Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the essential oil of Schisandra chinensis fruits

This study was designed to examine the composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of the essential oil of Schisandra chinensis fruits. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to determine the composition of the essential oil. Forty components were identified, representing 90.80% of the oil; ylangene (37.72%), beta-himachalene (10.46%) and alpha-bergamotene (8.57%) were the main components. Antioxidant and radical-scavenging properties were evaluated by means of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and beta-carotene bleaching assay. In the DPPH assay, IC50 value of the S. chinensis essential oil was determined as 4.17 mgmL(-1). In the beta-carotene bleaching assay, the essential oil (1.0 mgmL(-1)) exhibited 25.89% inhibition against linoleic acid oxidation. In both systems, antioxidant capacity of butylated hydroxytoluene was also determined in parallel experiments.