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. 2021 Nov 17;10(11):2489.
doi: 10.3390/plants10112489.

Chemical and Biochemical Characterization of Essential Oils and Their Corresponding Hydrolats from Six Species of the Lamiaceae Family

Cristina Laura Popa  1 , Andreea Lupitu  2 , Maria Daniela Mot  1 , Lucian Copolovici  2 , Cristian Moisa  2 , Dana Maria Copolovici  2
Affiliations

Chemical and Biochemical Characterization of Essential Oils and Their Corresponding Hydrolats from Six Species of the Lamiaceae Family

Cristina Laura Popa et al. Plants (Basel). .

Abstract

Many plants belonging to the Lamiaceae family are rich in essential oils (EOs) which are intensively used for aromatherapy, food and beverage flavoring, alternative medicine, cosmetics, and perfumery. Aerial parts of Thymus vulgaris L., Thymus pannonicus All., Lavandula angustifolia L., Lavandula x intermedia, Origanum vulgare L., and Origanum vulgare var. aureum L. were subjected to hydrodistillation, and both resulting fractions were analyzed. The purpose of this study was to determine the chemical composition, antioxidant activity, and total phenolic content of six essential oils and their corresponding hydrolats (HDs) through GC-MS and spectrophotometric analyses. Overall, 161 compounds were identified, some found exclusively in essential oils and others in hydrolats, making them individual products with specific end purposes. The total phenolic content was the highest for the Thymus vulgaris L. EOs (3022 ± mg GAE L-1), because of its high phenolic oxygenated monoterpenes content (thymol and carvacrol) and the smallest for the Lavandula angustifolia L. EOs (258.31 ± 44.29 mg GAE L-1), while hydrolats varied from 183.85 ± 0.22 mg GAE L-1 for Thymus vulgaris L. HD and 7.73 mg GAE L-1 for Thymus pannonicus All. HD. Significant antioxidant effects determined through DPPH• and ABTS•+ assays were also observed in samples with higher hydrophilic compounds. The highest antioxidant activity was determined for Thymus vulgaris L. EO and its corresponding HD. Although EOs are the principal traded economic product, HDs represent a valuable by-product that could still present intense antiseptic activities, similar to their corresponding EOs (thyme and oregano), or have multiple aromatherapy, cosmetics, and household applications (lavender and lavandin).

Keywords: GC-MS; antioxidant activity; bioactive compounds; by-product valorization; essential oils; hydrolats.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Major compound classes present in all EOs, and HDs determined through GC-MS (EOs are named TVEO, TPEO, LAEO, LIEO, OVEO, OVAEO from Thymus vulgaris L., Thymus pannonicus All., Lavandula angustifolia L., Lavandula x intermedia L., Origanum vulgare L., Origanum vulgare var. aureum L., respectively; and HDs are named TVHD, TPHD, LAHD, LIHD, OVHD, OVAHD from Thymus vulgaris L., Thymus pannonicus All., Lavandula angustifolia L., Lavandula x intermedia L., Origanum vulgare L., Origanum vulgare var. aureum L., respectively).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Overlayed chromatograms for LAEO (black) and LAHD (pink) (a) and a comparison between the major compounds with a concentration above 0.5%, where LAEO is with blue and LAHD with orange (b).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Overlayed chromatograms for LAEO (black) and LAHD (pink) (a) and a comparison between the major compounds with a concentration above 0.5%, where LAEO is with blue and LAHD with orange (b).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Ratios of compounds in hydrolats to essential oils: (a) TVHD/TVEO, (b) TPHD/TPEO, (c) LAHD/LAEO, (d) LIHD/LIEO, (e) OVHD/OVEO, (f) OVAHD/OVAEO.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Ratios of compounds in hydrolats to essential oils: (a) TVHD/TVEO, (b) TPHD/TPEO, (c) LAHD/LAEO, (d) LIHD/LIEO, (e) OVHD/OVEO, (f) OVAHD/OVAEO.
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