Chemical composition of essential oil and antioxidant and anti-corrosion activity of extract and essential oil of Pennyroyal Mint (Mentha pulegium, MP)

View the growing success of natural products as an alternative to synthetic chemicals. The purpose of this study was to contribute to the valorization of leaves of Mentha pulegium by determining the chemical composition of its essential oil and evaluate in vitro the antioxidant and the anticorrosive activities of its aqueous extract and essential oil. The essential oil revealed 1,8-Cineole (31.9%) followed by piperitone (15.6%), Limonene (14.6%) and β-Pinene (4.8%) as the main constituents. The antioxidant activity of aqueous extract was evaluated by the method of DPPH radical scavenging. The extract and the essential oil of M. pulegium were tested as corrosion inhibitors of mild steel in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 using weight loss measurements and electrochemical methods. The aqueous extract exhibited a moderate antioxidant activity compared to acid ascorbic and the IC 50 value was 36,62 µg/mL. The obtained  results  have showed that the inhibition efficiency increases with increasing  inhibitor  concentration  to  attain  90.3 % at  2 g/L of  MPE and 87.3 %  at 4g.L -1 of MPO at 303 K. Finally, extracts and essential oil of M. pulegium from Mediterranean origin have numerous potential as a substitute to chemical additives for the food industry.