Artemisia annua L.: Essential oil and acetone extract composition and antioxidant capacity

Aerial parts of Artemisia annua growth in three different locations of Madeira Archipelago were studied. The essential oil composition was established by GC-MS and the main components were mono- and sesquiterpenes; artemisia ketone was not detected.The presence of phenolic compounds in the acetone extracts was investigated by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn and a diversified phenolic profile of 40 hydrocinnamic acid derivatives and glycosylated flavonoids was found. A few compounds were reported for the first time in Artemisia annua.The antioxidant capacity of essential oils and extracts were measured by three different in vitro assays. For the essential oils, a very good antioxidant response was found and the extracts also showed a good antioxidant capacity, in particular as antiradical scavengers.

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► Artemisia annua essential oil composition by GC-MS.
► Artemisia annua acetone extract composition by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn.
► Identification of caffeoylquinic acids esterified with coumaroyl groups.
► Good antioxidant capacity of essential oils and extracts.