Chemical composition, anti-inflammatory and anticholinesterase activities of the essential oils of Elionurus platypus (Trin.) Hack. from Congo

Abstract

This study reports the chemical composition, anti-inflammatory and anticholinesterase activities of the essential oils of Elionurus platypus (Trin.) Hack. The plant organs studied were the flowers (EOF), leaves (EOL), rhizomes (EORh) and roots (EOR). The essential oils were obtained by steam distillation. The chemical composition was determined using GC-MS and GC-FID. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by lipoxygenase inhibition method and bovine serum albumin degradation inhibition method. The anticholinesterase activity was determined by Ellman’s method. Twenty nine compounds were identified in the essential oils of different organs, with the main one being antsorenone. The content of this compound varied from one organ to another: leaves (58.51%), rhizomes (54.98%), roots (39.90%) and flowers (32.62%). Other compounds were also identified such as myrcene (28.97%) and prezizaene (5.35%) in the EOF; camphene (4.11%) and -acorenone (4.31%) in the EOR; prezizaene (5.10%) and -acorenone (4.24%) in the EORh; epiprezizaene (4.03%) and acorenone B (2.95%) in the EOL. The anti-inflammatory activity of the essential oils of the flowers (IC50 =15.46 ± 0.54 -16.40 ± 0.47 µg/mL) and leaves (IC50 = 15.78 ± 0.57- 16.41 ± 0.46µg/mL) was high. The essential oil anticholinesterase activity of the root with an IC50 = 18.06 ± 1.85µg/mL exhibited the best inhibition. Keywords: Elionurus platypus (Trin.) Hack, essential oil, antsorenone, antiinflammatory and anticholinesterase activities.