title: Antioxidant and radical scavenging activities of chamazulene.
abstract: Essential oils (EOs) of chamomile contain several bioactive compounds, including monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, triterpenes and fatty acids. Hydrodistillation of chamomile EO induces the formation of chamazulene, a bioactive compound. Chamazulene was isolated from the EO by column chromatography. The total antioxidant capacity confirmed a higher antioxidant activity of chamazulene (IC50 = 6.4 μg mL(- 1)) than of ascorbic acid (IC50 = 12.8 μg mL(- 1)), α-tocopherol (IC50 = 20.5 μg mL(- 1)) and of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) (IC50 = 30.8 μg mL(- 1)). Chamazulene was unable to react with DPPH√. However, when chamazulene was assayed with ABTS√, a strong and significantly (P < 0.05) higher free radical scavenging activity was observed (IC50 = 3.7 μg mL(- 1)), with respect to BHT (IC50 = 6.2 μg mL(- 1)) and α-tocopherol (IC50 = 11.5 μg mL(- 1)). The results of this work show that chamazulene is an important factor for the antioxidant power of chamomile oil.
authors: a Biosfered S.r.l., Academic Spin-Off of the University of Turin , Via G. Quarello 15/A, 10135 Turin , Italy.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Capuzzo
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Occhipinti
authors: Massimo E
authors: ME
authors: Maffei
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D052176:Azulenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002084:Butylated Hydroxytoluene / Q000737:chemistry; D020843:Chamomile / Q000737:chemistry; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000032:analysis; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry*; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000032:analysis; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D052176:Azulenes; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D002084:Butylated Hydroxytoluene; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; C013872:chamazulene
keywords: Asteraceae; Matricaria chamomilla L; antioxidant activity; chamazulene