Evaluation of Bioactive Functions and Quantitative Analysis of Phenolic Compounds of Glehnia littoralis from Different Regions

Glehnia littoralis F. (GLF), a perennial herb indigenous to the coastal areas of northern Pacific countries is widely utilized in medicine for various diseases and symptoms. The current study aimed to determine the relationship between phytochemicals and their diverse functional abilities. High-performance liquid chromatography and a photodiode array detector were used to identify chlorogenic acid (1), rutin (2), isoquercitrin (3), psoralen (4), 8-methoxy psoralen (5), and bergapten (6). 2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS+)- and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)-radical-scavenging assays were conducted. It was found that GLF from the Chungnam Province had a higher content of compounds 4–6 contents of approximately 51.29 µmoL/g, which was primarily composed of bergapten (6) (44.44 µmoL/g). Moreover, GLF from Jeju Island exhibited the strongest ABTS+- and DPPH-radical-scavenging activities, with IC50 values of 6.69 mg/mL and 10.26 mg/mL, respectively, followed by Chungnam Province and Jeonnam Province. In contrast, the radical-scavenging activities of GLF did not correlate with compounds 4–6 (furanocoumarins) and were predicted to be related to compounds 1–3. These differences in chemical composition and biological functions are consistent with differences in environmental conditions. Therefore, GLF with high amounts of flavonoid compounds such as rutin and isoquercitrin could potentially be utilized as herbal medicines; however, further research into their additional biological effects is needed.