FLAVOUR AND FRAGRANCE JOURNAL, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
Nepeta is one of the largest genera in the Lamiaceae family. The aim of this study is to evaluate (DPPH center dot and ABTS(+) scavenging tests), antidiabetic (alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase enzymes inhibition), and anticholinesterase (acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase enzymes inhibition) activities of methanolic, aqueous extracts and essential oils obtained from flowering aerial parts of N. cilicia Boiss. ex Benth., N. isaurica Boiss. & Heldr. ex Benth., and N. sulfuriflora P.H.Davis. Furthermore, essential oils extracted from these plants were analysed for their chemical composition by GC-MS/MS. Also, anatomy and morphology of these plants were evaluated. Total phenolic and tannin contents were analysed. The major compounds identified in the essential oils of Nepeta species were as follows: caryophyllene oxide (24.8%) and phytol (17.7%) in N. cilicia, alpha-cadinol (13.6%) and ledol (8.0%) in N. isaurica, and 1,8-cineole (70.4%) in N. sulfuriflora. The plants are perennial, and they have unicellular to multicellular non-glandular and multicellular glandular trichomes. In antidiabetic assays, N. cilicia methanolic extract showed the highest alpha-amylase inhibition (31.66%), while N. isaurica essential oil had the strongest alpha-glucosidase inhibition (14.25%). For anticholinesterase activity, N. sulfuriflora essential oil was most effective against acetylcholinesterase (8.63%), and N. isaurica MeOH extract had the highest butyrylcholinesterase inhibition (13.24%). It was determined that especially methanolic extracts had higher % inhibition value on (