Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Satureja montana L. extracts.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of extracts (aqueous, ethanolic and essential oil) from Satureja montana and to characterise the chemical composition of its essential oil. RESULTS Satureja montana L. essential oil had relatively high antimicrobial activities against the seven species of bacteria tested. In contrast, aqueous extracts did not reveal antibacterial activity, and the ethanol extract was not effective against Salmonella typhimurium. The major volatile constituents of the essential oil were carvacrol (306 g L(-1)), thymol (141 g L(-1)), and carvacrol methyl ether (63 g L(-1)). The strongest antioxidant capacity was obtained with the hot water extracts of S. montana, whereas the plant essential oil revealed the highest phenolic content. CONCLUSION The findings indicate that the bioactive extracts of S. montana have strong potential for use as natural antimicrobials and antioxidants in the preservation of processed food.