ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND DIFFERENTIATION OF ESSENTIAL OILS OF GUAVIDUCA (PIPER CARPUNYA L.) AND SACHA AJO (MANSOA ALLIACEA L.).

Essential oils are aromatic substances found in different parts of plants, which can be extracted from leaves, stems, flowers and/or roots. These complex mixtures of hydrocarbons, terpenes, alcohols, carbonyl compounds, aromatic aldehydes and phenols, coming from spices and condiments, are increasingly used in the food and pharmaceutical industry. The present work aim was to differentiate the essential oils levels of Guaviduca (Piper carpunya L.) and Sacha Ajo (Mansoa alliacea L.) species, from the Ecuadorian Amazon region from fresh and dry leaves, by means the polyphenolic activity trough Folin-Ciocalteau, also total antioxidant activity according to FRAP (Ferric ion reducing antioxidant Power) and ABTS (2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzthiazolin)-6-sulphonic acid). The essential oils extraction method used in this investigation was steam distillation, using reflux with a Clevenger trap in order to separate them, taking advantage that oils are lighter than water. The yield for each the essential oils was determined quantitatively from the wet weight of each aromatic plant. A Simplex-Lattice design was used to determine the measuring points of antioxidant activity (essential oils proportions). Higher values are observed, in all determinations, in the essential oils obtained from fresh samples of guaviduca leaves and Sacha Ajo. This behavior might be due to the active compounds degradation with antioxidant activity and to the loss of essential oils by the evaporation process during drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]