Chemical Composition and Bioactivity of the Essential Oil of Melissa officinalis L., Cultivated in Southwestern, Iran

Background & Aim: Melissa officinalis L. (lemon balm) a valuable medicinal plant in herbal medicine is native to the eastern Mediterranean region and western Asia. It is a traditional herbal medicine, which enjoys contemporary usage as a mild sedative, spasmolytic and antibacterial agent. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of climate on quality and quantity of the essential oil of M. officinalis at Shahrekord climate, southwestern (Iran) and evaluate the antioxidant activity of the oil. Experimental: Plants were cultivated during 22-25th March 2016 in the greenhouse and transferred to the main site after three months (May), and finally harvested at the full flowering stage during August.Dried plant material (100 g) was powdered and subjected to hydro–distillation for three hours using a Clevenger–type apparatus. The hydrodistillated essential oil analyzed by GC-FID and GC/MS. The antioxidant activity was determined by using DPPH method. Results: Results indicated that the major essential oil constituents of M.officinalis L. were β-caryophyllene (23.06%), E-citral (17.61%), Z-citral (13.64%), and caryophyllene oxide (10.83%). The antioxidant activityof the essential oil showed moderate antioxidant activity (IC50=749.60 μg/g), that was lower compared to butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Recommended applications/industries: This potential applicability can be used as antioxidant agents for food and pharmaceutical industries.