Comparative Metabolic Profiling and Biological Evaluation of Essential Oils from Conocarpus Species: Antidiabetic, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Potential

Essential oils (EOs) are a diverse source of bioactive compounds with remarkable therapeutic potential. Despite their significance, <i>Conocarpus</i> EOs have been largely underexplored. This study provides a novel comparison of the metabolic profiles and biological activities of EOs from <i>C. lancifolius</i>, <i>C. erectus</i> green, and <i>C. erectus</i> silver leaves cultivated in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), offering unique insights into their distinct bioactive properties and potential therapeutic applications. EOs were extracted via hydro-distillation, analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and subjected to chemometric analysis. Their antioxidant (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assays), antidiabetic (α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition and antimicrobial activities were assessed. A total of 92 metabolites were identified, with heptacosane and nonacosane as key species discriminants. <i>C. lancifolius</i> EO showed the strongest α-amylase (IC₅₀ 8.75 ± 0.54 µg/mL) and α-glucosidase (IC₅₀ 22.31 ± 0.92 µg/mL) inhibitory activities, while <i>C. erectus</i> silver demonstrated superior antioxidant capacity (IC₅₀ 349.78 ± 8.26 µg/mL, DPPH assay). <i>C. lancifolius</i> EO exhibited the best antimicrobial activity, particularly against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MIC 625 µg/mL). <i>C. erectus</i> silver EO inhibited <i>E. coli</i> and <i>C. albicans</i> (MIC 625 µg/mL). In contrast, <i>C. erectus</i> EOs showed no activity against <i>Aspergillus niger</i>. These findings highlight the potential of <i>Conocarpus</i> EOs as antioxidants and for managing diabetes that may be utilized either in nutraceuticals, dietary supplements or even in pharmaceutical formulations. Moreover, owing to significant antimicrobial activities, the EOs may be added to medical disinfectants and several pharmaceutical products. However, further, in vivo validation and pharmaceutical exploration is still needed.