Planta Med 2010; 76(14): 1506-1511
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1249820
Pharmacology
Original Papers
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Vasorelaxant Activity of Essential Oils from Croton zambesicus and Some of Their Constituents

Chiara Baccelli1 , Anneloes Martinsen2 , Nicole Morel2 , Joelle Quetin-Leclercq1
  • 1Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
  • 2Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
Further Information

Publication History

received August 28, 2009 revised March 12, 2010

accepted March 19, 2010

Publication Date:
26 April 2010 (online)

Abstract

In this study, we determined the vasorelaxant activity of essential oils of different samples of Croton zambesicus collected in the same area in Benin at different periods and analysed their compositions by GC‐FID and GC‐MS. 68 compounds were identified among which 20 have not been described previously in this plant's essential oils. We observed quantitative differences among essential oils but all possess significant vasorelaxant activity on intact rat aortae contracted by KCl (IC50 5.6–11.8 µg/mL). This activity may, at least in part, be explained by the presence of vasorelaxant diterpenes such as ent-18-hydroxy-trachyloban-3-one, isopimara-7,15-dien-3β‐ol, and ent-18-hydroxy-isopimar-7,15-dien-3β‐ol, previously isolated from the dichloromethane extract of the leaves, but also to linalool (IC50 43.4 µg/mL) and particularly to caryophyllene oxide (IC50 2.5 µg/mL).

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Prof. Joelle Quetin-Leclercq

CHAM Unit
Louvain Drug Research Institute
Université catholique de Louvain

Avenue E. Mounier 72–30

1200 Brussels

Belgium

Phone: + 32 27 64 72 30

Fax: + 32 27 64 72 53

Email: joelle.leclercq@uclouvain.be