COMPOSITION AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF ESSENTIAL OILS FROM OREGANO PLANTS GROWN WILD IN GREECE

In this study, four samples of essential oils obtained from plant species with a wide distribution in Greece and economic importance for the world-wide spice market and also carvacrol and thymol were tested for their possible antioxidant activity. The four plant species were Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum, O. onites, Coridothymus capitatus and Satureja thymbra. The essential oils were chemically characterised by gas chromatographyion trap detection. All the essential oils examined and also carvacrol and thymol were found to have antioxidant activity when tested on TLC plates and by measuring peroxide values of lard stored at 35-degrees-C. The results indicate that the antioxidant effect may be related to, the presence of carvacrol and thymol in essential oils.