Antioxidant Activity, Total Phenolics and Oil Content of Some Thymus kotschyanus and Thymus daenensis Populations

The use of natural antioxidants is one of the easiest ways to reduce cell destructive reactions. Plants are considered as rich sources of natural antioxidants such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, etc. The present study was aimed to evaluate oil content, total phenolics and antioxidant activity of some (Thymus kotschyanus Boiss. & Hohen) and Thymus daenesis populations cultivated in a same envirenmental condition. according to the results, there was considerable variation among IC50 (20.98 to 48.7 μg. ml) and total phenolics (42.6 to 67.64 mg GAE.g) of Thymus kotschyanus populations. the highest antioxidant activity and total phenolic was observed in the population of Qazvin. The lowest IC50 (19/3 μg / ml) and highest of phenolic compounds (107/16 mg GAE.g) in a Khorramabad population of Thymus daenensis subsp. lancifolius observed. The highest oil content for population of Mazandaran1 (2/5%) and Khorramabad 1 (3/5%) were existed. The Thymus daenensis subsp. lancifolius had The highest antioxidant activity and oil content among studied populations.