Camellia cattienensis: propiedades fitoquímicas y biológicas del extracto de hojas

Camellia consists of many plants of high economic importance that are used in different fields, especially in the food industry. Camellia cattienensis is a rare species and is native to Vietnam. Studies on the phytochemical and biological properties of this species have been unknown so far. In this study, the chemical components of the acetone extract from C. cattienensis leaves and its fractions, including n-hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate, were investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry assay. Accordingly, 2-pentanone, 4-hydroxy-4-methyl- was the most abundant compound in the acetone extract and the ethyl acetate fraction, while phenol, 2,4-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-, phosphite (3:1) and hexanedioic acid, bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester are the richest components in the chloroform and n-hexane fractions, respectively. Furthermore, the acetone extract was active against four tested bacteria, including Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus BAA750. The acetone extract of the C. cattienensis leaves also possessed DPPH, and ABTS free radical scavenging with the IC50 values of 91.63±1.88 and 13.32±0.49 μL, respectively. The outcomes of this study hold promise for potential applications of C. cattienensis leaves in food product development, especially in the future beverage industry.