EPOXIDE-RICH CHEMOTYPE OF Artemisia indica FLOWERS:PHYTOCHEMICAL PROFILE, PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES, AND ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL
Epoxide-rich Artemisia indica essential oil has potential applications in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agriculture, andfood preservation. This study aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Good Health and Well-beingbyinvestigating the phytochemical composition, physicochemical properties and antioxidant efficacy of essential oil obtained from the flowers of Artemisia indica Willd. collected from Pithoragarh, Kumaon Himalaya, India. Theessential oil, extracted by steam distillation, was analysed by GC and GC–MS, revealing 60 constituents, of which36 compounds (92.82% of the oil) were identified. Oxygenated monoterpenes (77.97%) were dominant, with trans- carane-4,5-epoxide (32.72%), camphor (16.25%), and 1,8-cineole (14.07%) as the major constituents. Physicochemical parameters such as specific gravity (0.924), specific viscosity (0.110), refractive index (1.553), acid value (13.253), and saponification number (34.435) were established as quality indicators. Antioxidant activity, assessed by DPPH and H2O2 scavenging assays, showed strong radical scavenging with maximuminhibitionof 90.51% and 84.58% at 10 mg/mL, respectively. The IC50 values for DPPH and H2O2 assays were 2.41 ±0.042mg/mL and 3.63 ± 0.032 mg/mL, comparable to standard antioxidants. This is the first comprehensive report onA. indica flower oil from the Kumaon Himalaya, highlighting its distinctive epoxide-rich chemotype and potent antioxidant potential. The findings suggest promising applications in food preservation, cosmetics, and natural health products.
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