Assessment of the Antioxidative Potential of Rosmarinus officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) Irrigated with Static Magnetic Field-Treated Water

Abstract

Phenolic compounds are one of the main groups of secondary metabolites in plants and are known for their antioxidant activity. Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary) contains different phenolic compounds including carnosol, carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid. In Cuba, rosemary cultivation is limited because it is difficult to propagate and has a low yield. As a result, it was removed from the Herbal Medicine National Formulary. However, the National Public Health System has a strong interest in rosemary because of its value as a natural antioxidant medicine. Irrigation with water treated with a static magnetic field (SMF) is a possible strategy to increase rosemary yield. This technology has been applied to accelerate plant growth and increase crop quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the content of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in aqueous leaf extracts from plants irrigated with SMF-treated water in comparison to control plants. Significant differences in phenolic content and antioxidant activity were observed between aqueous extracts of control plants and plants irrigated with SMF-treated water. Therefore, irrigation with SMF-treated water is a promising technology to improve the cultivation of rosemary as a raw material to obtain pharmaceutical products with high antioxidant activities.