Free Radicals Scavenging Activity of Essential Oils and Different Fractions of Methanol Extract of Zataria Multiflora, Salvia Officinalis, Rosmarinus Officinalis, Mentha Pulegium and Cinnamomum Zeylanicum

Essential oils and extracts from medicinal plants are regarded as natural food preservatives and health promoting drugs. Considering their antioxidant activity, most of them can prevent oxidative stress. The present study was aimed to evaluate free radicals scavenging activity of essential oils and different fractions of methanol extracts from cinnamon, pennyroyal, black cumin, sage, rosemary and azkand. Antioxidant property of essential oils and different fractions of these medicinal plants was studied by determining their DPPH(2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radicals scavenging activity. There were significant differences among the free radical scavenging activity of studied essential oils and different fractions. Ethyl acetate fractions were identified as the most active fractions than other ones and even synthetic antioxidant (BHT, IC50 value of 239.5μg/ml) with the highest activity in Mentha pulegium (47.2 μg/ml μg/ml). Among others, n-hexane fraction of rosemary (969 μg/ml), dichloromethane fraction of rosemary (205.46 μg/ml) and zatar (344 μg/ml) and aqueous fractions of cinnamon (117.6 μg/ml) and sage (321.3 μg/ml) exhibited appreciable antioxidant activity. Regarding considerable activity of studied extracts, they have the potential to be used as natural antioxidants in relevant industries.