Planta Med 2014; 80 - P2B14
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1394891

Characterization of the antioxidant activity of Portuguese lavanders: Lavandula stoechas ssp. luisieri and Lavandula pedunculata

R Baptista 1, R Jorge 2, G Teixeira 2, AM Madureira 1
  • 1Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649 – 003 Lisboa, Portugal
  • 2Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Gama Pinto, 1649 – 003 Lisboa, Portugal

The interest in natural products chemistry is closely related with the urgent need of new drugs. The genus Lavandula (Lamiaceae) is known for its richness and unique bioactive compounds. It is established in Iberia and in Portugal some of its species are part of the “montado” flora, namely L. stoechas ssp. luisieri and L. pedunculata [1]. The antioxidant compounds play an important role in the organisms protection against oxidative stress, which could be related with the development of several pathologies as cancer, diabetes, atherosclerosis, Parkinson, Alzheimer and others aging related diseases [2, 3]. Moreover, the use of natural antioxidant compounds is preferred than the synthetic ones due to toxicity issues, already restricted by FDA and EMA [4]. In order to evaluate the antioxidant activity of five different polarity extracts of L. stoechas ssp. luisieri and L. pedunculata, several assays were performed namely, the free radical scavenge qualitative and quantitative and the lipid peroxidation inhibition, as well as the total phenols and the total flavonoids determination. The antioxidant activity of dichloromethane and methanol extract from L. stoechas ssp. luisieri and of all the five extracts from L. pedunculata was quite meaningful, corresponding to a 70% average of free radical DPPH scavenge. Methanol and water extracts of both species are rich in phenols and flavonoids which are related with the great antioxidant activity of those extracts. The lipid peroxidation inhibition assay applied to the dichloromethane, methanol and water extracts revealed an inhibition percentage of about 10 to 25% superior than BHT (positive control). In conclusion, our results let us to assume that methanol extract from these Portuguese lavenders gathers a great potential to be an alternative for new developments of food preservative, anti-aging and in skin protective cosmetic formulations and as protectors against aging related diseases, cancer and diabetes.

Keywords: Lavandula, antioxidant activity, extracts, essential oils

References:

[1] Morales, R. (2010) Flora Iberica. Lavandula. Vol XII. Real Jardín Botánico CSIC. Madrid.

[2] Fuchs-Tarlovsky, V. (2013) Nutrition 29: 15 – 21.

[3] Aruoma, O.I. (1998)J Am Oil Chem Soc 75: 199 – 212.

[4] Kahl, R., Kappus, H. (1993) Eur Food Res Technol 196: 329 – 38.