ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF SELECTED SPECIES OF THE FAMILY LAMIACEAE GROWN IN BULGARIA

The kinetics of peroxide accumulation during oxidation of triacylglyce rols of sunflower oil at 100 degrees C in presence of different concen trations of hexane, ehylacetate and ethanol extracts of Melissa offici nalis L., Mentha piperita L., Mentha spicata L., Ocimum basilicum L., Origanum vulgare L. and Saturejae hortensis L., was followed. Ethanol extracts are the most active in retarding the autoxidation process. Th e most effective are the extracts of Saturejae hortensis L. (stabiliza tion factor F for 0.5% direct hexane and 0.5% direct ethanol extracts being 14.8 and 24.0, respectively), followed by the extracts of Mentha piperita L. (F = 7.4 and 19.6, respectively) and Melissa officinalis L. (F = 7.4 and 18.6, respectively). Some of the spices are recommende d as sources of natural antioxidants for stabilization of polyunsatura ted lipid systems.