## 4 Discussion
Phenolic substances such as syringic acid and vanillic acid are used in relieving inflammation, in atherosclerosis treatment, as antioxidants, for various chemotaxis, endothelial functions, and osteogenic/antistrogenic activities, and as an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor [37]. Therefore, the _H. salsolifolium_ plant can be a source of syringic acid and vanillic acid for the fields of pharmacy and medicine. In the current study, the total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant properties (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, CUPRAC) of aqueous, dichloromethane, hexane, and methanolic extracts of _H. salsolifolium_ were investigated. _H. salsolifolium_ is used by the public as a herbal drug. In a study of Hypericum species, a strong positive correlation was found between TPC and TFC values and ABTS and FRAP values, similar to the results of the current study (_p_ < 0.05) [38]. In the ICP-MS elemental content analysis of _H. salsolifolium_ plant material in the current study, mainly Ca (8716 mg/kg), K (6532 mg/kg) and Mg (1278 mg/kg) values were found to be high. These elements are very important for human health. Ca is important in the elimination of hypocalcemia, cardiac arrhythmia, tetany, nervous system conduction and regulation, and bone and tooth development. K is used for the relief of muscle weakness, for the elimination of cardiovascular disorders, and in nervous system functions. Mg plays a role in neurotransmission, tetany, the cardiovascular system, and bone development [39]. The findings of a previous study also showed parallelism with the current study in the content analysis of Hypericum species [40]. This plant, rich in these elements, can be a source of nutrients and elements. In addition, cadmium and lead elements, which are toxic to humans, were almost nonexistent. Moreover, due to the high values of vitally important elements such as Ca, K, and Mg, the consumption of the _H. salsolifolium_ plant as a food will have positive effects on human health. The study results showed essential amino acids such as valine (718.178 \(\mu\)mol/L), threonine (260.253 \(\mu\)mol/L), isoleucine (159.102 \(\mu\)mol/L), phenylalanine (122.301 \(\mu\)mol/L),leucine (104.316 \(\upmu\)mol/L), lysine (17.035 \(\upmu\)mol/L), histidine (13.669 \(\upmu\)mol/L), tryptophan (12.211 \(\upmu\)mol/L), and methionine (0.132 \(\upmu\)mol/L). The most abundant amino acids were found to be glutamine (917.779 \(\upmu\)mol/L) and valine (718.178 \(\upmu\)mol/L). [PERSON] et al. also reported high levels of amino acids in Hypericum species. Glutamine and valine cause muscle growth and regeneration and produce energy, and they are found in expensive foods such as meat, cheese, and milk [41; 42]. In addition, glucose (411 mg/dL) and vitamins such as folic acid (5.87 ng/mL) and vitamin B12 (102 pg/mL) were also detected in _H. salsolidifolium_. Folic acid is effective in the cycle of some amino acids, growth, and is essential for development at the cellular level. Folic acid deficiency causes diseases such as anemia and cancer. Vitamin B12 is also important for cell growth and protection of the nervous system. Deficiency of these vitamins should be corrected through the diet or by taking food supplements [43]. The current study results demonstrated that _H. salsolidifolium_ extract had a cytotoxic effect against A549 cells. It was observed that _H. salsolidifolium_ extract started to decrease the viability of A549 cells at a dose of 100 \(\upmu\)g/mL. Morphological changes were seen in the acridine orange/ethidium bromide assay. The survival rate of 100% in the A549 cell line decreased to 60% due to the introduction of _H. salsolidifolium_ extract, and the remaining 40% was composed of apoptotic and necrotic cells. According to the annexin-V results, the cell viability of A549 cells under normoxic conditions was 93.8%, and the total number of apoptotic and necrotic cells comprised 6.2%. The cell cycle analysis results after _H.