Study of quality, quantity and antioxidant activity of essential oils of two medicinal species of Artemisia kopetdaghensis Krasch. and A. sieberi Besser

Recognition of medicinal plants and their biochemical compounds provides fundamental steps for the optimal use of medicinal combinations and their properties. In this study, the antioxidant activity, quantitative and qualitative of essential oil of Artemisia kopetdaghensis and A. sieberi Besser in Razo Jarglan rangelands located in North Khorasan province were investigated. The antioxidant capacity was evaluated by DPPH free radicals scavenging assays and the compounds present in the essential oil were studied by Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). The results showed that 34 compounds were identified in the essential oils of Artemisia species including Camphor with 15.83%, Pinocarveol with 11.37% and Borneol with 11.32% in A. kopetdaghensis and Davanone with 18.01%, 1,8-Cineol with 7.85% and Linalool with 5.43% in A. sieberi were the main essential oil compounds in these plants respectively. Essential oil yield percentage was 0.92% in A. kopetdaghensis and 0.11% in A. sieberi. Oxygenated monoterpenes were the most abundant compounds of extracted essential oil which accounted for 71.48% in A. kopetdaghensis and 40.59% in A. sieberi. Regarding the antioxidant properties, A. kopetdaghensis with 83 μg/ml showed more antioxidant capacity than A. sieberi in DPPH free radicals scavenging assays. It seemed that  A. kopetdaghensis had a higher medicinal value due to its essential oil yield and higher antioxidant capacity.