GC/MS Analysis of Essential Oil and Enzyme Inhibitory Activities of Syzygium cumini (Pamposia) Grown in Egypt: Chemical Characterization and Molecular Docking Studies

Abstract

<i>Syzygium cumini</i> (Pomposia) is a well-known aromatic plant belonging to the family Myrtaceae, and has been reported for its various traditional and pharmacological potentials, such as its antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antidiarrheal properties. The chemical composition of the leaf essential oil via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis revealed the identification of fifty-three compounds representing about 91.22% of the total oil. The identified oil was predominated by <i>α</i>-pinene (21.09%), followed by <i>β</i>-(E)-ocimene (11.80%), D-limonene (8.08%), <i>β</i>-pinene (7.33%), and <i>α</i>-terpineol (5.38%). The tested oil revealed a moderate cytotoxic effect against human liver cancer cells (HepG2) with an IC₅₀ value of 38.15 ± 2.09 µg/mL. In addition, it effectively inhibited acetylcholinesterase with an IC₅₀ value of 32.9 ± 2.1 µg/mL. Furthermore, it showed inhibitory properties against α-amylase and α-glucosidase with IC₅₀ values of 57.80 ± 3.30 and 274.03 ± 12.37 µg/mL, respectively. The molecular docking studies revealed that (<i>E</i>)-<i>β</i>-caryophyllene, one of the major compounds, achieved the best docking scores of -6.75, -5.61, and -7.75 for acetylcholinesterase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase, respectively. Thus, it is concluded that <i>S. cumini</i> oil should be considered as a food supplement for the elderly to enhance memory performance and for diabetic patients to control blood glucose.