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Valorization of Citrus Leaves: Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Essential Oils

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to characterize chemical composition and functional properties of essential oils extracted from leaves of Citrus sinensis Osbeck, Citrus grandis Osbeck and Citrus aurantifolia Swingle. The essential oil of the C. sinensis and C. grandis leaves contained 44 compounds, accounted for total percentages of 94.17% and 93.78% of the oils, respectively, whereas the essential oil of the C. aurantifolia leaves had 62 compounds, accounted for 97.19% of the oil. Limonene, β-pinene, sabinene, β-ocimene, β-cubebene, terpinen-4-ol, linalool and nerol were main volatile compounds of the essential oil of the C. sinensis leaves, while the essential oil of the C. grandis contained high percentages of limonene, α-phellandrene, β-ocimene, β-caryophyllene, nerol, citronellol, geraniol, geranial and neral. The main volatile compounds of the essential oils of the C. aurantifolia leaves were Limonene, β-pinene, β-ocimene, β-caryophyllene, α-terpineol, citronellol and (+)-citronellal. The essential oil of the C. aurantifolia leaves exhibited the strongest scavenging activities (IC50 = 1.21 mg/ml) as compared to those of the C. sinensis (IC50 = 1.49 mg/ml) and C. grandis leaves (IC50 = 2.18 mg/ml). The essential oil of C. grandis leaves exhibited stronger antimicrobial activities than the essential oils of C. sinensis and C. aurantifolia leaves.

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Acknowledgements

This research is funded by Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) under Grant Number 106-NN.02-2016.72.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City, 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Pham Thi Lan Chi, Huu Le Thanh & Nguyen Thi Lan Phi

  2. Department of Food Technology, International University, Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City, Quarter 6, Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Pham Van Hung

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  1. Pham Thi Lan Chi
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  2. Pham Van Hung
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  3. Huu Le Thanh
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  4. Nguyen Thi Lan Phi
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Correspondence to Pham Van Hung or Nguyen Thi Lan Phi.

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Chi, P.T.L., Van Hung, P., Le Thanh, H. et al. Valorization of Citrus Leaves: Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Essential Oils. Waste Biomass Valor 11, 4849–4857 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-019-00815-6

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