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Abstract
This study aimed to examine the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of essential oils of Teucrium flavum and Teucrium polium, collected from Babor mountains in Algeria. The essential oils were extracted using the hydrodistillation method and analyzed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Fifty-two components were identified in the essential oil of T. flavum representing 91.40% of the total essential oil. Its major components were germacrene D (18.0%) followed by (Z)-γ-bisabolene (10.3%), β-caryophyllene (7.6%), α-pinene (6.7%), β-pinene (6.2%), α-humulene (5.8%) and limonene (5%) with a prevalence of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (59.1%). However, sixty-four components were identified in the essential oil of T. polium (96.80% of total essential oil). Its major components were germacrene D (36.5%), β-pinene (11.8%), epi-α-cadinol (9%) and bicyclogermacrene (7.3%). Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons constituted the most abundant fraction of this essential oil (55.6%). The antioxidant potential was tested using free radical scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrzyl, and β-carotene-linoleic acid assays. Both the essential oils exhibited moderate to low activity. Overall, the essential oil of T. flavum was more effective than that of T. polium.