Assessing ursolic acid contents of some commonly consumed herbs grown in Turkey

Ursolic acid is a triterpenoid compound in the plant kingdom and has important biological functions. In this study, ursolic acid contents of nine herbs including Anethum graveolens (dill), Camellia sinensis L. (green tea), Lepidium sativum L. (garden cress), Ocimum basilicum L. (sweet basil), Petroselinum crispum L. (parsley), Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary), Salvia officinalis L. (sage), Thymus vulgaris L. (thyme) and Urtica dioica L. (nettle) were determined by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC-UV). Based on the results from the analysis of herbs, ursolic acid contents varied between 0.20% and 7.11%. The ursolic acid content was highest in rosemary and sage (7.11±0.20% and 6.63±0.27%, respectively), while the lowest content of ursolic acid was in nettle (0.20±0.10). It is expected from the results of this work to contribute to the knowledge on the nutritional value of commonly consumed herbs in Turkey and encourage their consumption as functional foods.