Evaluation of Biological Activity and Analysis of Volatile Fraction from Pterocarya fraxinifolia in Vegetative Stage from Iran

This study reports chemical composition of the essential oils and in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of the volatile fraction, extracted using simulations steam distillation-solvent extraction (SDE) method, and methanolic extract from the stems and young leaves of Pterocarya fraxinifolia from Gilan, west-north of Iran for the first time. The extraction yield of volatile fraction from stems was about two times more than that of leaves. GC and GC/MS analysis of the stem oil, exhibited 44 components; the most abundant constituents was hexadecanoic acid. On the other hand,23 components were identified in the oil from leaves, with 3¸7-guaiadiene as the major components. The oils and extracts from both examined plant samples showed excellent antioxidant activities in 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay (IC₅₀ values <45 µg/mL). In ß-carotene bleaching assay, only the extracts showed high activities with inhibition percentages more than 80%. Total phenolic contents, based on gallic acid equivalent, for the leaves and stems extracts were also very high. Screening of cytotoxic activity of the extracts via brine shrimp lethality assay exhibited higher activity for stem. About antimicrobial properties, each sample showed high activity against at least 1 tested microorganism. In comparison, stem extract and oil exhibited higher biological activities than that of leaves.