Abstract

This study was designed to explore the in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activities ofCamptotheca acuminate D. seed oil, which were extracted by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) or petroleum ether extraction methods. The major constituent of the oil were described as (Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-Octadecatrien-1-ol (54.92%) and 2-[(trimethylsilyl)oxy]-3-[4-[(trimethylsilyl)oxy]phenyl]-trimethylsilyl ester (26.53%) in supercritical fluid and petroleum ether extracts. The oil and the components were subjected to screen for their possible antioxidant activity by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and β-carotene bleaching test. In the DPPH test system, free radical scavenging activities of supercritical fluid extracts and petroleum ether extracts were determined to be 7.55 ± 0.11% and 4.38 ± 0.08% (v/v), respectively. As to the β-carotene bleaching test system, the two values were 15.93 ± 0.11% and 6.87 ± 0.15% (v/v), respectively. The activities of antioxidant and antibacterial in components of petroleum ether were more efficient than in components of supercritical fluid extraction. As to the antimicrobial activities of the essential oil against 8 species bacterium, C. acuminate D. seed oil had remarkable antibacterial activity, especially to staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538). Thus, C. acuminate D. seed oil could be judged as a kind of patent drug which has antioxidant and antibacterial activity effectively.

Key words: Camptotheca acuminate D. seed oil, antioxidant activities, antibacterial activities.