Antioxidant Capacity of Essential Oils Obtained from Myrtus communis L. and Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck Plants Widely Consumed in Adana Region

Abstract

Vitamin C, an antioxidant, is abundant in oranges (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck), which are consumed worldwide. It has treated constipation, diarrhea, upper respiratory illnesses, obesity, menstruation issues, hypertension, and stress. Traditional medicine worldwide uses myrtle (Myrtus communis L.). Clinical and experimental studies show that the plant has a wide range of pharmacological and therapeutic activities, including antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, pulmonary and skin diseases, dysentery, vomiting, rheumatism, sinusitis, leucorrhoea, and hair loss control. These plants contain flavonoids, terpenes, steroids, fatty acids, carbohydrates, volatile chemicals, carotenoids, and nutritional components. Plant antioxidants have gained popularity due to their health benefits. Many studies focused on medicinal organic antioxidants. The main goal of this research was to investigate the volatile components and antioxidant capacities of the essential oils of myrtle and orange, both of which are commonly utilized for medicinal purposes in the Adana region. Myrtle and orange extracts demonstrated substantial antioxidant properties when tested with the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, a test based on the scavenging of the DPPH radical. It has been revealed that myrtle essential oil has a higher capacity in terms of antioxidant activity than orange essential oil.