Characterization of Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Trachyspermum ammi Seed as a Potential Medicinal Plant

Abstract

In this study, the essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation of the seed of Trachyspermum ammi (Umbelliferae), growing wild in Sabzevar, Khorasan Razavi province (Iran), were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The yield of total volatiles was 2.3% (w/w). Forty four compounds representing 91.6% of the aerial parts oil were identified. The main components of the oil were Hexadecanoic acid (27.5%), ethyl linoleate (8.5%), 6-methyl-α-ionone (8.0%), isobutyl phthalate (5.8%), α-cadinol (4.7%), germacrene D (4.3%) and δ-cadinene (3.5%). The oil was rich in nonterpenoids (56.0%). The total flavonoid content of different extracts of the plant was found to be in the range 53.2-164.5 mg/g while the maximum amount concern to methanol extract. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was also measured by radical scavenging activity of antioxidants against free radical 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. Results showed that IC50 of the extracts of Trachyspermum ammi seed are higher than the standard synthetic antioxidants, BHT, ascorbic acid and gallic acid.