DNA Protection and Antioxidant Activities of Ajuga chamaeptys (L.) Schreber Essential Oil and its Volatile Compounds

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the in vitro DNA protection and antioxidant activities of hydrodistillated essential oil from aerial parts of Ajuga chamaepitys L. and its volatile compounds. The oil was screened for their possible antioxidant activity by DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging, reducing power and metal chelating assays. DNA protection activity of the oil was also found importantly. GC-MS analyses of the essential oil were resulted in determination twenty four different compounds, representing 99.0 % of total oil. beta-pinene (19.5 %), Epoxy allo-alloaromadendren (12.6 %) alpha -pinene (11.2 %) and E-caryophyllene (8.4 %) were determined as the major compounds of the oil. The oil was dominated by the monoterpene hydrocarbons (34.6 %) followed by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (22.0 %). Essential oil of this plant could be proposed as a natural antioxidant.