Radical Scavenging, Antibacterial Activities and Chemical Composition of Volatile Oil of Edible Mentha longifolia (L.) Hudson, Subs. Schimperi (Briq.) Briq, from Yemen

Abstract

The study was planned to investigate the content and the composition of the volatile oil of Mentha longifolia , subspecies schimperi , growing in Yemen. Antibacterial activity and radical scavenging activity (RSA) of the oil were evaluated as well. Chemical analysis of oil was achieved by IR spectroscopy and GC/MS. DPPH radical was used to estimate RSA of oil extract. Antibacterial activity was tested using agar diffusion method against four standard bacterial strains. Seventeen components, representing 99.97% of the total oil composition were identified. Piperitone oxide isomers were found to be the main components, representing 99.48% of the total oil composition. Oil content determination refers to the presence of 4.1% v/w. The chemical composition of the analysed oil in the current study is noticeably different from all the oils previously analyzed, especially in the percentage of trans -piperitone oxide and oil content. The bioassays showed that the present study oil, possess significant antibacterial activity and promising antioxidant. These results indicate that oil could serve as safe natural additives in the food and pharmaceutical industries and as a potential source for production of piperitone oxide.