HRGC/FID and HRGC/MSD Analysis of the Secondary Metabolites Obtained by Different Extraction Methods from Lepechinia schiedeana,and in Vitro Evaluation of Its Antioxidant Activity

Steam distillation (SD), simultaneous distillation-solvent extraction (SDE), microwave-assisted solvent extraction (MWE), and supercritical (CO₂) extraction (SFE) were used to isolate secondary metabolites from Lepechinia schiedeana. The various extracts were analyzed by capillary gas-chromatography, on poly (dimethylsiloxane) (DB-1) and poly(ethyleneglycol) (INNOWAX), 60 m columns, using FID or MSD (EI, 70 eV). Kováts indexes, mass spectra, or standard compounds were employed for compound identification. 43, 61, 67, and 79 compounds at concentrations above 0.01% were detected in the SD, SDE, MWE, and SFE extracts, respectively. Ledol, C₁₅H₂₆O, was the major constituent (20.04–36.87%) in all extracts. Oxygenated sesquiterpenes (24.36–43.14%), C₁₀H₁₆, monoterpenes (27.70–39.87%), and C₁₅H₂₄, sesquiterpenes (10.04–22.22%) were the main groups of compounds present in SD, SDE, MWE, and SFE extracts. Heavy hydrocarbons (C_n > 15), diterpenoids, and phytosterols were found only in MWE and SFE extracts. The antioxidant activity of Lepechinia schiedeana was measured by the HRGC quantification of the volatile carbonyl compounds, final products of lipoxidation, released in a model lipid system (sunflower oil) by the effect of the Fenton reagent. The concentration of volatile carbonyl compounds decreased by 65% when lipid oxidation was induced in the presence of macerated Lepechinia plant. The protection of polyunsaturated acids in sunflower oil was also studied by measuring their concentrations after heating of the oil (180°C, 2 h) with and without macerated Lepechinia plant.