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THE PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF ORIGANUM MAJORANA ESSENTIAL OIL AS ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT
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Abstract: Marjoram is extensively used as an aromatic and medicinal plant. There fore the chemical composition of marjoram essential oil was determined by GC\MS. The thirty eight identified compounds were representing 96.82%. The hydrocarbon compounds accounted 61.48%, while the oxygenated compounds constituled 35.34%. The main compound was a-phyllandrene (8.87%), followed by a-terpinene (7.37%), y-terpinene (7.25%) and terpinen-4-ol (6.33%). Marjoram essential oil was examined for its antimicrobial activity against 4 bacterial and 7 fungal strains using Disc Diffusion method. Data ascertained that marjoram essential oil had an inhibitory effect against all tested fungal and bacterial strains, especially, at high concentrations, while Saccharomyces cerevisiae NRRLY 2034 was more resistant . Furthermore antioxidant effect of marjoram essential oil was examined by the 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method. Data ascertained that marjoram essential oil exhibited an antioxidant activity, especially, at high concentration (50000 ppm), which gave 88.82% inhibition comparing with the synthetic antioxidant, BHT at 200 ppm which gave 65% inhibition. The biological effect of marjoram essential oil on hypercholesterolemic rats was examined compared with BHT. Results proved that oral administration of marjoram essential oil at 1 mg and 2 mg\kg body weight decreased the serum cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides and total lipids compared with control group (rats fed on high fat diet containing cholesterol). Also, feeding with BHT exhibited reduction in the previous parameters. Moreover marjoram essential oil reduced the liver function enzymes AST and ALT and kidney function (urea, uric acid and creatinine) of rats. On the contrary, oral administration of BHT for 6 weeks increased the liver function enzymes and kidney functions.
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| Publication year |
2009
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| serial title |
Egypt. J. Bio.
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| Author(s) from ARC |
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| External authors (outside ARC) |
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| Publication Type |
Journal
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