Phytochemical Profile of Convolvulus cantabrica Extracts and Their Biological Activity

The present work provides a detailed study of Convolvulus cantabrica L., a plant belonging to the family Convolvulaceae and the genus Convolvulus. The selection of this plant was based on the long-standing ethnobotanical relevance of its genus, which was attributed to the richness of its species in phenolic and flavonoids compounds. Moreover, this species as remained unexplored to date. Our investigation includes both chemical and biological aspects. To assess the chemical composition of the hydroalcoholic extract of the plant, High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis was performed. Rosmarinic Acid (161.9 ppm) and Chlorogenic Acid (153.8 ppm) had the highest concentrations. Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis demonstrated the presence of Fatty Acids and Esters (70.81%), sesquiterpene and diterpenes (19.51%) and fatty alcohols (6.02%). In addition, the ethyl acetate extract exhibited the highest phenolic contents (606.42 µg/mL) and flavonoid contents (363.75 µg/mL). The tested extracts, especially the ethyl acetate and butanol extracts, exhibited strong antioxidant capacity in DPPH (IC₅₀: 13.60 ± 1.30 µg/mL for ethyl acetate extract and 17.69 ± 1.17 µg/mL for butanol extract), ABTS (IC₅₀: 7.26 ± 0.01 µg/mL for ethyl acetate extract and 6.90 ± 0.18 µg/mL for butanol extract) and FRP (IC₅₀: 14.89 ± 0.90 µg/mL for ethyl acetate extract and 23.14 ± 0.60 µg/mL for butanol extract) assays compared with extracts from other species of this genus. Moreover, the petroleum ether extract demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity (IC₅₀: 419.30 ± 4.48 µg/mL). Regarding antibacterial activity, the plant extracts, especially the ethyl acetate, hydroalcoholic and petroleum ether extracts, inhibited the growth of Bacillus cereus. Overall, our data indicate that Convolvulus cantabrica L., is rich in secondary metabolites, particularly polyphenols, and exhibits significant biological activities, especially antioxidant properties. These results validate the traditional use of C. cantabrica and position it as a promising source of natural antioxidants with potential pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.