Chemical Composition, Mosquito Larvicidal and Antimicrobial Activities, and Molecular Docking Study of Essential Oils of Cinnamomum melastomaceum, Neolitsea buisanensis and Uvaria microcarpa from Vietnam

Abstract

The leaf oil compositions of two Lauraceae and one Annonaceae plants cultivated in Vietnam were analysed by GC/MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) analysis. The leaf oil of the first Lauraceae plant Cinnamomum melastomaceum contained 34 identified compounds, in which benzyl benzoate (38.5 %), linalool (19.9 %), (E)-caryophyllene (10.5 %), and α-terpineol (6.9 %) were the major compounds. The leaves of the second Lauraceae plant Neolitsea buisanensis gave an oil with the main compounds (E)-β-ocimene (24.0 %), benzyl benzoate (15.8 %), bicyclogermacrene (14.9 %), and (E)-caryophyllene (6.3 %). The leaf oil of the Annonaceae plant Uvaria microcarpa consisted of the principal compounds (E)-caryophyllene (18.0 %), bicyclogermacrene (8.1 %), and δ-elemene (6.1 %). Two Lauraceae oil samples exhibited strong mosquito larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti, Ae. albopictus, and Culex quinquefasciatus with LC₅₀ and LD₉₀ values of less than 50 μg/mL. The Annonaceae oil sample showed strong antimicrobial activity against the fungus Aspergillus niger ATCC 1015 with the MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) value of 32 μg/mL. In the docking approach, the major compounds (E)-caryophyllene, bicyclogermacrene, and benzyl benzoate interacted with the mosquito odorant-binding protein 3OGN, whereas (E)-caryophyllene, bicyclogermacrene, and δ-elemene also potentially interacted with the 4ZA5 protein of fungus A. niger.

Keywords: Cinnamomum melastomaceum; Neolitsea buisanensis; Uvaria microcarpa; essential oil; mosquito larvicidal.