Essential oil composition and antioxidant activity of leaves and flowers of Skimmia anquetilia N.P. Taylor & Airy Shaw

The essential oils of the leaves and flowers of Skimmia anquetilia N.P.Taylor & Airy Shaw (family: Rutaceae) were examined by the combination of gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The analysis of the oils from leaves and flowers revealed the presence of β-phellandrene (1.8%, 18.4%), geijerene (2.0%, 15.0%), germacrene B (11.6%, 2.0%), linalyl acetate (7.3%, 11.2%), linalool (9.5%, 9.4%), α-terpineol (5.6%, 4.4%) and pregeijerene (0.2%, 5.6%) as major constituents. The antioxidant activity of the leaf and flower oils was studied and compared by different methods including their effect on reducing power, chelating properties of Fe+2 and in vitro 2’2’-diphenylpicrylhadrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity. The total phenolic contents in the water extracts of leaf and flower were estimated and compared.