Evaluation of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of the Anacyclus valentinus L. essential oil and its oxygenated fraction.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: Synthetic antioxidants and anti-inflammatories are widely used by the food and pharmaceutical industries. Like any synthetic product, these are toxic and represent a significant health risk. The objective of this study was to determine the chemical composition of Anacyclus valentinus essential oil and its oxygenated fraction, as well as their in-vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The essential oil was hydrodistilled using a Clevenger-type device and the oxygenated fraction was obtained by column chromatography using diethyl ether. The essential oil and its oxygenated fraction were analysed by GC and GC/MS. The antioxidant activities were performed using three different methods Radical scavenging activity (DPPH), ß-carotene bleaching test, and the Ferric-Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), using BHT as a positive control. The activity of anti-inflammatory of essential oil and its oxygenated fraction was assessed by the protein denaturation method using the diclofenac sodium as a positive control. RESULTS: The essential oil of Anacyclus valentinus was represented mainly by oxygenated sesquiterpene compounds (37.7%), hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes (14.7%), oxygenated monoterpenes (18.4%) and non-terpenic compounds (15.6%). The oxygenated fraction was composed mainly of oxygenated sesquiterpenes (40.6%), oxygenated monoterpenes (38.5%), and non-terpene compounds (19.4%). Essential oil and hydrosol extract showed antioxidant activity. The most potent activity was observed by the oxygenated fraction in the DPPH (IC50 = 8.2 mL/L) and ß-carotene bleaching (IC50 = 5.6 mL/L) tests. While the essential oil of A. valentinus showed very good anti-inflammatory activity with an IC50 of 0.3 g/L higher than that of diclofenac (IC50= 0.53 g/L). CONCLUSION: The results showed that the essential oil and the oxygenated fraction of A. valentinus are rich in sesquiterpene compounds and possess interesting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, other studies are necessary to be able to offer these extracts to the pharmaceutical and food industries.

A one-pot synthesis of 7-phenylindolo[3,2-a]carbazoles from indoles and ß-nitrostyrenes, via an unprecedented reaction sequence.

A six-step one-pot reaction was designed for synthesizing homodimeric 7-phenylindolo[3,2-a]carbazoles from 1H-indoles and ß-nitrostyrenes, in the presence of SnCl(2)·2H(2)O. The reactions proceeded under very mild conditions and the desired heterocycles were obtained in moderate to good yields. An unprecedented mechanism involving sequential indole dimerization, regioselective nucleophilic conjugate addition of the resulting 2,3'-biindole to ß-nitrostyrene and formal intramolecular [4 + 2]-cycloaddition is proposed.