Acta Pharm. 52 (2002) 29-35

Original research paper
 

Inhibition of thermal autooxidation of lard by antioxidative action of Thymus extracts

SVETLANA KULEVANOVA1* and  TATJANA KADIFKOVA PANOVSKA2

svku@baba.ff.ukim.edu.mk

1Institute of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia
2Institute of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia
Received May 31, 2001      Accepted December 24, 2001

Antioxidant activity of five Thymus L. (Lamiaceae) species from Macedonian flora was investigated. Ether and ethyl acetate extracts from overgrown herbal parts were prepared and added to the antioxidant and peroxide-free lard. The Wheeler method was used to monitor the oxidative stability of lipids. The progress of oxidation was observed by measuring the peroxide value. It was found that all of the investigated taxa showed some antioxidant activity, in poor dependence on their total flavonoid content. The ethyl acetate extract of Thymus moesiacus was found to be the most active.


Keywords: Thymus (Lamiaceae), wild thyme, extract, flavonoids, antioxidant, peroxide value