Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Composition and antioxidant activity of essential oils from Oregano plants grown wild in Greece

Zusammensetzung und antioxidative Aktivität etherischer Öle von Oregano-Pflanzen aus Griechenland

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Zeitschrift für Lebensmittel-Untersuchung und Forschung Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Zusammenfassung

Bei dieser Arbeit wurden vier Proben etherischer Öle aus Pflanzen gewonnen, die weit verbreitet in Griechenland sind und von ökonomischer Wichtigkeit in der ganzen Welt am Gewürzmarkt sind. Es wurden Carvacrol und Thymol auf ihre wahrscheinliche antioxidative Aktivität getestet. Die vier Pflanzenarten sindOriganum vulgare hirtum, Origanum onites, Coridothymus capitatus und Satureja thymbra. Die etherischen Öle wurden mit Hilfe der Gaschromatographie-Massenspektroskopie charakterisiert. Sowohl die untersuchten etherischen Öle als auch Carvacrol und Thymol wurden durch TLC und auch durch Messung der Peroxid-Werte eines bei 35°C aufbewahrten Schweinefettes getestet. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, daß der antioxidative Effekt auf die Anwesenheit von Carvacrol und Thymol im etherischen Öl zurückgeführt werden kann.

Abstract

In this study, four samples of essential oils obtained from plant species with a wide distribution in Greece and economic importance for the world-wide spice market and also carvacrol and thymol were tested for their possible antioxidant activity. The four plant species wereOriganum vulgare subsp.hirtum, O. onites, Coridothymus capitatus andSatureja thymbra. The essential oils were chemically characterised by gas chromatography-ion trap detection. All the essential oils examined and also carvacrol and thymol were found to have antioxidant activity when tested on TLC plates and by measuring peroxide values of lard stored at 35° C. The results indicate that the antioxidant effect may be related to the presence of carvacrol and thymol in essential oils.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Chipault JR, Mizuno GR, Lundberg WO (1956) Food Technol 10:209–211

    Google Scholar 

  2. Al-Jalay B, Bland G, Mcconnell B, Al-Khayat M (1987) J Food Prot 50:25–27

    Google Scholar 

  3. Namiki M (1990) CRC Food Sci Nutr 29:273–300

    Google Scholar 

  4. Hermann K, Schütte M, Müller H, Desmer R (1981) Dtsch Lebensm-Rdsch 77:134–139

    Google Scholar 

  5. Schuler P (1990) In: Hudson BJF (ed) Food antioxidants. Elsevier, London, New York, pp 99–170

    Google Scholar 

  6. Banias C, Oreopoulou V, Thomopoulos CD (1992) JAOCS 69:520–524

    Google Scholar 

  7. Economou KD, Oreopoulou V, Thomopoulos CD (1991) JAOCS 68:109–113

    Google Scholar 

  8. Bracco V, Löliger J, Viret JL (1981) JAOCS 58:686–690

    Google Scholar 

  9. Wu JW, Lee MH, Ho CT, Chang SS (1982) JAOCS 59:339–345

    Google Scholar 

  10. Inatani R, Nakatani N, Fuwa H (1983) Agric Biol Chem 47:521–528

    Google Scholar 

  11. Djarmati Z, Jankov RM, Schwirtlich E, Djulinac B, Djordjevic A (1991) JAOCS 68:731–734

    Google Scholar 

  12. Farag RS, Badei AZMA, Hewedi FM, El-Baroty GSA (1989) JAOCS 66:722–799

    Google Scholar 

  13. Farag RS, Badei AZMA, El-Baroty GSA (1989) JAOCS 66:800–804

    Google Scholar 

  14. Farag RS, Ali MN, Taha SH (1990) JAOCS 68:188–191

    Google Scholar 

  15. Lawrence BM (1984) Perfum Flavor 9:41–51

    Google Scholar 

  16. Fleisher A, Sneer N (1982) J Sci Food Agric 33:441–446

    Google Scholar 

  17. Kokkini S (1992) Herbs of the Labiatae. In: Macrae R, Robinson R, Sadler M, Fullerlove G (eds) Encyclopaedia of food science, food technology and nutrition. Academic Press, London (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Kokkini S, Vokou D (1989) Flavour Fragr J 4:1–7

    Google Scholar 

  19. Galleti G, Marotti M, Piccaglia R (1989) Flavour Fragr J 4:155–159

    Google Scholar 

  20. Pratt DE, Miller EE (1984) JAOCS 61:1064

    Google Scholar 

  21. Official and tentative methods of the american oil chemists society (1969) American Oil Chemists Society, Champaign, Illinois, Method CD 8–53

  22. Adams RP (1969) Identification of essential oils by ion trap mass spectroscopy. Academic Press, New York, pp 1–28

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54006, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Vasiliki Lagouri, George Blekas, Maria Tsimidou & Dimitrios Boskou

  2. Laboratory of Systematic Botany and Phytogeography, Faculty of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54006, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Stella Kokkini

Authors
  1. Vasiliki Lagouri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. George Blekas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Maria Tsimidou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Stella Kokkini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Dimitrios Boskou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lagouri, V., Blekas, G., Tsimidou, M. et al. Composition and antioxidant activity of essential oils from Oregano plants grown wild in Greece. Z Lebensm Unters Forch 197, 20–23 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01202694

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01202694

Keywords

Search

Navigation