| Abstract [eng] |
The use of the medicinal plants is based on tradition and long-term experience. Practices of traditional medicine vary greatly from country to country. Phytotherapy has deep traditions and is popular in Lithuania. Therefore it is important to study the plants growing in the territory of Lithuania, which are used as a raw materials for medicinal products. The aim of the study was to investigate the chemical composition of the essential oil (EO) from various medicinal plants using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The study also aimed to evaluate the antioxidant properties of extracts and EO and to determine the toxicity of H. Italicum EO. The genus of Artemisia, Aesculus and Helichrysum plants were selected for the study and were collected in different areas of Lithuania. The oils were extracted by hydrodistillation. The results of EO samples based on Artemisia genus showed that main constituent of A. absinthium oil was tans-sabinyl acetate, A. vulgaris EO were rich in 1,8-cineole and camphor, A. campestris oils were rich in germacrene D and caryophyllene oxide. The major components of Aesculus hippocastanum inflorescences were n-heneicosanone and hexahydrofarnesyl acetone. The hydrodistilled essential oil of aerial parts (inflorescences and stems) of Helichrysum arenarium contained large amounts of hexadecanoic acid and myristic acid. However, the volatile fraction of the inflorescences contained mainly aliphatic hydrocarbons (heneicosane, docosane), while the chemical composition of the stems presents higher content of monoterpenes (α-pinene, limonene, 1,8-cineole). The oils obtained from purchased Helichrysum italicum material were found to contain large amounts of γ-curcumene, β-selinene. Analysis of oils showed that quantitative and qualitative composition depends on different geographical locations, selected species and organs of medicinal plants. Phytochemical studies revealed that EO from H. Italicum has a toxic effect against brine shrimp Artemia sp. (larvae). The EO from A. absinthium presents higher antioxidant activity against the DPPH+ radical compared to H. Italicum. Differential pulse voltammograms showed that all extracts from medicinal plants has electrochemical antioxidant activity. |
