ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Phytochemical Composition and Biological Activity
Evaluation of Juniperus sabina Essential Oil
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1
Laboratory of Reasearch for Renewable Energy Management, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences,
Abderrahmane Mira University, 06000, Bejaia, Algeria
2
Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Research, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences,
Abderrahmane Mira University, 06000, Bejaia, Algeria
3
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Technology, University of Split,
R. Boškovića 35, HR-21000 Split, Croatia
4
Corse University, CNRS, Chemistry and Biomasse team, 4UMR SPE 6134, Ajaccio, France
5
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Technology, University of Split,
R. Boškovića 35, HR-21000 Split, Croatia
6
Department of Environmental Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences,
Abderrahmane Mira University, 06000, Bejaia, Algeria
7
Department of Food Technology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry and Technology,
University of Split, Ruđera Boškovića 35, HR-21000 Split, Croatia
8
Laboratory of Natural Resources Valorization, Department of Biology and Plant Ecology,
Ferhat Abbas University, Setif, Algeria
9
Laboratory of excellence of Applied Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences,
Badji Mokhtar University, 23000, Annaba, Algeria
Submission date: 2025-05-27
Final revision date: 2025-09-27
Acceptance date: 2025-10-12
Online publication date: 2025-12-09
Corresponding author
Hamid Boudjelida
Laboratory of excellence of Applied Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences,
Badji Mokhtar University, 23000, Annaba, Algeria
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ABSTRACT
The Juniperus sabina L. is considered an endemic plant species in the Kabylia mountains,
north-east of Algeria. In order to valorize and provide additional evidence that could promote the
conservation of this species, the phytochemical components profile of the Juniperus sabina essential
oils (EO) extracted from different parts of the plant was characterized, and their biological activities
were evaluated. Gas chromatography with flame ionization and mass spectrometry detectors (GC-FID,
GC-MS), along with 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR), were used to determine the composition
of the EO chemical profile. The methods used to analyze the antioxidant properties of EO were
DPPH, ABTS, and H2O2 scavenging assays, along with TAA and RPA for reducing potential assays.
Also, cholinesterase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of this EO were tested. The screening for phytochemical composition revealed a diverse chemical profile, with major components such as sabinene
(24.9%-51.8%) and terpinen-4-ol (11.5%-29.9%). Antioxidant capacity evaluation showed the different
responses between plant part EOs and types of antioxidant assays. Therefore, the EO from berries
showed a higher activity towards the potential assays of twigs’ EO, which exhibited better activity
towards radical scavenging assays. The obtained EOs from needles and twigs showed moderate
acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity with lethal inhibitory concentrations of IC50 of 28.18 μg/ml and
37.27 μg/ml, respectively. These results suggest that Juniperus sabina essential oil (EO) has potential
as a natural antioxidant that could be developed for use in food systems, as well as in the treatment of
neurodegenerative disorders.