RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the chemical components of essential oils from Meconopsis oliverana and their antioxidant activity.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The essential oil was extracted by steam distillation, and GC-MS analysis was used to identify its constituents. The OH free radical scavenging activity of the essential oils was evaluated with an enzyme mark instrument by assay of the ability of DPPH free radical scavenging. BHT was used as positive control.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Forty-seven compounds, account for 91.866% of the essential oils, were identified. The ability of scavenging OH and DPPH radicals of the essential oils is stronger than that of BHT.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The main chemical constituents of the essential oils from M. oliverana are n-hexadecanoic acid (27.653%) and 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanone (16.330%). And the essential oils showed strong antioxidant activity.</p>