Essential Oil Composition and Biological Activities of Eucalyptus globulus Leaves Extracts from Tunisia

Abstract

This study was designed to examine chemical composition and antioxidant activity as well as the in vitro α-amylase pancreatic lipase and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activities of the essential oil and various extracts of Eucalyptus globules leaves collected from Sfax (Tunisia). The main constituents (≥ 7%) identified by GC-MS in the essential oil of E. globulus are 1,8-cineole (48.2%), α-pinene (16.1%), γ-terpinene (8.9%) and p-cymene (8.8%). The IC50 values of essential oil, hexane, ethyl acetate and methanolic extracts against α-amylase were 27.29, 27.10, 31.7 and 48.01 μg/ml respectively. However, the IC50 values of essential oil, ethyl acetate and methanolic extracts against pancreatic lipase were 17.85, 20.16 and 29.76 μg/ml respectively, suggesting powerful anti-diabetic and anti-obesity effects. Antioxidant activity (IC50=23 μg/ml) and hypotensive activity (IC50=98 μg/ml) of the methanolic extract were found to be the highest compared to the other extract. Based on these results, E. globulus could be used as a significant source for natural products with interesting medicinal properties.