Chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of essential oils of Trichopus zeylanicus ssp. travancoricus

Abstract

Trichopus zeylanicus ssp. travancoricus is locally known as Aroghyapacha which means the leaves that give health and vitality. The present study aimed to analyze the chemical composition of essential oils from the leaves and swollen part of the petiole of T. zeylanicus ssp. travancoricus and to evaluate its antimicrobial and antioxidant potential. Essential oils were isolated from the leaves and swollen part of the petiole and analyzed by GC-MS. The major components of the leaf essential oil were α-humulene (48.99%) and β-caryophyllene (30.08%), whereas α-humulene (36.69%) and n-Hexadecanoic acid (17.41%) were the main components of the swollen part of petiole. The antioxidant activities were evaluated by DPPH and phosphomolybdenum assays. Both of the essential oils exhibited poor to moderate antioxidant activity (DPPH assay, IC50 >1000 µg/mL). The phosphomolybdenum assay of the leaves (1.70±0.01 mg equivalent AAE/g) and swollen part petiole (1.85±0.03 mg equivalent AAE/g) essential oils showed moderate total antioxidant capacity. Both the oils exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative bacteria than Gram-positive bacteria. The present study is a experimental proof of the previous attempts on ethnobotanical investigations carried out among Kani tribes of Agasthymalai Biosphere Reserve.