Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Essential Oils of Lippia Origanoides H.B.K. grown in Colombia

Abstract

Microwave-assisted hydrodistillation, simultaneous distillation-solvent extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction, were used to isolate secondary metabolites from two Lippia origanoides chemotypes growing wild in Colombia. Compound identification was based on chromatographic and spectroscopic criteria. The main components identified in the essential oil of one chemotype were carvacrol (44.4-51.8%) and p-cymene (8.8-10.1%). Those of the other chemotype were p-cymene (11.3-15.7%) and 1,8-cineole (6.8-10.9%). The last one constitutes a new chemotype, characterized by its low thymol and carvacrol contents and very low antioxidant activity. The radical scavenging activity of the essential oil of the first chemotype was higher than that of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and similar to that of α-tocopherol.

Lippia origanoides chemotype differentiation based on essential oil GC‐MS and principal component analysis

“…The establishment of similarities and differences within groups of complex mixtures such as essential oils is facilitated by multivariate statistical tools such as PCA 5, 24–26. The L. origanoides essential oil composition table in our previous publication 9 included just 22 substances, those with relative amount higher than 0.8%. We used PCA to facilitate L. origanoides chemotype distinction, based on essential oil compositions, which in this work were described by the relative amounts of 139 different substances detected in their chromatographic profiles.…”

“…Chemotype A presents a much lower antioxidant capacity than the other two chemotypes. The small content of phenolic compounds may be the main cause of the low radical scavenging activity determined for the chemotype A essential oil 9. The presence of carvacrol in the chemotype B essential oil may explain its higher antioxidant activity, which was more than twice as active as butylated hydroxytoluene, a synthetic antioxidant employed in different consumer products 28.…”

“…A current program for agro industry development in Colombia explores sustainable ways to obtain valuable products from this biodiversity. This includes studies of native aromatic plants 1–9, among which those of the genus Lippia (Verbenaceae family) stand out. Table 1 summarizes the rapid growth in the number of scientific publications on genus Lippia and two of its species, L. alba and L. origanoides .…”

“…Traditionally, L. origanoides is used in infusions from its leaves and flowers and it is employed in popular medicine for the treatment of stomach ache, indigestion, nausea, flatus, and as a general antiseptic for mouth, throat, and wounds 10. We previously reported on the existence of two L. origanoides chemotypes that grow in proximity, in the wild, in the Chicamocha river canyon in Colombia 9. Since one more chemotype had been found in Venezuela 13 and Brazil 14, 15, the question about its existence in Colombia appeared.…”

Chemical composition and antigenotoxic properties of Lippia alba essential oils

“…Plant growing conditions were as indicated by Stashenko et al , (2008). Taxonomic identification was undertaken by Dr. José Luis Fernández Alonso (National University, Bogotá, Colombia).…”