Chemical Composition and Biological Prospects of Essential Oils and Extracts of Aphyllocladus spartioides Growing in Northwest Argentina

Abstract

Aphyllocladus spartioides WEDD. is a native and aromatic herb used in traditional medicine, however it is still poorly investigated. In this work, the volatile profile of A. spartioides growing in Hornillos-Northwest Argentina was determined by GC/MS/FID and the phenolic compounds of hydroethanolic and decoction extracts were analyzed by HPLC-DAD. The antibacterial potential, antioxidant activity and a-glucosidase inhibition activity were checked by in vitro assays. The volatile profile allowed the identification of 68 compounds, being a-pinene and cadinene the main ones. Eighteen phenolics were identified, isorhamnetin derivatives and different phenolic acid derivatives were found in higher amounts, mainly in the hydroethanolic extract. A concentration-dependent activity was noticed against DPPH , O 2 , NO and a-glucosidase, these activities being reported for the first time. Hydroethanolic extract was most active against DPPH , NO and a-glucosidase (IC50 = 79, 206 and 181 lg/ml). Decoction extract proved to be better against O 2 (IC50 = 20 lg/ml). Regarding the antibacterial activity, hydroethanolic extract was more active compared with decoction and essential oil. MICs of 0.3 - 0.6 mg/ml were obtained against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Micrococcus luteus. Results suggest that the extracts of A. spartioides from Northwest Argentina may be interesting to use as a source of natural antioxidants/antimicrobials for pharmaceutical incorporations or food supplementation.