Anti-inflammatory activity and chemical composition of aqueous extract and essential oil from leaves of Ocimum selloi Benth.

Ethnopharmacological relevance: The population uses the aqueous extract as tea from leaves of Ocimum selloi Benth. (alfavaca) for pain and inflammation issues. This study is motivated by a lack of data about inflammation properties of O. selloi. Aim of the study: This study investigated the chemical composition and anti-inflammatory activity, in mice models, of the aqueous extract (OSAE) and essential oil (OSEO) obtained from leaves of O. selloi. Materials and methods: The antioxidant activity and total phenolic content were evaluated for samples, although chemical composition was obtained by U-HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS for OSAE and GC-MS for OSEO. OSAE and OSEO were tested orally at doses of 30, 100 and 300 mg/kg at the carrageenan-induced pleurisy and paw edema, also mechanical hyperalgesia, in mice. Results: Four glycosylated flavonoids and one organic acid were identified in OSAE, and nine substances in OSEO, the two majoritarian are E-anethole and methyl chavicol. Oral treatments with OSAE and OSEO significantly inhibited the carrageenan-induced pleurisy in female Swiss mice, besides OSAE and OSEO significantly prevented paw edema (after 1, 2, and 4 h), mechanical hyperalgesia (after 3 and 4 h), and cold hyperalgesia 3 h after carrageenan model in male Swiss mice. The dose of 300 mg/kg of OSEO reduced cold hyperalgesia 4 h after carrageenan. Conclusion: The results evidenced the anti-inflammatory, anti-edematogenic, anti-hyperalgesic, and antinociceptive potentials of both materials obtained from leaves of O. selloi, mainly OSAE, supporting the popular use of this species.

Automated summary

This study examined the chemical composition and anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous extract and essential oil obtained from Ocimum selloi leaves, demonstrating their potential anti-inflammatory, anti-edematogenic, anti-hyperalgesic, and antinociceptive effects, supporting their traditional use.