Croatica Chemica Acta, Vol. 78 No. 1, 2005.
Original scientific paper
Catalytic Oxidation and Antioxidant Properties of Thyme Essential Oils (Thymus vulgarae L.)
Mila Jukić
Mladen Miloš
Abstract
The antioxidant properties of two chemotypes of thyme essential oils were examined in relation to their catalytic transformation. Catalytic oxidations were performed with potassium hydrogentrioxoperoxosulfate(VI) and the FeIII meso-tetraphenylporphyrin catalytic system, after which the chemical compositions of essential oils were changed. The antioxidant activity was investigated by two different methods: the 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging method and the Ferric Reducing / Antioxidant Power assay. Both methods have shown that the phenolic chemotype possesses stronger antioxidant properties than the non-phenolic one. After catalytic oxidation, the essential oils of both chemotypes showed stronger antioxidant effects than before oxidation.
Keywords
Thymus vulgaris L.; antioxidants; thymol; thymoquinone
Hrčak ID:
2798
URI
Publication date:
24.3.2005.
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