Chemical Compositions of Essential Oils of Artemisia dracunculus L. and Endemic Matricaria chamomilla L. and an Evaluation of their Antioxidative Effects

Authors
F. Ayoughi 1
M. Marzegar 1
M. A. Sahari 1
M. A. Sahari 1
H. Naghdibadi 2
1 Department of Food Science and Technology, Tarbiat Modares University, P. O. Box: 14115-336, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
2 Department of Cultivation and Development, Institute of Medicinal Plants, ACECR, Karaj, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Abstract
The present study explores the chemical constitution and antioxidant activity of the essential oils of the aerial parts of Artemisia dracunculus L. and the flower heads of Matricaria chamomilla L. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of (Z)-anethole (51.72%), (Z)-β-ocimene (8.32%), methyleugenol (8.06%), limonene (4.94%) and linalool (4.41%) in Artemisia dracunculus and (E)-β-farnesene (24.19%), guaiazulene (10.57%), α-bisabolol oxide A (10.21%), α-farnesene (8.7%) and α-bisabolol (7.27%) in M. chamomilla L.. The antioxidant activity (AOA) of the essential oils was investigated using DPPH• (2, 2′-diphenyl 1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging and β-carotene/linoleic acid methods. The essential oil EC50 values were determined as 3.19±0.13 and 5.63±0.20 mg ml-1 for A. dracunculus and M. chamomilla, respectively. Further, the A. dracunculus L. essential oil (ADEO) and M. chamomilla L. essential oil (MCEO) were able to reduce the oxidation rate of soybean oil under accelerated conditions at 60 °C (oven test).

Keywords

Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology
Volume 13, Issue 1
January and February 2011
Pages 79-88