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Journals / Balıkesir Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 28 Sayı: 1

Ethanol extract of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) leaves: Response Surface Optimization (RSM) of antioxidant activity and evaluation of antibacterial and anticancer effects

Limon otu (Melissa officinalis L.) yapraklarının etanol ekstraktı: antioksidan aktivitenin Tepki Yüzey Metodolojisi (RSM) ile optimizasyonu ve antibakteriyel ile antikanser etkilerin değerlendirilmesi

İlhan Sabancılar(Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi SHMYO)0000-0002-0773-2752
Erdal Öğün(YÜZÜNCÜ YIL ÜNİVERSİTESİ, FEN FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0001-8280-4245
İbrahim Koç(DİCLE ÜNİVERSİTESİ, MARDİN SAĞLIK YÜKSEKOKULU)0000-0003-0803-6801
Seçkin Kaya(ATATÜRK ÜNİVERSİTESİ, TIP FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0001-8771-0109
Pages
395–412
Publication Date
2026-01-14
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

These findings indicate that M. officinalis from Elazığ is a rich phenolic source with notable antioxidant potential and moderate cytotoxic activity, and that RSM can effectively optimize extraction conditions for enhanced antioxidant performance.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) is among the plants used by humans for various purposes.
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Key Findings & Data:Antibacterial activity was tested using the agar well diffusion method, antioxidant capacity was evaluated by DPPH and CUPRAC assays, and anticancer effects were assessed on A549, U2OS, and HUVEC cell lines using the MTT assay.
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Conclusion & Impact:These findings indicate that M. officinalis from Elazığ is a rich phenolic source with notable antioxidant potential and moderate cytotoxic activity, and that RSM can effectively optimize extraction conditions for enhanced antioxidant performance.
🔬Design:Modeling & Simulation
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Antikanser · DPPH · CUPRAC

Abstract

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) is among the plants used by humans for various purposes. This study aimed to determine the total phenolic content and evaluate the antibacterial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities of the ethanolic leaf extract of M. officinalis naturally growing in Elazığ (Türkiye). The extract was prepared by ultrasonic-assisted extraction, and antioxidant activity was optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Antibacterial activity was tested using the agar well diffusion method, antioxidant capacity was evaluated by DPPH and CUPRAC assays, and anticancer effects were assessed on A549, U2OS, and HUVEC cell lines using the MTT assay. The extract exhibited a high total phenolic content (129.0±3.0 mg GAE/mL). No antibacterial activity was observed against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, or Bacillus cereus. Antioxidant activity increased in a concentration-dependent manner, reaching 51.0% DPPH scavenging and 1.144 CUPRAC absorbance at 60 µg/mL. Cytotoxicity also increased in a dose- and time-dependent manner, with the strongest effect observed in A549 cells at 200 µg/mL after 48 h (cell viability: 56.6%). RSM modeling showed excellent predictive performance (R² = 0.9704). These findings indicate that M. officinalis from Elazığ is a rich phenolic source with notable antioxidant potential and moderate cytotoxic activity, and that RSM can effectively optimize extraction conditions for enhanced antioxidant performance.

Özet

Limon otu (Melissa officinalis L.), insanlar tarafından çeşitli amaçlarla kullanılan bitkiler arasında yer almaktadır. Bu çalışma, Elazığ (Türkiye) doğal florasında yetişen M. officinalis’in etanolik yaprak ekstraktının toplam fenolik içeriğini belirlemeyi ve antibakteriyel, antioksidan ve antikanser aktivitelerini değerlendirmeyi amaçlamıştır. Ekstrakt, ultrasonik destekli ekstraksiyon yöntemiyle hazırlanmış olup antioksidan aktivite Tepki Yüzey Metodolojisi (RSM) kullanılarak optimize edilmiştir. Antibakteriyel aktivite agar well difüzyon yöntemi ile, antioksidan kapasite DPPH ve CUPRAC testleri ile ve antikanser etkiler A549, U2OS ve HUVEC hücre hatlarında MTT analizi kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Ekstrakt yüksek düzeyde toplam fenolik içerik göstermiştir (129.0 ± 3.0 mg GAE/mL). Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus ve Bacillus cereus üzerinde herhangi bir antibakteriyel aktivite gözlenmemiştir. Antioksidan aktivite konsantrasyona bağlı olarak artmış; 60 µg/mL dozunda DPPH radikal süpürme aktivitesi %51.0’a, CUPRAC absorbansı ise 1.144 değerine ulaşmıştır. Sitotoksisite de doza ve zamana bağlı olarak artmış; en güçlü etki A549 hücrelerinde 48 saatlik inkübasyonda 200 µg/mL dozunda gözlenmiştir (hücre canlılığı: %56.6). RSM modellemesi mükemmel bir tahmin performansı sergilemiştir (R² = 0.9704). Bu bulgular, Elazığ kökenli M. officinalis’in fenolik açıdan zengin bir kaynak olduğunu, belirgin antioksidan potansiyele ve orta düzeyde sitotoksik aktiviteye sahip bulunduğunu ve RSM’nin antioksidan performansın artırılmasına yönelik ekstraksiyon koşullarını etkili şekilde optimize edebildiğini göstermektedir.

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Cite This Article

Sabancılar, İ., Öğün, E., Koç, İ., Kaya, S. (2026). Ethanol extract of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) leaves: Response Surface Optimization (RSM) of antioxidant activity and evaluation of antibacterial and anticancer effects. Balıkesir Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü Dergisi, Cilt: 28 Sayı: 1, 395–412. https://doi.org/10.25092/baunfbed.1746054

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