Comparison of Chemical Compositions and Antioxidant Activities of the Essential Oils of Two Ziziphora. Taxa from Anatolia

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to investigate the protective effects of essential oils, used in traditional Turkish food and medicine, prepared from two Ziziphora. subspecies against H₂O₂-induced oxidative damage in human erythrocytes. Catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, and effects of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels of the essential oils on erythrocyte were assessed. The results indicated that both essential oils of Ziziphora. species were effective on antioxidant enzyme systems of erythrocytes when compared with H₂O₂ group. Ziziphora taurica. Bieb. subsp. taurica. was more effective than endemic Ziziphora taurica. Bieb. subsp. cleonioides. (Boiss) P. H. Davis on CAT, GPx, and SOD enzyme systems of erythrocytes. In this study, we established that the essential oils of Z. taurica. subsp.. taurica. contained caryophyllene oxide (26.16%), β.-caryophyllene (24.80%), and germacrene-D (7.92%), and Z. taurica. subsp.. cleonioides. contained (+)-pulegone (69.24%), piperitenone (6.47%), and limonene (3.59%). Results presented here may suggest that the essential oils possess antioxidant properties, and therefore they can be used in the nutraceutical or pharmaceutical industry.

Keywords:

• Antioxidant enzymes, β
• -caryophyllene, erythrocytes, essential oil, pulegone, Ziziphora

Notes

*p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; (ns); nonsignificant.