Antioxidant activity of essential oil of oregano species from Argentina in relation to their chemical composition

QUIROGA, P. R.; RIVEROS, C; ZYGADLO, J. A.; GROSSO, N. R.; NEPOTE V.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Chester; Año: 2011 vol. 46 p. 2648 - 2655

0950-5423

The purpose of this work was to determine chemical composition and antioxidant activity of essential oil of different oregano species from Argentina: Cordobes, Criollo, Mendocino, and Compacto. The essential oil composition was determined by GC-MS. Scavenging activity was analyzed by DPPH test. The antioxidant activity of the essential oils was determined by an accelerated oxidation test in canola oil. Thirty nine compounds were identified in the oregano essential oils. The oregano species showed differences in their chemical composition, radical scavenging activity, and antioxidant activity. The main compounds in the studied oregano species were thymol and trans-sabinene hydrate followed by gama-terpinene, terpinen-4-ol, and alfa-terpinene. The oregano, Criollo was rich in gama-terpinene and had lower thymol and trans-sabinene hydrate and higher á-terpinene and carvacrol contents than the other oregano species. Mendocino had higher trans-sabinene hydrate and limonene than the other oregano species. Cordobes and Compacto had higher thymol content, radical scavenging activity and antioxidant activity in canola oil.