Antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antibiofilm properties of essential oils extracted from Dialium guineense

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study aimed to explore the chemical composition and biological properties of Dialium guineense essential oils derived from its fruit and leaf. These oils have significant potential as natural alternatives in industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. The research involved extraction, characterization, antioxidant, and antimicrobial evaluations. The fruit essential oil contained 30 identified compounds, with hexadecanoic acid as the major component. The leaf essential oil had 44 identified compounds, with falcarinol as the predominant compound. Antioxidant capacity was assessed, resulting in a total antioxidant capacity of 70.4 μg/g AAE for the fruit essential oil and 40 μg/g AAE for the leaf essential oil. In the hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay, the fruit essential oil demonstrated an IC50 value of 347.7 ± 0.5 μg/mL, while the leaf essential oil exhibited an IC50 value of 931.7 ± 0.6 μg/mL. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oils was evaluated against various microorganisms. The fruit essential oil showed significant efficacy against S. aureus, S. pneumoniae, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, E. coli, and C. albicans. The leaf essential oil displayed effectiveness against S. pneumoniae, E. coli, and E. faecalis. Both essential oils inhibited biofilm formation in P. aeruginosa. Molecular docking analysis revealed that compounds in the leaf essential oil had higher binding affinity for LasR, which correlated with superior anti-biofilm activity. These findings suggest that the essential oils from D. guineense have therapeutic potential in combating various diseases.