Chemical composition, olfactory evaluation and antioxidant effects of essential oil from Mentha x piperita

Nat Prod Commun. 2009 Aug;4(8):1107-12.

Abstract

The chemical composition of the essential oil from peppermint (Mentha x piperita L.) was analyzed by GC/FID and GC-MS. The main constituents were menthol (40.7%) and menthone (23.4%). Further components were (+/-)-menthyl acetate, 1,8-cineole, limonene, beta-pinene and beta-caryophyllene. Peppermint oil possessed antiradical activity with respect to DPPH (diphenyl picryl hydrazyl) and hydroxyl (OH*) radicals, exercising stronger antioxidant impact on the OH* radical. The concentrations required for 50% inhibition of the respective radical (IC50) were 860 microg/mL for DPPH and 0.26 microg/mL for OH*. Peppermint essential oil demonstrated antioxidant activity in a model linoleic acid emulsion system in terms of inhibiting conjugated dienes formation by 52.4% and linoleic acid secondary oxidized products generation by 76.9% (at 0.1% concentration).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antioxidants / isolation & purification*
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Biphenyl Compounds / chemistry
  • Biphenyl Compounds / isolation & purification
  • Deoxyribose
  • Free Radicals / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • Mentha piperita / chemistry*
  • Menthol / isolation & purification
  • Odorants*
  • Oils, Volatile / isolation & purification*
  • Picrates / chemistry
  • Picrates / isolation & purification
  • Quercetin
  • Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / analysis

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Biphenyl Compounds
  • Free Radicals
  • Oils, Volatile
  • Picrates
  • Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances
  • Menthol
  • Deoxyribose
  • Quercetin
  • menthone
  • 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl