Antioxidant Properties of Marrubium peregrinum L. (Lamiaceae) Essential Oil

The antioxidant activity of Marrubium peregrinum essential oil, collected from three different locations [Backo Gradiste - Rimski Sanac (No.1), Novi Knezevac (No.2) and Senta (No.3)] was evaluated as free radical scavenging capacity (RSC), together with inhibition on xanthine-oxidase and effects on lipid peroxidation (LP). RSC was assessed measuring the scavenging activity of the essential oils on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH(•)), super oxide anion (O(2)(•−)), nitric-oxide (NO(•)) and hydroxyl (OH(•)) radicals. The activities of xanthine-oxidase (XOD) was determined by the nitrite method. Effects on LP were evaluated by following the activities of essential oils in the Fe(2+)/ascorbate induction system. Experimental results indicate that the essential oil of M. peregrinum from Senta (No.3) exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect, as the IC(50) value was achieved with the lowest concentration. The same result was obtained in investigation of influence of essential oil on XOD and LP. The chemical profile of essential oil was evaluated by the means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). According to the analysis, the most powerful scavenging compounds were sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (β-caryophyllene, bicyclogermacrene and germacrene-D) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (spathulenol and caryophyllene oxide).