thymus pubescens, Thymus vulgaris, Zataria multiflora, Mentha piperita, Mentha pulegium, Mentha longifolia, Mentha spicata, Mentha aquatica, Mentha crispa, Perovskia artemisoides, Zhumeria majdae, Satureja hortensis, Satureja khuzistanica, Satureja bachtiarica, Satureja atropatana, Satureja mutica and Satureja macrantha were determined by using high-performance liquid chromatographic method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that RA content in different species of Labiatae was 0.0-58.5 mg g(-1) of dried plants. The highest amount of RA was found in Mentha species especially M. spicata.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  M. spicata can be considered as a new source of rosmarinic acid .
authors.affiliation: Department of Research and Development, Food and Drug Laboratory Research Center and Food and Drug Control Laboratories, MOH and ME, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shekarchi
authors.forename: Homa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hajimehdipoor
authors.forename: Soodabeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saeidnia
authors.forename: Ahmad Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Gohari
authors.forename: Morteza Pirali
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Hamedani