Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the essential oil of Juniperus phoenicea L. berries

Nat Prod Res. 2011 Oct;25(18):1695-706. doi: 10.1080/14786419.2010.535168. Epub 2011 Aug 12.

Abstract

This study is designed to examine the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the essential oil of Juniperus phoenicea L. ripe and unripe berries. GC and GC/MS analyses resulted in the detection of 42 components representing approximately 96.50-99.57% of the oils. Major components of the oils were α-pinene (58.61-77.39%), camphene (0.67-9.31%), δ-3-carene (0-10.01%) and trans-verbenol (0-5.24%). Antioxidant activities were determined by two different test systems, DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities. In both systems ripe berries exhibited better activity potential than the unripe ones.

MeSH terms

  • Antioxidants / chemistry
  • Antioxidants / isolation & purification*
  • Bicyclic Monoterpenes
  • Biphenyl Compounds / metabolism
  • Chromatography, Gas
  • Fruit / chemistry*
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Juniperus / chemistry*
  • Monoterpenes / analysis
  • Oils, Volatile / chemistry
  • Oils, Volatile / isolation & purification*
  • Picrates / metabolism
  • Terpenes / analysis

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Bicyclic Monoterpenes
  • Biphenyl Compounds
  • Monoterpenes
  • Oils, Volatile
  • Picrates
  • Terpenes
  • 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl
  • verbenol
  • camphene
  • 3-carene
  • alpha-pinene