Essential Oils from Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Cupressaceae and Lamiaceae Families Grown in Serbia: Comparative Chemical Profiling with In Vitro Antioxidant Activity

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the chemical profile and antioxidant activity of essential oils obtained from the most commonly grown plant species in Serbia. Aromatic and medicinal plants from Lamiaceae (Mentha x Piperita, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum majorana, Origanum vulgare, Salvia officinalis, Satureja hortensis, Satureja montana and Thymus vulgaris), Asteraceae (Ehinacea purpurea and Matricaria chamomilla), Apiaceae (Anethum graveolens, Carum carvi, Foeniculum vulgare, Petroselinum crispum and Pimpinella anisum) and Cupressaceae (Juniperus comunis) were selected as raw material for essential oils (EOs)' isolation. Hydrodistillation (HD) was used for the isolation of EOs while they were evaluated in terms of yield and terpenoid profiles by GC-MS. In vitro radical scavenging DPPH and ABTS⁺ radical activities were carried out for all EOs. Finally, a principal component analysis (PCA) was performed with the experimental results of the composition and antioxidant activity of the EOs, which showed a clear distinction between the selected plant species for the aforementioned responses. This work represents a screening tool for the selection of other EO candidates for further processing by emerging extraction techniques and the use of EOs as natural additives for meat products.

Keywords: antioxidant activity; essential oil; hydrodistillation; medicinal plant; principal component analysis (PCA).

Figure 1

EOs’ yield: (a) Apiaceae species, (b) Asteraceae species, (c) Cupressaceae species, (d) Lamiaceae species; PA1—Pimpinella anisum from Institute for Medicinal Plant Research “Dr Josif Pancic”; FV7—Foeniculum vulgare from agricultural holding, Bačko Novo Selo; CC1—Carum carvi from Institute from Medicinal Plant Research “Dr Josif Pancic”; AG7—Anethum graveolens from agricultural holding, Bačko Novo Selo; PC1—Petroselinum crispum from Medicinal Plant Research “Dr Josif Pancic”; MC1—Matricaria chamomilla from Institute for Medicinal Plant Research “Dr Josif Pancic”; EP2—Ehinacea purpurea from Adonis d.o.o.; EP3—Ehinacea purpurea from Bilje Borča d.o.o.; JC2—Juniperus comunis from Adonis d.o.o.; JC3—Juniperus comunis from Bilje Borča d.o.o.; JC1—Juniperus comunis from Institute for Medicinal Plant Research “Dr Josif Pancic”; MP1—Mentha piperita from Institute for Medicinal Plant Research “Dr Josif Pancic”; MP2—Mentha piperita from Adonis d.o.o.; MP3—Mentha piperita from Bilje Borča d.o.o.; MP4—Mentha piperita from agricultural holding, Banatska Topola; OV1—Origanum vulgare from Institute for Medicinal Plant Research “Dr Josif Pancic”; SM3—Satureja montana from Bilje Borča d.o.o.; OM5—Origanum majorana from Geneza d.o.o.; TV6—Thymus vulgaris from agricultural holding, Kulpin; SH4—Satureja hortensis from agricultural holding, Banatska Topola; OB7—Ocimum basilicum from agricultural holding, Bačko Novo Selo; SO7—Salvia officinalis from agricultural holding, Bačko Novo Selo.

Figure 2

The chemical structures of major constituents identified by GC-MS analysis from studied families.

Figure 3

PCA loading plots in the plane of factors 2 and 3 vs. factor 1: (a) the labels correspond to samples, and (b) the labels correspond to variables.