New essential oils with interesting biological activities from endemic plants of Côte d'Ivoire: Zanthoxylum mezoneurispinosum and Zanthoxylum psammophilum

Abstract

New essential oils with interesting biological activities from endemic plants of Côte d’Ivoire: Zanthoxylum mezoneurispinosum (Ake Assi) and Zanthoxylum psammophilum (Ake Assi). Evelyne A. Tanoh1*, Fatimata Nea1, Tierry K. Kenne2, Manon Genva2, Matthew Saive2, Felix Z. Tonzibo1, Marie-Laure Fauconnier2. 1 Laboratory of Biological Organic Chemistry, UFR-SSMT, University Felix Houphouet-Boigny, BPV 34 Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire 2 Laboratory of Natural Molecules Chemistry, University of Liège, Gembloux Agro- Bio Tech, 2, Passage of Deportés, B-5030 Gembloux, Belgium According to OMS nearly 80% of the population depend on traditional medicine given the strong growth in the use of natural products from plants1. Many Rutaceae plants are already used in traditional medicine for their biological properties such as anticancer and antioxidant activities. Zanthoxylum mezoneurispinosum (Ake Assi) and Zanthoxylum psammophylum (Ake Assi) are endemic Rutaceae to Côte d’Ivoire. In order to determine if those plants could be used in medicine, the aim of this work was to evaluate the chemical composition and the biological activities of essential oils extracted from both plants. Essential oils of our plants isolated from the leaves, trunk bark and roots. Their chemical compositions were determined by GC-MS. In vitro biological properties were determined using two activities: Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. The analysis of the essential oils of leaves, trunk bark and roots of Z. psammophylum exhibit the predominance of two unusual methyl ketones, 2-undecanone and 2-tridecanone in leaves and trunk bark. These compounds have biological properties according to the literature2. The root is rich in thymol. Z. mezoneurispinosum oil is rich in alpha pinene for leaves and trunk bark, while the root is rich in gamma-elemene and cyclosativene. Cyclosativene is known for its biological activities3. The essential oils of both plants showed in increasing order antioxidant value in the leaves, trunk bark and roots. A measure of anti-inflammatory activity was found to in decreasing order in the root, followed by leaves and trunk bark. These plants could constitute a source of active molecules for traditional medicine in Côte d'Ivoire. However, although these plants are endemic in this country, they are not abundant and it is necessary to limit and protect the distribution of nurseries to produce plants and reintroduce these species into their natural habitat. References 1- O.M.S, 2002. : Besoins et potentiel. N° 4. 6 p. 2- Saini Mukesh and al, (2014). J. Agric. Food. Chem, 62: 4342 – 4348. 3- Kang Min-Seung, Lee Hoi-Seon, (2018). Applied Biological chemistry 61 (6): pp 653 – 659