Background: Discovery of new plant species with antioxidant properties is a priority of many research teams. Most of the species included in this study are unstudied for antioxidant properties, but they are taxonomically related to reference plants with well-documented antioxidant activity. Materials and Methods: Free radical scavenging activity of plant extracts was evaluated using a 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. An aluminum chloride colorimetric method was used for flavonoid determination. The amount of phenolic compounds in the extracts was estimated by using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. Results: As a result of screening, it was found that the significant antioxidant properties possess several unstudied until now plant species (Veronica bellidioides L., V. kellereri Deg. et Urm, V. vindobonensis (M. Fisher) M. Fisher, V. beccabunga L., V. rhodopaea L., V. austriaca (Velen.) Degen., Clinopodium vulgare L., Stachys recta L., Clematis vitalba L., and Xeranthemum annum L.). The antioxidant potential of the new species is comparable to that of reference medicinal plants. Conclusions: The existing data presented here provide new information for antioxidant potential of plant species that have not been traditionally used as medicinal plants.

Flavonoids were analyzed in the extracts of garden (Salvia officinalis L.) and glutinous (Salvia glutinosa L.) sage. Ultrasonic extraction (20 minutes at 40?C) and classical maceration (6 h at room temperature) of the extractable substances from dried herbs and dried residual plant materials from which the essential oil had previously been removed by hydrodistillation were performed with petroleum ether, 70 % aqueous solution of ethanol and water. It was found that the extracts from both plants contained flavonoids, but their compositions were dependent of the plant species, the polarity of the extracting solvent and the extraction technique applied. Apigenin and its derivatives (e.g., apigenin 4'-methyl ether), scutellarein 6-methyl ether, isoscutellarein 8-methyl ether, luteolin and 6-OH-luteolin-6-methyl ether where distinctive for S. officinalis. Apigenin, luteolin, 6-OH-luteolin-6-methyl ether, kaempherol 3-methyl ether, kaempherol 3,7-dimethyl ether, quercetin 3,7,3'-trimethyl ether and quercetin 3,7,3',4'-tetramethyl ether were distinctive for S. glutinosa. The flavonoids were also detected in considerable quantities in the plant material from which the essential oils had been already removed. Hence, this industrial waste plant material might be further used as a source of the flavonoids. .

The international tendency for growing and production of small fruits shows a permanent increasing. Bulgaria is a traditional important producer of small berries in Europe. A large variety of small fruit products are wide spread and typical for Bulgarian nutriment. Aside with the growing demand in production of small fruit, there is an obvious tendency in food quality, breeding and technology requirements improvement. Breeding purposes comprise improvement of many traits, but selection of disease resistant cultivars, with higher yield and improved consumers properties such as fruit color, shape, smell and transportation ability are among the most important tasks. Recent progress in molecular analyses and agriculture biotechnologies has enormous impact on selection, technology, testing, preservation and processing of agricultural products. Metabolomics assay as a new dimension in these studies and practice focuses the attention on the biochemical contents of cells and tissues, and has a rapidly growing significance in knowledge of small fruits value for human health. Berry fruits are very rich sources of bioactive compounds as phenolics and organic acid. Bioactive berry compounds, their characterization and utilization in functional foods and clinical assessment of antimicrobial properties for human health are among the major targets of contemporary research. Phenolic compounds in berries inhibit the growth of range of human pathogens. Especially raspberry, strawberry, cranberry, crowberries showed evidence of antimicrobial effects against bacterial pathogens as Salmonella and Staphylococcus. The evaluation of small fruit genetic resources for the presence of bioactive compounds and their properties as natural agents is of doubtless significance and will be with great benefit for breeders, food and pharmaceutical industry.