Exploiting the beneficial effects of Salvia officinalis L. extracts in human health and assessing their activity as potent functional regulators of food microbiota

•The phytochemical profile of S. officinalis unveiled 103 secondary metabolites.•Significant antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microbes was noted by S. officinalis extracts.•S. officinalis extracts are promising candidates as functional regulators of food microbiota.•S. officinalis extracts protect human cells against oxidative stress-induced DNA damage.•Extracts exhibited inhibitory effects against oxidative modification of LDL. Salvia officinalis L. has attracted scientific and industrial interest due to its pharmacological properties. However, its detailed phytochemical profile and its correlation with beneficial effects in the human microbiome and oxidative stress remained elusive. To unveil this, S. officinalis was collected from the region of Epirus and its molecular identity was verified with DNA barcoding. Phytochemical profile for both aqueous and ethanol-based extracts was determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and 103 phytochemicals were determined. The effect of S. officinalis extracts as functional regulators of food microbiota by stimulating the growth of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus strains and by suppressing evolution of pathogenic bacteria was verified. Furthermore, we recorded that both extracts exhibited a significant cellular protection against H2O2-induced DNA damage. Finally, both extracts exhibited strong inhibitory effect towards LDL oxidation. This study provides a comprehensive characterization of S. officinalis on its phytochemical components as also its potential impact in human microbiome and oxidative stress.