Phytochemical Profiling and Pharmacological Evaluation of Astrantia major L. Herb Extracts with Systemic Anti-Inflammatory and Topical Hemostatic, Wound-Healing, and Antimicrobial Activities

Abstract

: Astrantia major L. (Apiaceae) is a non-official medicinal plant with a long history of use in the traditional medicine of many European countries; however, its phytochemical composition and pharmacological properties remain insufficiently studied. This study aimed to investigate the phenolic profile of A. major herb extracts and evaluate their biological activities. A total of 17 phenolic compounds were identified, including hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonoids, catechins and tannin-related metabolites. Chlorogenic acid was the predominant hydroxycinnamic acid, while rutin was the major flavonoid. Among the tannin-related metabolites, gallocathechin predominated in the aqueous extract (AM0), whereas epigallocatechin was the major constituent in the hydroethanolic extract (AM70). The total phenolic content ranged from 14.42 ± 0.13% to 16.91 ± 0.09%. Pharmacological evaluation of aqueous and 70% hydroethanolic extracts demonstrated statistically significant anti-inflammatory activity compared to the pathological control group, reduced bleeding time, and accelerated wound healing. The extracts also exhibited selective antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli . The selectivity pattern differed between the extracts. The observed biological activities are likely correlated with the phenolic profile of the plant. A. major represents a promising source of biologically active compounds with hemostatic, wound-healing, and anti-inflammatory potential.