Anti-inflammatory activity of the essential oils of Cymbopogon validus (Stapf) Stapf ex Burtt Davy from Eastern Cape, South Africa.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the essential oil composition and the anti-inflammatory activity of Cymbopogon validus (C. validus) leaves and flowers.


METHODS
A total of 300 g of fresh or dry (leaves and flowers) of C. validus were cut into small pieces and subjected to hydro-distillation method for approximately 5 h using the Clevenger apparatus. The extracted essential oils were then used for testing the anti-inflammatory activity. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by using egg albumin-induced paw edema.


RESULTS
The extracted oils had the following yields 2.2% for fresh leaves, 2.0% for dry leaves and 2.4% v/w for dry flowers. GC-MS results revealed that the oils contained artemisia ketone (37.5%), linalool (3.2%-29.6%), northujane (4.4%-16.8%), verbenone (13.5%), naphthalene (1.7%-9.6%), δ-cadinene (0.5%-8.1%), hedycaryol (5.4%-7.6%) and α-eudesmol (6.5%-6.7%) as the major constituents. C. validus essential oils showed significant (P < 0.05) anti-inflammatory effects from the first 30 min after albumin injection compared to aspirin which had a later onset of effect.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study show that the essential oil extracted from C. validus fresh or dry leaves and flowers have anti-inflammatory properties; that might be associated with the major components and the minor components found in the essential oils.
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Alice 5700, South Africa.
Pamela
P
Rungqu
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Alice 5700, South Africa. Electronic address: ooyedeji@ufh.ac.za.
Opeoluwa
O
Oyedeji
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5099, South Africa.
Benedicta
B
Nkeh-Chungag
Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5099, South Africa.
Sandile
S
Songca
Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein 2028, South Africa.
Oluwatobi
O
Oluwafemi
Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5099, South Africa.
Adebola
A
Oyedeji
Anti-inflammation; Artemisia ketone; Cymbopogon validus; Egg albumin-induced edema; Essential oils; Linalool