Antioxidant activity of horehound (Marrubium vulgare L.) grown in Lithuania

Acetone extracts (AE)I deodorised acetone extracts (DAE), and deodorised wa ter extracts (DWE) from leaves of horehound (Marrubium vulgare L.) were tes ted for their antioxidant activity in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) oil at 8 0 degrees C. Well investigated antioxidants containing extracts (AE and DAE ) of sage (Salvia officinalis L.) were used for comparison purposes. The ef fect of the extracts on the edible oil stability was assessed by measuring weight gain, peroxide value, and the UV absorption. The antioxidant activit y of AE and DAE of horehound were comparable to the antioxidant activity of AE and DAE of sage. For both plants AE was shown to have better antioxidan t properties than DAE. The volatile components of horehound were hydrodisti lled and analysed by GC and GC/MS. Totally, 47 components were identified i n the essential oil (EO) the main ones being (Z)-beta-farnesene, beta-caryo phyllene, (E)-hex-2-enal, alpha-humulene, and germacrene D. Thirty nine con stituents are reported in M. vulgare for the first time.