Chemical Characterization, Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Properties of Mentha spicata L. Essential Oil

Abstract

The chemical composition and antibacterial and antioxidative activity of Mentha spicata L. essential oil were investigated. GC/MS analysis identified 33 components accounting for 98.9% of the essential oil, with dominant components being carvone (56.4%), limonene (16.2%), 1,8 cineole (7%), β-pinene (2.4%) and α-terpinene (2.3%). An agar disk diffusion assay was used to evaluate antibacterial activity. The essential oil exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against all tested bacterial strains, with Gram-negative bacteria being more susceptible than Gram-positive bacteria, and E. coli being the most sensitive microorganism. Antioxidant potential was demonstrated with IC50 = 41.23 µg/mL.