Volatile Constituents and Bioactivities of Mimusops elengi Flowers

Abstract

The volatile constituents of the flowers of Mumusops elengi were isolated by hydrodistllation and identified by capillary GC and GC-MS. The most abundant components were 2-phenylethanol (29.8 %), (E)-2-hexenal (11.8 %) and benzyl alcohol (10.4 %). The flower volatiles were tested for antibacterial activity using the micro-dilution antibacterial assay, and anti-inflammatory activity using the cyclooxygenase inhibitory screening assay. The flower oil showed antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria (78-156 μg/mL) and selective COX-1 inhibition was observed for the flower oil. This present report is the first describing the anti-inflammatory potential of M. elengi flowers. The results of this study support the traditional uses of the plant as crude antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agent.