Research paperChemical composition and antimicrobial, antioxidant activities and anti-inflammatory potential of Achillea millefolium L., Anethum graveolens L., and Carum copticum L. essential oils

Achillea millefolium L., Anethum graveolens L., and Carum copticum L. comprise several relevant species that may be used for the food, cosmetic, perfumery and pharmaceutical industries. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis revealed thymol to be a major component of A. millefolium, A. graveolens and C. copticum, with its contribution to the essential oils (EOs) being 26.47%, 20.07% and 23.14%, respectively. All three EOs exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against all tested bacterial strains, the A. millefolium oil being the most potent. In addition, A. millefolium EO had the highest antioxidant activity in all conducted assays. The A. millefolium EO had significantly greater radical scavenging activity than C. copticum EO and the reference antioxidant Trolox (IC50 values of 22.11, 26.5 and 28.32 mg/ml, respectively). In addition, a correlation between antioxidant activity and the total phenolic content was found. The A. millefolium EO significantly inhibited nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages (an in vitro model of inflammation). These results clearly show the antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of the plant EOs.