Isolation of secondary metabolites from Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M.Perry. (cloves), and evaluation of their biological activities

Abstract

Phytochemical investigation of dried flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M.Perry. (clove) led to the isolation and identification of fourteen known compounds, oleanolic acid (1), betulinic acid (2), para methyl benzoic acid (3), sabrinic acid (4) eucalyptolic acid (5), nigricin (6), 3-O-trans-para-coumaroylmaslinic acid (7), methyl maslinate (8), maslinic acid (9), 3, 4, 5-trimethoxy-3′,4′-O,O-methylideneflavellagic acid (10), lantanone (11) 3,4,3′-trimethoxyellagic acid (12), 11-oxo-oleanolic acid (13), and β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (14). Their structures were identified by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, Mass spectroscopic techniques, and comparison with the literature data. Compounds 3, and 7–9 showed a strong mortality against root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita at 0.125% concentration after 72 hours (88–92% inhibition). Compound 4 showed a good anti-glycation activity with IC50 = 142.0 ± 1.8 µM when compared with standard, i.e. rutin (IC50 = 54.59 ± 2.20 µM). Compound 10 showed a comparable urease inhibitory activity (IC50 = 26.1 ± 0.19 µM) with the positive control thiourea (IC50 = 24.5 ± 0.34 µM).