Abstract
Background: Essential oil (EO) obtained from Ixora scheffleri subspecies (subsp.) keniensis has valuable biological properties and can play a possible therapeutic role because of its antimicrobial and antioxidant nature. Aim: In this article, the chemical constituents, antimicrobial activity and antioxidant capacity of the EO obtained from Ixora scheffleri subsp. keniensis were determined using standard procedures. Setting: Plant material collection, essential oils extractions and antimicrobial assays were performed at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Department of Botany Laboratories. Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrophotometry (GC/MS) analysis was carried out at the Physical Science Laboratory, MacEwan University, Canada. Methods: The chemical constituents were determined using GC/MS. The total phenol content was evaluated using the Folin–Ciocalteu procedure. The antioxidant activity was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and β -carotene linoleic acid assays. The antimicrobial assay was performed using the disc diffusion method. Results: The total phenol content of the EO was estimated to be 91.6 µ g/mg ± 0.5 µ g/mg. The antioxidant activity of EO obtained from Ixora relative to ascorbic acid was found to be 52% using the β -carotene linoleic acid assay. The DPPH scavenging activity of 30 µ g/mL EO obtained from Ixora and 30 µ g/mL ascorbic acid was 81.65% and 97.0%, respectively. The EO was found to have significant susceptibility against Escherichia coli , and intermediate susceptibility against Candida albicans . However, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed complete resistance. Conclusion: The in vitro chemical compositional analysis of EO obtained from Ixora scheffleri subsp. keniensis confirms the presence of phenolic compounds attesting to the antioxidant properties and antimicrobial properties.
Highlights
Ethnopharmacological surveys show that there has been a tremendous demand for the use of indigenous medicinal plant extracts as health enhancers and herbal therapies
The oil is rich in phenolic compounds and as such the obvious step was to test the antioxidant properties of the oil
The antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal activity of Essential oils (EOs) of I. scheffleri subsp. keniensis found in Central Kenya is presented here for the first time and extends knowledge in the range of valuable biological activities and possible roles in therapy associated with this medicinal herb
Summary
Ethnopharmacological surveys show that there has been a tremendous demand for the use of indigenous medicinal plant extracts as health enhancers and herbal therapies. Essential oils (EOs) obtained from plant extracts contain chemical compounds, such as vitamins, flavonoids, polyphenols, flavones, isoflavones, flavonoids anthocyanin, coumarin lignans, catechins and isocatechins, which are believed to have useful antioxidant and therapeutic properties (Antolovich et al 2000; Mollica et al 2016). Antioxidants are unique compounds having the ability to trap highly reactive free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS). These free radicals and ROS may oxidise nucleic acids, proteins, lipids or deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and can initiate degenerative diseases such as atherosclerosis, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimers, and cancer in humans (Ushio-Fukai & Nakamura 2008). Essential oil (EO) obtained from Ixora scheffleri subspecies (subsp.) keniensis has valuable biological properties and can play a possible therapeutic role because of its antimicrobial and antioxidant nature
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