CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF ESSENTIAL OIL OF TRACHYSPERMUMAMMISEEDS

The essential oil of locally available Trachyspermumammi(ajowan) seeds was obtained through hydrodistillation. Its chemical composition was analysed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Twenty - two compounds of EO were identified with the help of NIST library. Thymol (38.5%), ρ-cymene (27.2%) and γ-terpinene (26.8%) were identified as major components. Furthermore, its antioxidant power of IC₅₀ value 65.3 μg/ml was determined by DPPH (2, 2- diphenyl-1-1-picrylhydrazyl radical) free radical scavenging activity. In addition, ethanolic suspension of EO exhibited strong inhibition of plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorumunder in-vitroconditions having IC₅₀ value of 691 ppm.