Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of essential oils of wild-growing two plants (Tanacetum abrotanifolium and Tanacetum coccineum) in Turkey

This study was performed to analyze the chemical compositions, in-vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the essential oils which were obtained by hydrodistillation method from the aerial parts of Tanacetum abrotanifolium and T. coccineum plants. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses demonstrated that the main components of the essential oil of T. abrotanifolium were 1,8-cineole (37.69%), camphor (18.96%), borneol (10.22%) whereas camphor (40.12%), borneol (21.63%) were predominant components of T. coccineum oil . Agar disc diffusion method was used for identification of essential oils antimicrobial activities. Essential oils of both plants exhibited antimicrobial impacts against most of the test microorganisms. It was determined that the most sensitive species was Streptococcus pyogenes, and the most resistant species were Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans againts the essential oils.The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of T. coccineum was higher than that of the essential oil of T. abrotanifolium. Antioxidants activities of the essential oils were tested by Fe+3-Fe+2 reducing capacity,ABTS and DPPH free radical scavenging. The essential oils showed higher ABTS and DPPH free radical scavenging activities than most of standard antioxidant compounds.