Chemical Characterization and Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition Potential of Volatile Components of Aerial Parts of Pluchea lanceolata (DC.) Oliv. & Hiern

Pluchea lanceolata (DC.) Oliv. & Hiern (Rasana) is an important medicinal plant due to its usage in number of Ayurvedic formulations. First time, chemical composition of essential oil from the aerial part of P. lanceolata was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and NMR spectroscopy. Ex-vivo cholinesterase inhibitory activity of the essential oil was also evaluated using mouse brain homogenate. The major components were linalool (32.2%), β-caryophyllene (8.5%), α-terpineol (8.0%), spathulenol (7.4%), linalylacetate (5.6%), naphthalene, 1,6-dimethyl-4-(1-methylethyl)- (4.3%), α-copaene (3.6%), epi-cubebol (3.6%) and trans-α-bergamontene (3.1%). The experimental results showed that hydrodistilate of P. lanceolata significantly inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity (IC 50 value 2.54 ± 0.03 µg/mL).