Essential oil composition, antioxidant, anticholinesterase and anti-tyrosinase activities of two Turkish plant species: Ferula elaeochytris and sideritis stricta

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to characterize chemical compositions and antioxidant, anticholinesterase and anti-tyrosinase activities of Ferula elaeochytris and Sideritis stricta essential oils. The hydrodistilled essential oils were analyzed by GC/FID and GC/MS. A total of thirty-three and twenty-seven compounds representing 99.6 % and 99.4 % were identified in F. elaeochytris and S. stricta, respectively. The main compounds of essential oil of F. elaeochytris were β-cubebene (21.3 %), caryophyllene oxide (17.5 %) and β-caryophyllene (14.9 %), while the major compounds of S. stricta essential oil were δ-cadinene (18.3 %), cubenol (17.6 %) and β-caryophyllene (14.4 %). The antioxidant activity was tested by β-carotene-linoleic acid, DPPH free radical scavenging, ABTS cation radical scavenging, CUPRAC and metal chelating assays. The essential oil of F. elaeochytris showed the highest antioxidant activity in all assays. Also, the anticholinesterase and anti-tyrosinase activities of essential oils were performed against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and tyrosinase enzymes. F. elaeochytris essential oil indicated the highest anticholinesterase and anti-tyrosinase activities as well. This is the first report describing antioxidant, anticholinesterase and anti-tyrosinase activities of essential oils of F. elaeochytris and S. stricta.