The Chemical Composition of Essential Oil and Antioxidant Activity of Various Extracts of Coridothymus capitatus (L.) Reichb.

Abstract

In this study, essential oil compounds from the aerial parts of Coridothymus capitatus (L.) Reichb. were analysed by GC and GC/MS system, and total 28 constituents were identified. The main components were characterized as carvacrol (76,59%), alpha-phellandrene (6,04%), 1-octen-3-ol (5,13%), beta-caryophyllene (3,95%) and gamma-terpinene (1,72%). In addition, the antioxidant properties of essential oil and water and ethanol extracts from C. capitatus were examined. The antioxidant activity was investigated with three different methods: the beta-carotene bleaching test, the 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method and the total phenolic content. The total antioxidant activity measured by the beta-carotene bleaching test was highest in C. capitatus water extract (95,7%) while the free radical scavenging activity was highest in the plant's ethanol extract (90,7%). The amount of phenolic compounds in C. capitatus water extract was found higher than the value expected [55.70 +/- 1.59, pyrocatechol equivalent (mu g mg(-1))].