Biological Properties and Chemical Composition of Essential Oils from Flowers and Aerial Parts of Lavender (<i>Lavandula angustifolia</i>)

Abstract

The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities as well as chemical composition of essential oils from fresh and dried flowers and aerial parts of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) were compared. Their main volatile components were linalool (26.5-34.7 %), linalyl acetate (19.7-23.4 %), β-ocimene (2.9-10.7 %), and α-terpineol (2.8-5.1 %). The lavender essential oils showed high activity against bacteria (B. subtilis, S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa), yeast and filamentous fungi (Candida sp., A. niger, P. expansum), inhibiting their growth at concentrations ranging from 0.4 to 4.5 μg/mL. The highest antioxidant activity was exhibited by the essential oil from fresh aerial parts (IC50 =77.11 mg/mL) while the oil from dried flower displayed the weakest activity (IC50 = 22.1 mg/mL).