title: Comparative study of the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of six essential oils and their components.
abstract: The antioxidant activities and the determined major components of six popular and commercially available herb essential oils, including lavender (Lavendular angustifolia), peppermint (Mentha piperita), rosemary (Rosmarius officinalis), lemon (Citrus limon), grapefruit (Citrus paradise), and frankincense (Boswellia carteri), were compared. The essential oils were analysed by GC-MS and their antioxidant activities were determined by testing free radical-scavenging capacity and lipid peroxidation in the linoleic acid system. The major components of the essential oils of lavender, peppermint, rosemary, lemon, grapefruit, and frankincense were linalyl acetate (28.2%), menthol (33.4%), 1,8-cineole (46.1%), limonene (64.5 and 94.2%), and p-menth-2-en-ol (34.5%), respectively. The highest DPPH radical-scavenging activity was obtained by the lavender essential oil and limonene, with RC50 values of 2.1 +/- 0.23% and 2.1 +/- 0.04%, respectively. Radical-scavenging activity against the ABTS radical was highest in peppermint essential oil (1.6 +/- 0.09). Lavender oil was most effective for inhibiting linoleic acid peroxidation after 10 days.
authors.affiliation: The Center for Traditional Microorganism Resources, Keimyung University, Daegu 704-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Seun-Ah
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Sang-Kyung
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Eun-Jung
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chang-Hyun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: In-Seon
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D009822:Oils, Volatile