Antioxidation and anti-inflammatory activities of blended essential oil

Abstract

The mixtures of essential oils are increasing popularly in holistic medicine. The different ratios of oil components in the preparation can result in different health benefits. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a mixture of essential oil formulation having promising bioactivities for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. The five popular essential oils including vetiver oil, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil, lemongrass oil, and phlai oil were selected for blended formulation. The selected oils were mixed in a suitable ratio and their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated using 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging and nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging, respectively. The prepared blended essential oil formulation had clear yellow-pale color and good smell. The blended oil showed good antioxidative activity by acting as a hydrogen donator. However, the blended oil presents mild anti-inflammatory activity via NO quenching action. The results of this study exposed that the developed blended essential oil formulation has promising properties to be used as a natural antioxidant as well as an anti-inflammatory agent in cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications.