[Oregano essential oil as an inhibitor of higher fatty acid oxidation]

Prikl Biokhim Mikrobiol. 2011 Jul-Aug;47(4):490-4.
[Article in Russian]

Abstract

Inhibition of the oxidation of fatty acids methyl esters by oregano essential oil was studied using capillary gas chromatography. A mixture of fatty acids which contained saturated, mono-, di-, and polyunsaturated acids with 16-24 carbon atoms was extracted from mice brain. Changes in the composition of esters in hexane solutions both in the presence of oregano essential oil and without it were examined during their autooxidation in light for 1 year. It was found that the oxidation rate of unsaturated fatty acids increases with increasing degree of their unsaturation. Oregano essential oil inhibited the oxidation process. Antioxidant activity of the oil increased with increase of its concentration. It was shown that carvacrol and thymol are the main antioxidant components of oregano oil.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Brain Chemistry
  • Cell Extracts / chemistry*
  • Cell Extracts / radiation effects
  • Chromatography, Gas
  • Cymenes
  • Esters / analysis
  • Esters / metabolism*
  • Fatty Acids / analysis
  • Fatty Acids / metabolism*
  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / analysis
  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / metabolism*
  • Hexanes / chemistry
  • Light
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Monoterpenes / pharmacology
  • Oils, Volatile / chemistry
  • Oils, Volatile / pharmacology*
  • Origanum / chemistry*
  • Oxidation-Reduction / drug effects*
  • Oxidation-Reduction / radiation effects
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Thymol / pharmacology

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Cell Extracts
  • Cymenes
  • Esters
  • Fatty Acids
  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
  • Hexanes
  • Monoterpenes
  • Oils, Volatile
  • Thymol
  • carvacrol