The essential oils from fresh aerial parts of Mentha spicata L. collected from ten different natural habitats of Uttarakhand, India were analyzed by a combination of GC, GC/MS and NMR spectroscopy. The analysis revealed that monoterpenoids (46.1%-91.6%), mainly carvone (15.3%-68.5%), piperetenone oxide (24.0%-79.2%) and α-humulene (0.1%-29.9%), were the major constituents of the essential oils, but with significant qualitative and quantitative differences among the other constituents. Cluster analysis of the oil composition was carried out in order to discern the differences and similarities within different accessions collected from different natural habitats. The essential oils were also screened for their antioxidant activities by chelating properties of Fe2+, DPPH radical-scavenging activity, and their reducing power. The essential oils of two chemo variants (viz. carvone and piperetenone oxide types) were also tested for potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) sprout suppressant activity. The results showed that these oils exhibit good sprout inhibition activity in comparison to CIPC and iodine, the standard sprout suppressant.
Anonymous (1988) The Wealth of India, Raw Materials.Publication and Information Directorate (CSIR), New Delhi, India, 337.
2.
BhatS, MaheshwariP, KumarS, KumarA. (2002) Mentha species: In vitro regeneration and genetic transformation. Molecular Biology Today, 3, 11–23.
3.
LawrenceBM. (1993) A Planting Scheme to Evaluate New Aromatic Plants for the Flavor and Fragrance Industries.John Wiley, New York, 620–627.
4.
DormanHJ, KosarM, KahlosK, HolmY, HiltunenR. (2003) Antioxidant prosperities and composition of aqueous extracts from Mentha species, hybrids, varieties and cultivars. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 51, 4563–4569.
5.
LawrenceBM. (1984) A review of the world production of essential oils. Perfumer & Flavourist, 10, 1–16.
6.
KokkiniS, KarousouR, LanarasT. (1995) Essential oils of spearmint (carvone-rich) plants from the Island of Crete (Greece). Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, 23, 287–297.
7.
SinghV, MegejiNW, KaulYK, SharmaA, MaheshwariML. (2004) Peppermint (Mentha piperita): A local strain from Kangra of Himachal Pradesh. Indian Perfumer, 48, 277–281.
8.
SinghAK, RainaVK, NaqviAA, PatraNK, KumarB, RamP, KhanujaSPS. (2005) Essential oil composition and chemoarrays of menthol mint (Mentha arvensis L. f. piperascens Malinvaud ex. Holmes) cultivars. Flavour & Fragrance, 20, 302–305.
9.
LeelaNK, AngadiSP. (1994) Yield and quality of peppermint oil as influenced by time of harvest. Indian Perfumer, 38, 120–122.
10.
ClarkRJ, MenaryTC. (1981) Variation in composition of peppermint oil in relation to production areas. Economic Botany, 35, 59–69.
11.
KharakwalH, ShahGC, MathelaCS, LaurentR. (1994) Variation in the terpenoid composition of Mentha longifolia subsp. himalaensis. Indian Perfumer, 38, 29–32.
MathelaCS, PadaliaRC, ChanotiyaCS, TiwariA. (2005) Carvone rich Mentha longifolia Linn.: Chemical variation and commercial potential. Journal of Essential Oil Bearing Plants, 8, 132–134.
14.
ChauhanRS, KaulMK, ShahiAK, KumarA, RamG, TawaA. (2009) Chemical composition of essential oils in Mentha spicata L. accession [IIIM (J)26] from NorthWest Himalayan region, India. Industrial Crop and Products, 654–656.
15.
SharmaS, TyagiBR. (1991) Character correlation, path coefficient and heritability analyses of essential oil and quality components in corn mint. Journal of Genetics, 45, 257–262.
16.
MisraL, TyagiB, ThakurR. (1989) Chemotypic variation in Indian spearmint. Planta Medica, 55, 575–576.
17.
MelnikovV, HenrriksH, BosR, BugaenkoL. (1984) Chemical composition of essential oil of M. spicata L. Rastitel'Nye Resursy, 20, 136–136.
18.
KokkiniS, KarousouR, LanarasT. (1997) Essential oils with 1, 2-epoxy-p-menthane derivatives from Mentha spicata plants growing across the island of Crete. Botanica Acta, 10, 184–189.
19.
GoraJ, DruriM, KaminskaJ, KalembaD. (1975) Chemical composition of oil from Mentha spicata spp. longifolia. Herba Polonica, 21, 357–365.
20.
ParchaV, KaurJ, UbaidS. (2007) Composition and antimicrobial studies on essential oil from M. spicata. Indian Perfumer, 51, 45–47.
21.
LeiteregT, GuadagniD, HarrisJ, MonT. (1971) Chemical and sensory data supporting the difference between the odors of the enantiomeric carvones. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 19, 785–788.
22.
YenG, ChenH. (1995) Antioxidant activity of various tea extracts in relation to their mutagenicity test. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, 40, 27–32.
23.
ShimadaK, FujikawaK, NamakuraT. (1992) Antioxidative properties of xanthan on auto oxidation of soyabean oil in cyclodextrin emulsion. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, 40, 945–948.
24.
Pin-DerD. (1998) Antioxidant activity of Budrock (Arctium laooa Linn): Its scavenging effect on free radical and active oxygen. Journal of American Oil Research Society, 75, 455–461.
25.
SherwinE. (1978) Oxidation and antioxidants in fat and oil processing. Journal of American Oil Research Society, 55, 809–841.
26.
VeliogluY, MazzaG, GaoL, OomahB. (1998) Antioxidant activity and total phenolics in selected fruits, vegetables and grain products. Journal of Agriculture Food Chemistry, 46, 4113–4117.
27.
NuutilaA, PimiaR, AarniM, CadentyK. (2003) Comparison of antioxidant activities of onion and garlic extracts by inhibition of lipid per oxidation and radical scavenging activity. Food Chemistry, 81, 485–493.
28.
MatthausB. (2002) Antioxidant activity of extracts obtained from the residues of different oilseeds. Journal of Agriculture Food Chemistry, 50, 3444–3452.
29.
MillerD. (1996) Mineral in Food Chemistry. Marcel Dekker, New York, 618.
30.
YamaguchiF, ArigaT, YoshimiraY, NakazawaH. (2000) Antioxidant and anti-glycation activity of carcinol from Garcinia indica fruit rind. Journal of Agriculture Food Chemistry, 49, 180–185.
31.
MohaneyJ, GrafE. (1985) Citric acid and EDTA as oxidant in a model system. Journal of Food Science, 51, 1293–1296.
32.
GaleE, NathanA, NoraL. (2003) Sprout inhibition in storage: current status, new chemistries and natural compounds. American Journal of Potato Research, 80, 317–327.
33.
BeveridgeJ, DalzielJ, DuncanH. (1981) The assignment of some volatile organic compounds as sprout suppressants for ware and seed potatoes. Potato Research, 24, 61–67;
34.
KleindopfGE, ObergNA, OlsenNL. (2003) Sprout inhibition in storage: Current status, new chemistries and natural compounds. American Journal of Potato Research, 80, 317–327.
35.
BaraM, RibeiroP, ArantesM, AmozimL, PaulaJ. (2006) Determinacao, do teor de principios ativosem materias- primas vegitais. Revista Brasileria de Farmacognosia, 16, 211–215;
36.
StevenF, VaughanS, SpencerG. (1991) Volatile monoterpenes inhibit potato tuber sprouting. American Journal of Potato Research, 68, 821–831.
37.
AdamsRP. (1995) Identification of Essential Oil Components by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy.Allured Publ. Corp., Carol Stream, IL;
38.
PielouE. (1984) The Interpretation of Statistical/ Ecological Data. Wiley Publication, New York.
39.
YenG, DuhH. (1993) Antioxidative properties of methanolic extracts from peanut hulls. Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society, 70, 383–386;
40.
SinghG, MarimuthuP, MuraliH, BawaA. (2005) Antioxidant and antibacterial potential of essential oils and extracts isolated from various spice materials. Journal of Food Safety, 25, 130–145.
41.
CuendtM, HostettmankK, PotteratO. (1997) Iridoid glucosides with free radical scavenging properties from Fagraea blumei. Helvitica Chemica Acta, 80, 1144–1152;
42.
DeckerE, WelchB. (1990) Role of ferritin as a lipid oxidation catalyst in muscle food. Journal of Agriculture Food Chemistry, 38, 674–677;
