Medicinal properties of Ocotea bullata stem bark extracts: phytochemical constituents, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, cytotoxicity and inhibition of carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes

This study evaluates the phytochemical constituents, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, cytotoxicity, and inhibitory activity against carbohydrate metabolism of extracts from Ocotea bullata stem bark. Hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol and water were used to extract the air-dried sample. The phytochemical investigation and antioxidant assays were carried out on the extracts using standard procedures. The antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory potentials were evaluated using α-amylase, α-glucosidase and 5-lipoxygenase enzymes respectively. Vero cells were employed to determine the cytotoxicity of the extracts. The ethyl acetate extract showed higher phenolic contents (8.97 mg/g gallic acid) while methanol displayed higher flavonoid (36.06 mg/g quercetin) and flavonol (153.44 mg/g rutin) contents than other extracts. Hexane extract had the greatest capacity to scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (0.19 mg/mL), hydroxyl (25.77 mg/mL) and 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (0.07 mg/mL) radicals, while ethyl acetate extract exhibited stronger inhibition (P