Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Syzygium aromaticum and Monodora myristica Essential Oils from Cameroon

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of Monodora myristica and Syzygium aromaticum essential oils. The oils were extracted by hydrodistillation and their chemical composition determined by Gas-chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer detector. The antioxidant activity of the oils was evaluated through the following tests: the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity; the ferric reducing antioxidant power, the metal chelation and finally the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. Results showed that alpha-phellandrene (52.2%) and (p)-cymene (13.1%) were the most represented compounds in the essence of Monodora myristica while Eugenol (59.5%) and (E)-Caryophyllene (23%) were the most abundant molecules in that of Syzygium aromaticum. The evaluation of the antioxidant activity showed that the oil of Syzygium aromaticum has good antioxidant activity compared to that of Monodora myristica. Practical Applications The essential oils of Monodora myristica and Syzygium aromaticum can be used in the formulation of medicines that can help to fight against the damages and diseases caused by oxidative stress. They can also be used as food additives such as flavouring agents, natural preservative or antioxidants in foods.