Comparative study of the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of six essential oils and their components

Abstract

The antioxidant activities and the determined major components of six popular and commercially available herb essential oils, including lavender (Lavendular angustifolia), peppermint (Mentha piperita), rosemary (Rosmarius officinalis), lemon (Citrus limon), grapefruit (Citrus paradise), and frankincense (Boswellia carteri), were compared. The essential oils were analysed by GC-MS and their antioxidant activities were determined by testing free radical-scavenging capacity and lipid peroxidation in the linoleic acid system. The major components of the essential oils of lavender, peppermint, rosemary, lemon, grapefruit, and frankincense were linalyl acetate (28.2%), menthol (33.4%), 1,8-cineole (46.1%), limonene (64.5 and 94.2%), and p-menth-2-en-ol (34.5%), respectively. The highest DPPH radical-scavenging activity was obtained by the lavender essential oil and limonene, with RC50 values of 2.1 +/- 0.23% and 2.1 +/- 0.04%, respectively. Radical-scavenging activity against the ABTS radical was highest in peppermint essential oil (1.6 +/- 0.09). Lavender oil was most effective for inhibiting linoleic acid peroxidation after 10 days.

Investigation of the effects of peppermint (Mentha piperita) on the biochemical and anthropometric profile of university students

“…The results were the presence of substances such as menthol, eugenol, thymol, flavonoids, terpenoids, eriotricin, luteolin and hesperidin rosmarinic, cinnamic and caffecic acids and other compounds that demonstrate antioxidant activity (McKAY;BLUMBERG, 2006;SAMARTH et al, 2007;DORMAN et al, 2009;SCHMIDT et al, 2009;YANG et al, 2010). López et al (2009) determined the effects of the genus Mentha (Mentha piperita and Mentha aquatica) extracts and observed protection of the PC12 cells against oxidative hydrogen-peroxide-induced stress.…”

Phytochemical screening of methanolic dried galls extract of Quercus infectoria using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR)

“…The column employed here for the separation of components was Elite 1 (100% dimethyl poly siloxane) (Mohammed and Imad, 2013;Imad et al, 2014c). The identity of the components in the extracts was assigned by comparison of their retention indices and mass spectra fragmentation patterns with those stored on the computer library and also with published literatures (Yang et al, 2010).…”

Evaluation of anti-bacterial activity and bioactive chemical analysis of Ocimum basilicum using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques

“…The identity of the components in the extracts was assigned by the comparison of their retention indices and mass spectra fragmentation patterns with those stored on the computer library and also with published literatures. Compounds were identified by comparing their spectra to those of the Wiley and NIST/EPA/NIH mass spectral libraries (Yang et al, 2010).…”