Planta Med 2014; 80 - PD118
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1382539

GC-MS analysis, anti-inflammatory and anti-seizure effects of n-octanoic acid from special breed palm kernel nut oil

SA Alaribe Chinwe 1, C Anyakora 1, D Ota 2, M De Waard 3 , HAB Coker 1
  • 1Dept of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
  • 2Dept of Physiology, College of Medicine, LUTH, University of Lagos, Nigeria
  • 3 Institute de Neuro Science de Grenoble, France

Palm kernel nut extract (PKNE) of a rare breed of African oil palm – elaeis guineensis, was analyzed using GCMS to determine its chemical composition. Also its anti-inflammatory and anti-seizure properties were determined using animal model. Hot plate and mouse writhing reflex methods were used for anti-inflammatory studies while for anti-seizure studies, strychnine sulphate, (C21H22O2N2)2. H2SO4.5 H2O was used to induce seizure in rats before treatment with PKNE (0.25 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg 1 mg/kg) and octanoic acid (0.25 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg) through intramuscular (IM) mode of drug administration. Epilim was used as reference standard for anti-seizure assay. For anti-inflammatory assay, PKNE (0.5 mg/kg and 0.25 mg/kg) and Morphine (10 mg/kg) were used as test drug and reference standard respectively. The major component identified in the extract include: Dodecanoic acid,2,3-dihydroxypropyl ester (19.36%), n-Hexadecanoic acid (15.49%), Dodecanoic acid (12.51%), Myristic acid (6.47%), Dodecanedioic acid (3.93%), n-Acetylpyrrolidone (3.67%), Octanoic acid (3.19%), n-Decanoic acid (2.69%), Naphthalene,1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-methoxy (2.93%), 1,3-O-Benzylidene glyceryl-2-myristate 2.59%), 15-Hydroxypentadecanoic acid (1.03%), cis vaccenic acid,(0.34%) and L-Homoserine, N,O-dimethyl, methylester (0.80%).The anti-seizure assay results showed that all doses of PKNE used showed good anti-seizure activities by significantly (p < 0.02) delaying the on-set of seizure from time of induction (zero min) to time of first seizure observed. For octanoic acid, there were significant anti-seizure activities in a dose dependent manner as no mortality was recorded and it was comparable to the reference standard used. In the hot plate and mouse writhing reflex models, PKNE exhibited good level of anti-inflammatory activities by significantly (p < 0.01) increasing the pain reaction time (PRT) from zero min to 30 mins in a dose dependent manner comparable to the reference standard used.