AIMS Biophysics (Jul 2024)
Antioxidant, α-glucosidase, antimicrobial activities chemical composition and <i>in silico</i> analysis of <i>eucalyptus camaldulensis</i> dehnh
Abstract
Throughout history, medicinal plants have been the primary source for preventing and treating infectious diseases and other health issues. The flowering plant Eucalyptus camaldulensis, also called river red gum, is a member of the Myrtaceae family and has numerous traditional uses. The objectives of the present study were to identify the essential oil components of Eucalyptus camaldulensis using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GCMS), and to determine the antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antibacterial activities of ethanol, aqueous, and essential oil extracts from E. camaldulensis leaves. Addtionally, the essential oil constituents that were identified underwent an in silico analysis. The efficacy of various extracts in combat pathogens and free radicals was assessed through the utilization of the 1,1-Diphenyl-2-Picryl Hydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), α-glucosidase inhibition, and disk diffusion methods. In terms of radical scavenging, reducing power, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, the essential oil showed strong antioxidant activity at 84.01 %, 20.1 mmol/g, and 78.2 %, respectively. The essential oil showed a potent antimicrobial action against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with 12 and 14 mm inhibitions, respectively, which were higher than ampicillin's 9 and 6 mm inhibitions, respectively. The GCMS analysis showed that the following chemicals were the most common: cis-11-hexadecenal (10.2%), trans-13-octadecenoic acid (9.5%), and 6-Octadecenoic acid, methyl ester, (Z)-(8.8%). The α-glucosidase enzyme was targeted in a docking study to investigate the antidiabetic properties of the 42 phytochemicals found in the essential oil extract. The compound, namely 5.alpha.-Androstan-16-one, showed the highest binding affinities of −8.6 Kcal/mol during the docking screening of the 42 identified phytochemicals against α-glucosidase. These two compounds show potential as competitive α-glucosidase inhibitors. E. camaldulensis will be a particularly useful source to improve health and fight communicable and non-communicable diseases. Nonetheless, human evaluations of E. camaldulensis safety and effectiveness are necessary, and more well-planned clinical trials are needed to confirm our in vitro and in silico findings.
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