| Popis: |
This study aimed to identify the chemical composition (ash, cellulose, total chlorophylls, carotenoid, and essential oil (EO) content), antioxidant activity, and mineral composition of the lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L) obtained from Bulgaria. The chemical composition of the EO was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The major constituents of the EO were caryophyllene oxide (33.99%), n-hexadecanoic acid (14.28%), α-citral (6.62%), (5E,9E)-farnesyl acetone (5.00%), β-caryophyllene (4.82%), (2E,6Z)-farnesal (4.56%), (5E,9Z)-farnesyl acetone (4.16%), β-citral (3.98%), and γ-eudesmol (3.13%). The antioxidant potential was assessed using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrilhydrazyl) free radical, ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP), TEAC assay, determination of hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity and determination of superoxide scavenging capacity methods. The total phenol content was analyzed using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The total flavonoid amount of the extracts was determined by optimizing the aluminum chloride colorimetric method. The total phenolic content, the total flavonoid composition, and the antioxidant potential of the lemon balm leaves included 184.33 mg GAE g-1, 12.65 mg QE g-1, and 62.83 μg ml-1, respectively. Mineral and heavy metal contents were determined by the iCAP-Qc ICP-MS spectrometer. The highest amounts of macro and microminerals were determined for K, Ca, Mg, Sr, Rb, Ba, Mn, and Fe, respectively. |
