Ballota species have been used in Turkish folk medicine for treatment of wounds and burns, suppression cough and upper respiratory inflammation. According to the previous phytochemical investigations terpenoids, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, essential oils, tannins, and saponins were isolated from Ballota species. The aim of the present research is to evaluate total orthodihydroxycinnamic acid derivatives (TCC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) of Ballota species by spectrophotometrically according to European Pharmacopoeia. The results of this study show that; Ballota species have distinct phenolic contents. Ballota nigra subsp. anatolica extract contained the highest amount of ortho-dihydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, while highest proportion of flavonoids was found in Ballota glandulosissima. On the other hand, Ballota nigra subsp. foetida extract contained the lowest amount of ortho-dihydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, while lowest proportion of flavonoids was found in Ballota rotundifolia.
Keywords: Ballota, Ortho-dihydroxycinnamic acid, Flavonoids, Spectrophotometry