Chemical composition and antioxidant properties of the essential oil of Cinnamomum altissimum Kosterm. (Lauraceae)

Abstract

The essential oil of the bark of Cinnamomum altissimum Kosterm. obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by capillary GC and GC–MS. The oil was characterized by linalool (36.0%), methyl eugenol (12.8%), limonene (8.3%), α-terpineol (7.8%) and terpinen-4-ol (6.4%). The content of total phenolics in the extracts was determined spectrometrically according to the Folin–Ciocalteu procedure and calculated as gallic acid equivalents (GAE). A total phenolic compound was 50.41 ± 0.98 μg GAE/mg oil. The extract displayed antioxidant activities, with an IC50 value of 38.5 ± 4.72 μg/ml, using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, and 345.2 ± 14.8 μM Fe (II)/g dry mass using ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assay.