Essential oil composition and antioxidant capacity of Lippia schomburgkiana

Nat Prod Commun. 2009 Sep;4(9):1281-6.

Abstract

The leaves and fine stems of Lippia schomburgkiana recorded an essential yield of 1.8%, the main constituents of which were 1,8-cineole (64.1%) and alpha-terpineol (12.0%). The methanol extract of L. schomburgkiana inhibited the DPPH radical, resulting in an EC50 value of 16.1 +/- 0.7 microg x mL(-1), which is only three times lower than that of trolox (4.7 +/- 0.4 microg x mL(-1)), signifying a high antioxidant activity for the species. The amount of total phenolics (376.7 +/- 35.5 mg GAE/g) and the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (327.0 +/- 24.8 mg TE/g) of the methanol extract confirmed the significant antioxidative capacity of this plant. The brine shrimp bioassay carried out on the oil (49.6 +/- 0.4 microg x mL(-1)) showed high toxicity, providing important evidence of its biological activity. The sensory evaluation of the leaves of L. schomburgkiana showed a percentage acceptance value very close to commercial oregano, indicating that the plant can be used in spice and condiment products.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / chemistry
  • Antioxidants / isolation & purification*
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Artemia
  • Biphenyl Compounds / metabolism
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Humans
  • Lethal Dose 50
  • Lippia / chemistry*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Oils, Volatile / chemistry*
  • Phenols / chemistry
  • Phenols / isolation & purification*
  • Phenols / pharmacology
  • Picrates / metabolism
  • Plant Components, Aerial / chemistry
  • Plant Oils / chemistry*
  • Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
  • Taste
  • Terpenes / chemistry
  • Terpenes / isolation & purification*
  • Terpenes / pharmacology
  • Toxicity Tests

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Biphenyl Compounds
  • Oils, Volatile
  • Phenols
  • Picrates
  • Plant Oils
  • Terpenes
  • 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl