Cycloisolongifolene-8,9-Dehydro-9-Formyl Inhibits Lipoxygenase and Might Play a Role in the Wound-Healing Property of Clerodendrum infortunatum and Tagetes erecta

Introduction

Clerodendrum infortunatum, and Tagetes erecta, are frequently used in traditional medicinal systems like Ayurveda and Unani for their medicinal properties. This study explores their wound-healing potential.

Methods

Ethanol extracts were obtained from C infortunatum leaves and T erecta flowers and subjected to qualitative phytochemical analyses. . The antioxidant properties were assessed through 2,2-diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assays, both individually and combined. Cytotoxicity was tested using the MTT assay. An in vitro lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibition assay was used to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity. Extracts were further fractionated using silica gel column chromatography and assayed for LOX-inibition. Metabolite profiling of the active fractions were performed using GC-MS. Molecular docking was employed to study the interactions of the identified metabolites with LOX.

Results

The plant extracts exhibited substantial scavenging activity (76–80% in the DPPH assay). FRAP values were 415.31 µg ascorbic acid/g DW for C infortunatum and 1185.86 µg ascorbic acid/g DW for T erecta. The extracts and fractions showed moderate cytotoxicity, with the highest non-toxic concentration being 25 µg/mL. LOX inhibition was 54% for C infortunatum, and 56% for T erecta, comparable to vanillin (55%). Purified fractions achieved 70% (C infortunatum) and 76% (T erecta) inhibition. Proliferation assays revealed significant wound-healing activities of 76% (C infortunatum) and 90% (T erecta) at 25 µg/mL, compared to the control (50%). GC-MS identified the key metabolite, cycloisolongifolene-8,9-dehydro-9-formyl, in both fractions. Molecular docking provided mechanistic insights into LOX inhibition.

Conclusions

C infortunatum (leaf) and T erecta (flower) extracts possess remarkable wound-healing potential. The identified metabolite, cycloisolongifolene-8,9-dehydro-9-formyl, likely contributes to wound healing. The findings highlight the therapeutic potential of the plant extracts in wound management and warrant further investigation into the active principle/s involved in the mechanism.