Antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of Macedonian Mentha arvensis

The volatile composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of essential oils from flowers, leaves and whole plant of Mentha Arvensis L. organically planed from the territory of Macedonia were object of this study. The essential oils from dried and powdered plant materials were isolated by hydro-distillation using Clevenger-type apparatus. Fifty-five components were identified and quantified in the three essential oils isolated from the flowers, leaves and whole Mentha plant. The most abundant component in all three oils was menthol with 35.64%, 32.47% and 52.53% respectively. The antioxidant activity of essential oil from whole Mentha plant was determined against ABTS radical. The antimicrobial activity of essential oil isolated from whole Mentha plant was determined against Escherichia coli and Candida albicans.