The role of antioxidants in preventing oxygen radical and hydrogen peroxide induced cytotoxicity and tissue damage in various human diseases is increasingly recognized. In this study the in vitro antioxidant activity of the ethanol extracts obtained from 21 aromatic plants belonging to the Lamiaceae family was investigated. Of the extracts tested, those of Salvia ringens, Salvia pomifera, Stachys spruneri, Origanum dictamnus, Phlomis lanata, Ballota pseudodictamnus, Ballota acetabulosa, Teucrium polium, Calamintha glandulosa and Micromeria graeca exhibited the same activity as alpha-tocopherol.

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The hydrodistilled essential oils of the aerial parts of wild-growing Salvia sclarea originated from two localities in Greece were analyzed by GC-MS. Sixty-six compounds, representing 93.26-98.19% of the oils, were identified. Linalyl acetate (19.75-31.05%), linalool (18.46-30.43%), geranyl acetate (4.45-12.1%), and alpha-terpineol (5.08-7.56%) were the main components. The antifungal activity of the oil of one locality and of the main components, linalyl acetate and linalool, was evaluated in vitro against three soil-borne pathogens.

The volatile metabolites of wild-growing Mentha spicata, M. longifolia, M. suaveolens, Melissa officinalis, Salvia fruticosa, S. pomifera subsp. calycina, and S. pomifera subsp. pomifera from Greece were determined by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The insecticidal properties of the analyzed essential oils were screened on Culex pipiens larvae. Additionally two of the main components of the essential oils, piperitenone oxide and 1,8-cineole were assayed against C. pipiens in order to define the affiliation between them and the larvicidal properties of the oils. The most effective oils were M. suaveolens (major constituent piperitenone oxide, 62.4%), M. spicata (piperitenone oxide, 35.7% and 1,8-cineole, 14.5%) and M. longifolia--Central Greece (piperitenone oxide, 33.4%; 1,8-cineole, 24.5% and trans-piperitone epoxide, 17.4%), which exhibited LC(50) values ranging from 47.88 to 59.33 mg l(-1). Medium activity revealed the oils of M. officinalis (terpin-4-ol, 15.8%; caryophyllene oxide, 13.2%; sabinene, 12.9%; beta-pinene, 12.1%; and trans-caryophyllene, 10.2%), M. longifolia--Southern Greece (carvone, 54.7% and limonene 20.0%), S. pomifera subsp. pomifera (trans-caryophyllene, 22.5% and trans-thujone, 21.0%), S. pomifera subsp. calycina--West Southern Greece (trans-thujone, 56.1% and 1,8-cineole, 10.4%), and S. fruticosa--population 2 (camphor, 23.1%; alpha-pinene, 12.7%; and borneol, 12.6%), with LC(50) values ranging from 78.28 to 91.45 mg l(-1). S. pomifera subsp. calycina (Central Greece) essential oil (trans-thujone, 26.5% and cis-thujone, 12.0%) presented rather low activity (LC(50) values 140.42 mg l(-1)), while S. fruticosa--population 1 (1,8-cineole, 31.4% and camphor, 22.6%) was the only inactive oil. Additionally, the constituent piperitenone oxide was found to be highly active (LC(50) values 9.95 mg l(-1)), whereas 1,8-cineole revealed no toxicity.