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The chemical fate of the endogenous plant antioxidants carvacrol and thymol during oxidative stress

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 December 2011

N. Deighton ,
S. M. Glidewell ,
B. A. Goodman  and
S. G. Deans
N. Deighton
Affiliation:
Scottish Crop Research Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK
S. M. Glidewell
Affiliation:
Scottish Crop Research Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK
B. A. Goodman
Affiliation:
Scottish Crop Research Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK
S. G. Deans
Affiliation:
Scottish Agricultural College, Auchincruive, Ayr KA6 5HW, UK
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Synopsis

The major antioxidants present in the essential (volatile) oils of oregano (Origanum vulgare, L.), summer savory (Satureja hortensis, L.) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris, L.) have been identified as carvacrol and thymol which have both been demonstrated to possess fungicidal and bactericidal properties. EPR spectra produced upon oxidation are inconsistent with the expected phenoxy free radicals (RO), but resemble those of galvinoxyl and anthronyl radicals. The EPR spectrum, in the case of carvacrol, is a pair of quintets with isotropic splittings, 0.325 and 0.080 millitesla (mT). ENDOR and TRIPLE resonance experiments have been performed and are indicative of the paramagnetic species being a substituted anthronyl. Further studies are being conducted to characterise these species and to investigate their potential roles during oxidative stress.

Type
Short Communications
Information
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Section B: Biological Sciences , Volume 102: Oxygen and Environmental Stress in Plants , 1994 , pp. 247 - 252
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1994

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