Yarrow (Achillea spp) belongs to Asteraceae family and more than 100 species have been recognized in this genus. The composition of essential oil isolated from Achillea eriophora, Achillea millefolium, Achillea biebersteinii and Achillea tenuifolia growing wild in south west of Iran, was analyzed. A. eriophora, A.millefolium and A. tenuifolia essential oils were characterized by sabinene, 1, 8-cineole, ά -bisabololoxide A, Apigenin-7-glucoside, terpinene-4-ol and α-pinene. Results indicated essential oil obtained from A. eriophora, A. millefolium, A. tenuifolia and A. biebersteinii exhibited a dose-dependent increase with a radical scavenging effect of 85.0 %, 82.0% , 82.0% and 64.0 % at 350 μg/ml, which are close to the 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl inhibition of the positive control Butylated Hydroxytoluene (88.0%) at the same concentration. It was shown that the A. biebersteinii essential oil exhibited the weakest antioxidant effect than Butylated Hydroxytoluene or other Achillea spp essential oils . In this study chamazulene, ά-bisabolol, ά –bisabololoxide and apigenin-7-glucoside percentage were higher in A. eriophora, A. millefolium and A. tenuifolia essential oil compared to A. biebersteinii essential oil and these compounds improved antioxidant capacity of Achillea spp. This study indicated that Achillea spp collected from South-west of Iran may be considered as a good source of natural antioxidants to be used in medicinal and food products to promote human health and prevent diseases. Results indicated some of A. eriophora, A. millefolium and A. tenuifolia essential oil compounds like 1,8-Cineole, Apigenin-7-glucoside, ά-bisabolol, α-pinene and β-pinene were higher compared A. biebersteinii essential oil and it can be improve antioxidant activity of these plants [1,2].
[1]. Asgarirad H, Pourmorad F, Hosseinimehr S J, Saeidnia S, Ebrahimzadeh M A, Lotfi F, African Journal of Biotechnology 2010; 9 (24): 3536-3541.
[2]. Baris Z, Medine G L L, Fikrettin Sahun C E, Zer H, Kil H, Zkan H, Kment M S, Ozbek T, Turkish Journal of Biology 2006; 30: 65-73.