Antioxidant Activities of the Essential Oils and Extracts of Portuguese Thymbra Capitata and Thymus Mastichina
Year: 2009
Type: article
Abstract: The antioxidant activities of the essential oils (EO), the remaining water-soluble hydrodistillation-aqueous phase (RHAPhW) and chloroform-soluble phases (RHAPhC) and the hexane (HEX), dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol (MeOH) extracts from the dried flowering aerial parts of Thymbra capitata and Thymus mastichina were evaluated. The EOs were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The total phenol content was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH, TBARS, reductive potential, metal chelating and by superoxide anion scavenging activity. Carvacrol (75%) and 1,8-cineole (44%) were the main components of the T. capitata and of Th. mastichina EOs, respectively. The DCM extracts of T. capitata and the MeOH extracts of Th. mastichina had the highest phenol contents. The RHAPhWs of both plant species were the best free radical scavengers. The HEX and MeOH extracts of T. capitata prevented lipid peroxidation most effectively. RHAPhWs and MeOH extracts of T. capitata and Th. mastichina, respectively, had the strongest reducing activity. Only the MeOH extracts of both species were able to chelate Fe(II) and only RHAPhWs and MeOH extracts were able to scavenge superoxide radicals.
Source: Italian Journal of Food Science
Language: English
Subfield: Food Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,100
OpenAlex ID: W1472725848