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Planta Med 2000; 66(8): 687-693
DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-9773
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Foeniculum vulgare and Crithmum maritimum Essential Oils

Giuseppe Ruberto1,*, M. Tiziana Baratta1 , Stanley G. Deans2 , H. J. Damien Dorman2
  • 1 Istituto del C.N.R. per lo Studio delle Sostanze Naturali di Interesse Alimentare e Chimico-Farmaceutico, Valverde (CT), Italy
  • 2 Department of Food Standards & Product Technology, Scottish Agricultural College, Auchincruive, Scotland, United Kingdom
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Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)

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Abstract

The essential oils obtained from Crithmum maritimum L. (marine fennel) and two samples of Foeniculum vulgare Miller (common fennel) were analysed by GC and GC-MS and assayed for their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The antioxidant activity of the oils was evaluated by two lipid model systems: a modified thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) assay and a spectrophotometric detection of hydroperoxydienes from linoleic acid in a micellar system. The oils demonstrated antioxidant capacities, comparable in some cases to that of α-tocopherol and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), used as reference antioxidants. Concerning the antimicrobial tests the essential oils were assayed against twenty-five genera of bacteria, including animal and plant pathogens, food poisoning and spoilage bacteria. Oils from the two samples of F. vulgare showed a higher and broader degree of inhibition than that of C. maritimum.

Key words

Foeniculum vulgare - Crithmum maritimum - Umbelliferae - essential oils - antioxidant activity - antimicrobial activity - thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay - linoleic acid - GC-MS

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Giuseppe Ruberto

Istituto del C.N.R. per lo Studio delle Sostanze Naturali di Interesse Alimentare e Chimico-Farmaceutico

Via del Santuario, 110

95028 Valverde (CT)

Italy

Email: ruberto@issn.ct.cnr.it

Phone: +39 0957212141