Chemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of lavender and marjoram essential oils

Abstract

INTHIS STUDY we asses sed the chem ical compo sition, antioxid ant an d anti bacterial acti vities of lave nder (Lav andula angustifolia) and marjoram (Majorana hortensis) essential oils (EOs). Marjoram and lavender EOs showed promising antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrasyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, β-carotene bleaching test and 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assay. The three applied methods have shown that marjoram essential oil displays a strong antioxidant activity as well as good antibacterial activity. GC/MS analyses indicated that L. angustifolia essential oil consisted of linalool as the most abundant component (37.65%), followed by linalyl acetate (15.29 %), α-muurolene (8.59 %), alloaromadendrene (6.03%), β-phellandrene (4.39%) and other minor components. On the other hand, M. hortensis essential oil consisted of terpinen-4-ol (48.98%), α-terpinol (11.75%), γ-terpinene (9.64%), spathulenol (3.51%), linalyl acetate (2.58 %) and sabinene hydrate (2.30%) as the main constituents. Lavender and marjoram herbs presented considerable content of carbohydrates, protein, amino acids, crude fiber, EOs and minerals (Fe, Zn and Cu), low values of fats, ash and absence of mycotoxins.