Αντιοξειδωτική ικανότητα και ολικά φαινολικά συστατικά επιλεγμένων αρωματικών φυτών της Κύπρου

Abstract

In this study were examined nine aromatic and medicinal plants and specifically the plants geranium (Pelargonium roseum), laurel (Laurus nobilis), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), sage (Salvia officinalis), the wormwood (Artemisia abrotanum), peppermint (Mentha spicata), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), the lavandin (Santolina chamaecyparissus) and verbena (Lippia citriodora), from two areas that have different altitude. These areas are Agios Ioannis Agrou (or Pitsilias) and the herb garden of the Department of Agriculture in Athalassa. The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the concentration of antioxidants and total antioxidant capacity, from the plant extracts of the nine plants between the two regions and to conduct essential oils from dried plant material in order to compare the performance and identify the most abundant compounds of the essential oils. More specifically, the concentrations of total phenolics were determined with the Folin-Ciocalteu method and the antioxidant capacity with the methods DPPH and FRAP (PART I). The essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger apparatus and their constituents were determined by GC / MS (PART II). In PART I, the results showed that between the two regions, significant differences had geranium and wormwood plants. The plants geranium from the Department of Agriculture and wormwood from Agios Ioannis Agrou had higher total phenolics, antioxidant capacity, flavonoids and flavanol concentrations compared with the same plants from the other region. Conversely, rosemary, peppermint and lavender from both regions, did not differ in any field. The remaining plants of this thesis had few differences between them, but without following a specific trend. In PART II, the results showed that the production of essential oil differed only in the laurel and lavender plants. Lavender from the Department of Agriculture and the laurel from Agios Ioannis Agrou, gave greater amount of essential oil compared with the same plants from the other area. Differences in the essential oil composition were noticeable in all plants, except from rosemary.