Determination of Essential Oil Composition, Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Properties of Anise (Pimpinella Anisum L.) and Cumin (Cuminum Cyminum L.) Seeds

Abstract

In this research, the essential oil components, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of anise (Pimpinella anisum L.) and cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) seed oils were investigated. The essential oil components determined by GC/MS instrument. The antimicrobial activity determined by disc diffusion method against the gram negative bacteria, namely Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, the gram positive bacteria namely Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Streptococcus pyogenes ATCC19615 and Candida albicans ATCC10231 as the yeast. The antioxidant activities of essential oils were carried out by DPPH free radical scavenging activity method. It was determined that the main components of the anise essential oil were trans-anethole (52.94%) followed by iso-anethole (13.89%), caryophllene oxide (8.55%) and caryophyllene (29.4%); the main components of the cumin essential oil were beta-pinene (15.77%), alpha-terpinene (15:52%), 1-Phenyl-1-butanol (15:13%), cumic aldehyde (12.74%) respectively. Anise essential oil showed weak antimicrobial activity and cumin essential oil showed moderate antimicrobial activity against test microorganisms. Cumin essential oil showed strong antimicrobial activity against C. albicans with 22 +/- 0.9 mm inhibition zone diameter. P. aeruginosa showed resistance to both essential oils. The antioxidant activity of cumin essential oil (75.60%) was observed closer to ascorbic acid (78.75%), higher than BHA (50.45%) and BHT (23.54%). Although anise essential oil exhibited low activity, it has the similar activity with BHT. The scavenging activity of the samples decreasing order was ascorbic acid> cumin >BHA>BHT> anise.