Investigation of the effects of different extraction methods on some biological activities of Dactylorhiza romana subsp. georgica (Klinge) Soó ex Renz & Taubenheim

Dactylorhiza romana subsp. georgica is found in Anatolia and is traditionally used by local people both as food and to alleviate various ailments. Although various biological activities of the plant have been partially investigated, these properties have not been comprehensively revealed in the light of scientific data. In this study, it was aimed to elucidate the antioxidant, antimicrobial, enzyme inhibition (alpha amylase, alpha glucosidase, and tyrosinase) and DNA protective activity and phenolic content of the extracts obtained from orchid tubers using different extraction methods. For this, the fresh and dry tubers of the plant were extracted with ethanol at different times in an ultrasonic water bath, shaker and their combinations with each other. ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP methods were used to determine the antioxidant properties of plant tubers. In addition, the phosphomolybdate method was used to determine the total antioxidant capacity. The spectrophotometric method was preferred to reveal the enzyme inhibition activity. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts was investigated by microdilution method. In addition, the phenolic content of the plant was analysed by HPLC. The DNA protective activity of the extracts was determined by using the pUC 19 plasmid. According to the results obtained, it was revealed that each extract exhibited various biological activities. According to the HPLC results, the highest phenolic component in the extracts was determined as p-hydroxybenzoic acid. As a result, it was observed that the biological activities of orchid tubers changed according to different extraction methods. Accordingly, due to the high biological activities of orchid tubers, they have a high potential for use in the food and pharmaceutical industries.