Abstract
Introduction Phytochemicals are one wide class of nutraceuticals found in plants which act as antioxidants. In this research, the essential oil (EO) of Teucrium polium L., Lamiaceae, collected from Mascara province, situated in the Algerian northwestern, where their chemical composition varies according to geographical origin, season variation, and climatic conditions were studied. Materials and Methods The extraction of EO was performed by hydrodistillation. Then, the chemical compounds were identified by gaz chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC–MS). In parallel, the antioxidant activity was evaluated using the DPPH test. Results The yield of the EO of T. polium L. varied during different seasons with the highest in winter season, at vegetative stage (S1), while the same EO (S1) was significantly more efficient as an antioxidant than the EO harvasted at the flowering stage (S2) with IC50 values 3.90±0.05, 16.14±0.15 mg/mL, respectively (P < 0.001). These extracts are predominantly constituted by limonene (29.87%-26.39%), spathulenol (17.24%-13.29%), camphor (0.0%-8.20%), pinocarvone (7.76%-5.60%), tau-cadinol (5.41%-3.67%), pinene oxide (0.0%-4.78%), α-terpineol (0.0%-4.6%), 1-adamantanemethylamine (0.0%-9.80%) and β- myrcene (0.0%-4.02%). Conclusions The results show that both EOs can be considered as potential sources of natural antioxidants. However, the vegetative stage was the best stage for harvesting the EO of T. polium L. which can be used as an alternative source of synthetic compounds.
Highlights
Phytochemicals are one wide class of nutraceuticals found in plants which act as antioxidants
Yield and Physicochemical Analysis of Essential Oil Essential Oils extracted from aerial parts including stems, leaves of T. polium harvested during the vegetative (S1) and the flowering (S2) stages of growth showed a variable physicochemical characteristic (Table 1) accompanied by an oily liquid aspect, a light yellowish color with a strong odor
The meteorological data during 2006 to 2015 showed that the vegetative stage coincided with the winter period while the flowering stage coincided with the summer period (Figure 1)
Summary
Phytochemicals are one wide class of nutraceuticals found in plants which act as antioxidants. Results: The yield of the EO of T. polium L. varied during different seasons with the highest in winter season, at vegetative stage (S1), while the same EO (S1) was significantly more efficient as an antioxidant than the EO harvasted at the flowering stage (S2) with IC50 values 3.90±0.05, 16.14±0.15 mg/mL, respectively (P < 0.001). These extracts are predominantly constituted by limonene (29.87%-26.39%), spathulenol (17.24%13.29%), camphor (0.0%-8.20%), pinocarvone (7.76%-5.60%), tau-cadinol (5.41%-3.67%), pinene oxide (0.0%-4.78%), α-terpineol (0.0%4.6%), 1-adamantanemethylamine (0.0%-9.80%) and β- myrcene (0.0%-4.02%). This plant has been used for over 2000 years in traditional medicine due to its hypoglycemic, antispasmodic, diuretic,[7] anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatoid,[8] hypolipidemic,[9] antioxidant,[10,11] analgesic, antipyretic, wound healing, anti-microbial[12] and cardioprotective properties.[13]
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