Chemical composition, antioxidant, in vitro anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activity of seeds essential oil of Zanthoxylum armatum DC. Collected from two different altitudes of Kumaun region, Uttarakhand

Abstract

Zanthoxylum armatum DC. Commonly known as winged prickly ash, is a plant of the family Rutaceae. Seeds of Z. armatum were collected from two different altitudes of Uttarakhand to analyze the chemical composition, antioxidant, in-vitro anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activity of essential oils. The fresh seeds were crushed and subsequently subjected to hydro-distillation using Clevenger apparatus to obtained essential oils. The essential oils were analyzed by the combination of GC and GC-MS. The comparative study of seed essential oil corresponding to its altitudinal variation displayed that linalool (54.3%), cinnamic acid (18.2%), sylvestrene (15.4%) and sabinene (2.1%) contributed majorly to the total volatile oil from Dharchula, while (Z)-β-ocimene (28.1%), α-thujene (2.6%), α-pinene (2.3%) and β-phellandrene (2.2%) were present in the seed volatile oil from Pithoragarh. The constituent found in Pithoragarh collection could not be detected in Dharchula collection and vice-versa. Both the essential oils were studied for their antioxidant, in-vitro anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. The essential oils exhibited difference in their antioxidant potential, presumably due to qualitative and quantitative difference of their antioxidative components. Concentration dependent inhibition of protein (albumin) denaturation by essential oils from 3.125ppm to 100ppm depicted the in-vitro anti-inflammatory activity while exhibited a good antibacterial against E. coli and S. aureus.