Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Essential Oil of Species of the Genus Tagetes

Abstract

This study investigated the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of the essential oil of two species of the genus Tagetes (Tagetes minuta L. and Tagetes elliptica Sm). The essential oil was obtained by steam distillation, and its extraction performance, relative density, refractive index, and solubility in ethanol (70% v/v) were determined. The chemical components were evaluated by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Antioxidant activity was determined by the free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrocyl (DPPH) method and the trapping capacity of the ABTS*+ radical cation. In the essential oils of the species Tagetes, it was possible to identify 26 chemical components for the species Tagetes elliptica Sm. and 16 for Tagetes minuta L., both species presented as main components monoterpenes (61%) and sesquiterpenes (44%). The compounds found were β-myrcene, trans-tagetone, β-trans-ocimene, and β-caryophyllene. Essential oils showed a variation in extraction yields and density. The refractive index was higher in the species Tagetes elliptica Sm., finding a high solubility in both species. A variation was found between 1.77 and 2.56 mg/mL of antioxidant activity by the DPPH method and 21.02–41.06 mg/mL for ABTS*+. The essential oils of the species Tagetes elliptica Sm.y and Tagetes minuta L. have bioactive components with antimicrobial and antioxidant potentialities for use for food preservatives.