Powerful antioxidants within Cupressus arizonica Greene female cones and leaves essential oil

Abstract

The composition and antioxidant activity of the essential oil obtained from the female cones and leaves of Cupressus arizonica were assessed using the DPPH assay. The total oil yields obtained through hydrodistillation from the female cones and leaves were 1.9% (v/w) and 0.65% (v/w), respectively. The GC-MS chemical analysis of the oils from the female cones and leaves resulted in the identification of 17 and 45 compounds, respectively. Moreover, the essential oils obtained from C. arizonica female cones were predominantly composed of monoterpene hydrocarbons, with α-pinene being the most abundant component at 72.20%. In contrast, the oil extracted from the leaves was rich in oxygenated monoterpenes, particularly umbellulone (17.33%). The oils extracted from the leaves exhibited remarkable DPPH radical scavenging activity, displaying a value of 95.6%. This value was comparable to that of ascorbic acid (99.6%) and BHT (96.9%) when tested at a concentration of 59 mg/mL.