Abstract
Essential oils (EOs) of Clausena indica fruits, Zanthoxylum rhetsa fruits, and Michelia tonkinensis seeds were analyzed for their phytochemical profiles and biological activities, including anti-diabetes, anti-gout, and anti-leukemia properties. Sixty-six volatile compounds were identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), in which, myristicin (68.3%), limonene (44.2%), and linalool (49.3%) were the most prominent components of EOs extracted from C. indica, Z. rhetsa, and M. tonkinensis, respectively. In addition, only EOs from C. indica inhibited the activities of all tested enzymes comprising α-amylase (IC50 = 7.73 mg/mL), α-glucosidase (IC50 = 0.84 mg/mL), and xanthine oxidase (IC50 = 0.88 mg/mL), which are related to type 2 diabetes and gout. Remarkably, all EOs from C. indica, Z. rhetsa (IC50 = 0.73 mg/mL), and M. tonkinensis (IC50 = 1.46 mg/mL) showed a stronger anti-α-glucosidase ability than acarbose (IC50 = 2.69 mg/mL), a known anti-diabetic agent. Moreover, the growth of leukemia cell Meg-01 was significantly suppressed by all EOs, of which, the IC50 values were recorded as 0.32, 0.64, and 0.31 mg/mL for EOs from C. indica, Z. rhetsa, and M. tonkinensis, respectively. As it stands, this is the first report about the inhibitory effects of EOs from C. indica and Z. rhetsa fruits, and M. tonkinensis seeds on the human leukemia cell line Meg-01 and key enzymes linked to diabetes and gout. In conclusion, the present study suggests that EOs from these natural spices may be promising candidates for pharmaceutical industries to develop nature-based drugs to treat diabetes mellitus or gout, as well as malignant hematological diseases such as leukemia.
Highlights
In recent years, studies on natural products from plants have received much attention from researchers all over the world, but difficulties remain for a plant-based product to be officially registered as a drug and widely applied in clinical practice if a comprehensive evaluation about benefits over risks is lacking [1]
Of special interest are promising biological properties of essential oils (EOs) obtained from Clausena indica, Zanthoxylum rhetsa, and Michelia tonkinensis which have been popularly used as flavors and spices in many sub-tropical and tropical countries
By hydro-distillation, all essential oils from the natural spices were obtained with a pale-yellow color, of which, the EO extraction yields were 0.4, 1.7, and 5.5% for the Clausena indica (CI), Zanthoxylum rhetsa (ZR), and Michelia tonkinensis (MT) samples, respectively (Table 1)
Summary
Studies on natural products from plants have received much attention from researchers all over the world, but difficulties remain for a plant-based product to be officially registered as a drug and widely applied in clinical practice if a comprehensive evaluation about benefits over risks is lacking [1]. Peak No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 the natural spices from plant organs as potential candidates, with diverse biological and pharmacological activities [2,3]. In this context, of special interest are promising biological properties of EOs obtained from Clausena indica, Zanthoxylum rhetsa, and Michelia tonkinensis which have been popularly used as flavors and spices in many sub-tropical and tropical countries. Along with the medicinal purpose, the use of C. indica, Z. rhetsa, and M. tonkinensis as seasonings and condiments is a feature of the culinary culture of ethnic minorities in Northwestern Vietnam
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