Physicochemical evaluation, in vitro anti-inflammatory, in vitro anti-arthritic activities and GC-MS analysis of the oil from the leaves of Gaultheria fragrantissima Wall of Meghalaya

Abstract

The aim of our present study is to assess the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity against denaturation of proteins whereby the test oil sample at different concentrations was incubated with egg albumin and the absorbance was determined at 660 nm. The anti-arthritic activity was investigated by two methods; firstly, in-vitro method by bovine serum protein denaturation and the absorbance was measured at 255 nm and secondly in vitro method by egg albumin denaturation where the absorbance was measured at 660 nm. In all the studies diclofenac sodium was used as thestandard drug. The physicochemical parameters like colour, solubility, refractive index, boiling point, specific gravity, carbon residue, iodine value, acid value, ester value were evaluated. The different components of the volatile oil were determined by GC-MS analysis. Ten organic compounds were identified out of which Methyl salicylate C8H8O6 was found to be the most dominant organic compound of Gaultheria fragrantissima oil (97.7%). The present results exhibited a concentration dependent inhibition of protein (albumin) denaturation by the test oil. The study reveals that diclofenac sodium was less effective when compared with the test oil. From the present findings it can be concluded that the essential oil of Gaultheria fragrantissima from Meghalaya possessed significant anti-inflammatory and anti- arthritic effects against the denaturation of protein in vitro. This effect could be due to the high content of methyl salicylate (97.7%) which is an inflammation-fighting compound. The high altitude and conducive climatic conditions of Meghalaya make wintergreen from this region far more superior in comparison to the ones grown in other parts of the world. Keywords: Gaultheria fragrantissima, anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, GC-MS, methyl salicylate.