WASTES RESULTING FROM AROMATIC PLANTS DISTILLATION −
BIO-SOURCES OF ANTIOXIDANTS AND PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS
WITH BIOLOGICAL ACTIVE PRINCIPLES
CRISTIAN MOISA 1,2#, LUCIAN COPOLOVICI 1#, SIMONA BUNGĂU 3#, GEORGETA POP 2#, ILINCA IMBREA 2#, ANDREEA LUPITU 1#, SEBASTIAN NEMETH 3#*, DANA COPOLOVICI 1#
1Aurel Vlaicu University, Faculty of Food Engineering, Tourism and Environmental Protection; Institute for Research,
Development and Innovation in Technical and Natural Sciences, Romania, 2 Elena Drăgoi St., Arad, 310330, Romania
2Banat University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine King Michael I of Romania from Timişoara, 119 Calea
Aradului St., Timişoara, Romania
3University of Oradea, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, 29 Nicolae Jiga St., 410028, Oradea, Romania
*corresponding author: sebinemeth@yahoo.com
#All authors have equal contribution
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Abstract:
We determined the total phenolic content and the antioxidant activity of hydro-alcoholic extracts obtained from waste
materials resulted in the essential oil extraction process during thyme and oregano distillation. All extracts have shown high
antioxidant activity that ranged between 18 to 47 mg (gallic acid equivalent) GAE/L, 1.4 to 4 mmol (Trolox equivalent
antioxidant capacity) TEAC/L and a percent of inhibition: 36 - 93%. The total phenolic content determined by Folin-
Ciocalteu method varied from 262 to 6926 mg GAE/L. The HPLC analysis revealed as major phenolic compounds: gallic, pcoumaric,
caffeic, vanillic and syringic acids alongside rutin, quercetin, and pyrogallol. Gallic acid was detected within the
range of 5.3 - 2175 mg/L and pyrocatechol within 12 - 2177 mg/L. Results of the study indicated that plant phenolic
compounds (retrieved from waste materials resulted from thyme and oregano distillation) could be used as antioxidants in
food products and pharmaceuticals.

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