Unveiling the chemical composition and enzyme inhibitory activities of cratoxylum cochinchinense (Lour.) Blume (Hypericaceae) essential oil from Malaysia

Cratoxylum cochinchinense (Lour.) Blume, a member of the Hypericaceae family, is a lesser-studied tropical plant traditionally used in Southeast Asian ethnomedicine. Despite its known traditional applications, scientific evidence on the chemical and pharmacological properties of its essential oil remains scarce. This study presents the first analysis of the essential oil derived from the leaves of C. cochinchinense collected in Malaysia, focusing on its chemical composition and enzyme inhibitory activities. The essential oil was extracted via hydrodistillation and subsequently analyzed using gas chromatography (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques. A total of 41 volatile components were identified, representing 98.8% of the total oil content. The predominant components detected in the essential oil were β-caryophyllene (28.5%), α-humulene (10.2%), germacrene D (9.8%), guaiol (5.8%), and globulol (5.2%). To explore its therapeutic potential, the essential oil was evaluated for its inhibitory effects on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and lipoxygenase (LOX) enzymes. The AChE inhibitory activity was measured using the Ellman method, showing a moderate inhibition percentage of 72.8%, while LOX inhibition was recorded at 74.5%, indicating promising anti-inflammatory potential. These findings suggest that the essential oil of C. cochinchinense could be a useful natural source for developing anti-inflammatory and related neurodegenerative therapeutics