Chemical Compositions of Essential Oils of Artemisia dracunculus L. and Endemic Matricaria chamomilla L. and an Evaluation of their Antioxidative Effects

The present study explores the chemical constitution and antioxidant activity of the essential oils of the aerial parts of Artemisia dracunculus L. and the flower heads of Matricaria chamomilla L. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of (Z)-anethole (51.72%), (Z)-beta-ocimene (8.32%), methyleugenol (8.06%), limonene (4.94%) and linalool (4.41%) in Artemisia dracunculus and (E)-beta-farnesene (24.19%), guaiazulene (10.57%), alpha-bisabolol oxide A (10.21%), alpha-farnesene (8.7%) and alpha-bisabolol (7.27%) in M. chamomilla L.. The antioxidant activity (AOA) of the essential oils was investigated using DPPH center dot (2, 2'-diphenyl 1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging and beta-carotene/linoleic acid methods. The essential oil EC50 values were determined as 3.19 +/- 0.13 and 5.63 +/- 0.20 mg ml(-1) for A. dracunculus and M. chamomilla, respectively. Further, the A. dracunculus L. essential oil (ADEO) and M. chamomilla L. essential oil (MCEO) were able to reduce the oxidation rate of soybean oil under accelerated conditions at 60 degrees C (oven test).