Enzyme inhibitory, antioxidant activity and phytochemical analysis of essential oil from cultivated Rosmarinus officinalis

This work investigated the possibility to introduce cultivated Rosmarinus officinalis L. essential oil in food and pharmaceutical industry as an alternative organic compound. In first step, chemical and mineral composition were evaluated using GC/CG-MS and ICP-AES respectively. The main compounds of cultivated R. officinalis essential oil were 1,8 cineole (27.6%), alpha-pinene (26.6%), verbenone (5.3%), camphene (4.5%) and camphor (4.3%), whereas the mineral contents of R. officinalis was found complies with the limits granted by the World Health Organization (WHO), and consequently confirm its use safety. In second step, this essential oil was then investigated for its antioxidant activity and as enzymes inhibitor (acetylcholinesterase (AChE), tyrosinase and alpha-glucosidase) associated with several diseases such as Alzheimer, pigmentation disorders and diabetes mellitus type 2 respectively. The findings clearly showed a strong antioxidant activity using three assays, DPPH (IC50 = 337.23 mu g/ml), beta-carotene (IC50 = 215.75 mu g/ml) and FRAP (IC50 = 265.45 mu g/ml). In addition, high inhibitory effect against AChE (75.05%), tyrosinase (78.43%) and alpha-glucosidase (87.43%) of studied essential oil were demonstrated at 1 mg/ml. The current research suggest that cultivated R. officinalis essential oil can be a potential source of organic compounds with a substantial impact on health.

Automated summary

This study examined the possibility of using cultivated Rosmarinus officinalis L. essential oil as an organic compound in food and pharmaceutical industries. The analysis showed that the essential oil complies with WHO limits and demonstrated strong antioxidant activity and inhibitory effects against enzymes associated with diseases. The findings suggest that cultivated R. officinalis essential oil could be a potential source of organic compounds with significant health impact.