Study on the chemical constituents and anti-free radical activity of mintessential oils in Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam

Mints (Mentha spp.) are famous aromatic and medicinal herbs that are used in traditional and folk medicines around the world for their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Mints contain volatile components such as flavonoids, organic acids, and quinones for the digestive system, central nervous system and respiratory system. Therefore, this study aimed to primarily find out the constituents and antioxidant activity of mint essential oil, which are very essential. The mint was harvested from the Ham Thuan Nam district of Binh Thuan province, Vietnam, in 2023. The essential oil of the mint was collected using steam distillation and dried with Na2SO4 for the final product. Chemical analysis of the components of the mint essential oil by GC-MS led to the identification of 17 chemical components, representing 98.72% of the hydro-distilled essential oil. Of these, five were hydrocarbons, such as monoterpenes (32.82%), and the rest were oxygenated hydrocarbons, such as alcohols (53.42%), aldehydes (4.67%), and ketones (7.81%). The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazol free radical scavenging activity of the mint essential oil was 39.36±1.23%, and this value was lower than that of 0.5 mM ascorbic acid (42.84 ±1.18%). Thus, the results of this study have high scientific and practical significance, when adding peppermint essential oil to food, it not only creates a fragrant smell for food, but also has antioxidant and antibacterial effects for food.