Biochemical Study of the Medicinal Plant Artemisia herba-alba Collected in the Batna Region (Ain Touta and Forage Park, Algeria): Effects of Collection Site and Extraction Solvent

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of collection site and extraction solvent on the qualitative phytochemical profile, extraction yield, and antioxidant activity of Artemisia herba-alba collected from Ain Touta and Forage Park in the Batna region of Algeria. Qualitative phytochemical screening revealed no statistically significant differences between the two collection sites, and the resulting profiles were nearly identical. Proteins were not detected, whereas lipids, sterols, coumarins, and saponins were consistently detected in samples from both sites. Only minor between-replicate variations in glycosides, steroids, and tannins were observed at Forage Park. For antioxidant activity, neither the collection site nor the interaction between the collection site and the extract type had a statistically significant effect. In contrast, extract type had a pronounced effect, with a consistent ranking of methanolic extract > ethanolic extract > aqueous extract. Extraction yield and antioxidant activity were closely associated, although the strength of this relationship varied by solvent and remained similar between collection sites. These findings indicate that the antioxidant activity of A. herba-alba is influenced more strongly by the extraction solvent than by the plant material's geographic origin.