Essential Oils from Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Cupressaceae and Lamiaceae Families Grown in Serbia: Comparative Chemical Profiling with In Vitro Antioxidant Activity

The aim of the present study was to investigate the chemical profile and antioxidant activity of essential oils obtained from the most commonly grown plant species in Serbia. Aromatic and medicinal plants from Lamiaceae (Mentha x Piperita, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum majorana, Origanum vulgare, Salvia officinalis, Satureja hortensis, Satureja montana and Thymus vulgaris), Asteraceae (Ehinacea purpurea and Matricaria chamomilla), Apiaceae (Anethum graveolens, Carum carvi, Foeniculum vulgare, Petroselinum crispum and Pimpinella anisum) and Cupressaceae (Juniperus comunis) were selected as raw material for essential oils (EOs)’ isolation. Hydrodistillation (HD) was used for the isolation of EOs while they were evaluated in terms of yield and terpenoid profiles by GC-MS. In vitro radical scavenging DPPH and ABTS+ radical activities were carried out for all EOs. Finally, a principal component analysis (PCA) was performed with the experimental results of the composition and antioxidant activity of the EOs, which showed a clear distinction between the selected plant species for the aforementioned responses. This work represents a screening tool for the selection of other EO candidates for further processing by emerging extraction techniques and the use of EOs as natural additives for meat products

Valorization of Sour Cherry Kernels: Extraction of Polyphenols Using Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADESs)

The objective of this research was to optimize the natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) extraction process from sour cherry kernels (Prunus cerasus L.). For polyphenol isolation, conventional solid–liquid extraction was employed using different concentrations of ethanol (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 96%), as well as the innovative NADES extraction technique. In the initial phase of the research, a screening of 10 different NADESs was conducted, while extraction was carried out under constant parameters (50 °C, 1:20 w/w, 60 min). NADES 4, composed of lactic acid and glucose in a molar ratio of 5:1, exhibited the highest efficiency in the polyphenol isolation. In the subsequent phase of the research, response surface methodology (RSM) was utilized to optimize the extraction process. Three independent variables, namely temperature, extraction time, and solid–liquid (S/L) ratio, were examined at three different levels. The extracted samples were analyzed for total phenol (TP) and antioxidant activity using the DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. ANOVA and descriptive statistics (R2 and CV) were performed to fit the applied model. According to RSM, the optimal extraction conditions were determined as follows: temperature of 70 °C, extraction time of 161 min, and S/L ratio of 1:25 w/w

Green Extraction Approach for Isolation of Bioactive Compounds in Wild Thyme (<i>Thymus serpyllum</i> L.) Herbal Dust—Chemical Profile, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity and Comparison with Conventional Techniques

The aim of this study was to provide a chemical profile and determine the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil (EO) and lipid extracts of Thymus serpyllum L. herbal dust obtained via conventional (hydrodistillation (HD) and Soxhlet extraction (SOX)) and novel extraction techniques (supercritical fluid extraction (SFE)). In addition, a comparative analysis of the chemical profiles of the obtained EO and extracts was carried out, as well as the determination of antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal activity of the lipid extracts. According to the aforementioned antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and the monoterpene yield and selectivity, SFE provided significant advantages compared to the traditional techniques. In addition, SFE extracts could be considered to have great potential in terms of their utilization in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, as well as appropriate replacements for synthetic additives in the food industry