Comparison of Essential Oil of Achillea millefolium with Chemical Antioxidants and Preservatives

Achillea millefolium is one of the oldest known medicinal plants, due to the presence of certain chemical compounds are used traditional and modern medicine. One of the most important medicinal properties of Yarrow, its antimicrobial effects on a wide range of pathogens in humans and animals. The in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the essential oil from leaves of Achillea millefolium subsp. millefolium were examined. GC-MS analysis of the essential oil resulted in the identification of fifty-eight compounds constituting 98.71% of the total essential oil of leave. The essential oil of leaves were characterized by a high number of monoterpenes borneol (12.32%), 1, 8-cineole (10.51%), β -pinene (9.33%) and α -pinene (8.82%). Regarding anti-oxidation, the investigated essential oil from leaves strongly reduced the diphenylpicrylhydrazyl radical (IC50=0.94 mg/ml). This essential oil showed antimicrobial activity as well against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enteritidise, Escherichia coli, Penicillium glaucum and Saccharomyces cervesiae (MIC values 0.45-7.20 mg/ml). This study confirms that the essential oil from leaves of Achillea millefolium possessed antioxidant and antimicrobial properties in vitro.