Phytochemical and Antioxidant Potential of Algerian Essential Oils: A Systematic Review

Algeria possesses a rich diversity of aromatic and medicinal plants that produce essential oils with potential antioxidant properties. This review aims to evaluate and synthesize available scientific data on the antioxidant activity of essential oils extracted from Algerian plants. A systematic literature search was conducted in major scientific databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct and Google Scholar, covering studies published between 2014 and 2025. Relevant articles reporting antioxidant activity of essential oils from Algerian plants were selected and analyzed. The antioxidant potential was mainly evaluated using common assays such as DPPH radical scavenging activity. A total of 72 plant species belonging to several botanical families were identified in the literature. Among them, species from the Apiaceae, Lamiaceae and Asteraceae families showed particularly strong antioxidant potential. The most notable activities were reported for Daucus muricatus, Artemisia campestris and Psoralea bituminosa, which exhibited high radical scavenging capacities in DPPH assays. Variations in antioxidant activity were observed depending on plant species, plant parts used and extraction conditions.