Antioxidant potential, lipid peroxidation inhibition and antimicrobial activities of Satureja montana L. subsp kitaibelii extracts

The antioxidant activity of different Satureja montana L. subsp. kitaibelii extracts was tested by measuring their ability to scavenge reactive hydroxyl radical during the Fenton reaction, using ESR spectroscopy. Also, the influence of these extracts on lipid peroxyl radicals obtained during lipid peroxidation of: (I) sunflower oil ( 37 degrees C, 3h) induced by 4,4'-azobis( 4-cyanovaleric acid) ( ACVA) and ( II) liposomes induced by 2,2'-azobis( 2-amidino-propane) dihydrochloride ( AAPH) was studied. n-Butanol extract had the best antioxidant activity ( 100% at 0.5 mg/mL in Fenton reaction system; 89.21% at 5 mg/mL in system I; 83.38% at 5 mg/mL in system II). The antioxidant activities of the extracts significantly correlated with total phenolic content. The antimicrobial activity of Satureja montana L. subsp. kitaibelii extracts was investigated. Petroleum ether, chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts expressed a wide range of inhibiting activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.