Lemon essential oil
Lemon essential oil is widely used in both commercial and domestic products. It consists of a mixture of volatile, liposoluble compounds responsible for its characteristic fragrance and bioactive properties, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. The importance of lemon essential oil is even more significant when considering the increasing interest in natural products that promote human health. In this study, domestically grown lemons were used. The essential oil was extracted from the peel using the hydrodistillation method, an environmentally friendly process. The composition of the resulting essential oil was analysed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The analysis revealed that d-limonene, β-pinene, and γ-terpinene are the predominant components found in lemon essential oil. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was tested and found to be effective against Staphylococcus aureus. Molecular docking analysis revealed that all three principal compounds were able to bind to the DNA gyrase enzyme, with d-limonene exhibiting the lowest binding energy. The essential oil also exhibited significant DPPH radical scavenging activity, highlighting its antioxidant potential. The results indicate that both concentration and incubation time affect the antioxidant capacity of the essential oil.