Asian Journal
Of Traditional Medicines

Abstract: Perilla (Lamiaceae) is cultivated mainly in Asian countries such as India, China, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, and Japan. In present
study six samples of Perilla frutescens (L.) syn. P. ocimoides L. were collected from Pantnagar, Almora, Birar, Bharsar, Ranibag,
Chaurlekh of Uttarakhand in India. The essential oils analyzed by GC and GC-MS revealed the presence of several compounds
in each essential oil of which the major constituents α-phellandrene, perillene, egomaketone, isoegomaketone, β-caryophyllene,
germacrene-D, caryophyllene oxide were identified. Antifungal activity of essential oil of Perilla frutescens were tested against
two pathogenic fungi viz. Rizoctonia solani Kuhn and Sclerotium rolfsii. All the oils exhibited antifungal activity but essential oil
from Almora collection showed maximum activity against both the test fungi. All the essential oils and methanolic extracts of the
plants were studied for their antioxidant activity by reducing power activity, chelating power and 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl
(DPPH) radical scavenging activity which showed good to moderate antioxidant activity in a dose dependent manner which may
be possibly due to different chemical and biochemical make up of the essential oils and extract. The phenolic contents in the
methanolic extracts varied from 0.708- 4.750 mg/100 mg, flavonols from 0.040-0.195 mg/100 mg and ortho dihydric phenols from
0.175-0.705 mg/100 mg.

Key words: Perilla frutescens, essential oil, perilla ketone, antioxidant, antifungal activity