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F. CHEN1, H.-J. Kim1, X. Wang2, C. Wu1, H. Y. Chung3, and Z. Jin4. (1) Dept. of Food Science & Human Nutrition, Clemson University, P&A Building, Clemson, SC 29634-0371, (2) Department of Genetics & Biochemistry, Clemson University, 101 Jordan Hall, Clemson, SC 29634, (3) Biology Dept., Chinese Univ. of Hong Kong, Food & Nutritional Sciences Programme, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China, (4) School of Food Science and Technology, Southern Yangtze University, 170 Huihe Road, Wuxi 214036, JiangSu Province, P. R. China, Wuxi, 214036, China Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil (TTO) has been well known for its multi-functionalities in antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. However, few information of antioxidant activity of TTO is available. Therefore, the objective of this research was to determine the antioxidant activity of TTO and its components using two different assays. In DPPH assay, 10 mL/mL methanol solution of crude TTO had approximately 80% free radical scavenging activity, and in hexanal/hexanoic acid assay, 200 mL/mL methanol solution of crude TTO exhibited 60% inhibitory activity against the oxidation of hexanal to hexanoic acid over 30 days. These results were equivalent to the antioxidant activities of 30 mM BHT in the both tests at the same experimental conditions. This indicated the TTO could be a good alternative antioxidant. Inherent antioxidants, i.e., a-terpinene, a-terpinolene and g-terpinene, in the crude TTO were separated and identified chromatographically using silica gel open chromatography, C18-HPLC, and GC/MS. Their antioxidant activities decreased in the following order in both assays: a-terpinene > a-terpinolene > g-terpinene. Also a-terpinene, a-terpinolene, and terpinen-4-ol, a major component but a non-antioxidant in TTO, exhibited strong anticancer effect against breast and cervical cancer cell lines in the MTS in vitro assay.
Session 29, Food Chemistry: Antioxidants and bioactive agents
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