In vitro Antioxidant and Antibacterial Evaluation of Essential Oils Derived from Two Endemic Medicinal Apiaceae Species Growing Wild in Halgurd Mountain, Iraqi Kurdistan

Background: Prangos platychlaena Boiss. and Cachrys scabra (Fenzl) Meikle are two distinct genera from the Apiaceae family that grow naturally in the Halgurd Mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan. These genera are traditionally used in medicine and as food flavoring agents across the world, particularly in the Middle East. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of essential oils (EOs) obtained from two endemic plants of Iraqi Kurdistan, P. platychlaena and C. scabra. Methods: The antioxidant and antibacterial activities of EOs extracted by steam distillation from the leaves and flowers of P. platychlaena and C. scabra collected from the Halgurd Mountains were evaluated. Results: Overall, the EOs exhibited stronger inhibitory effects against ABTS radicals than against DPPH radicals. Cachrys scabra flower essential oil (CSFEO) and leaf essential oil (CSLEO) showed the weakest radical scavenging activity, with IC50 values of 25.34 ± 0.73 mg/mL and 25.09 ± 1.31 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the EOs from both plants demonstrated good antibacterial efficacy against all tested microorganisms, except Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27852), which was not affected by any of the EOs. The growth inhibition zones (GIZ) of sensitive strains ranged from 10 ± 0.5 mm to 20 ± 1.8 mm. Conclusions: The EOs of P. platychlaena and C. scabra possess antioxidant activity capable of scavenging DPPH and ABTS radicals and exhibit antibacterial effects against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. These findings suggest that these EOs may serve as promising natural preservatives for use in the pharmaceutical and food industries.