The chemical composition of the oleoresin from Daniellia oliveri (Rolfe) Hutch. & Dalz. of the family Caesalpiniaceae was determined using GC-FID/GC-MS and its potentials as antioxidant and cytotoxity evaluated for the first time. The GC-MS analysis revealed the major constituents of the resin as volatile diterpenoids. The major compounds include δ-cadinene (42.92%), copaene (11.36%), cis-muurola-4(14),5- diene (9.56%), polyalthic acid (4.6%), β-calacorene (4.37%), 2(5H)-Furanone-5-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)-4- methyl- (4.35%) and aromadendrene (4.14%). A significant antioxidant activity (IC50= 15.49 ± 0.39 mg/mL) and low cytotoxicity (IC50 > 30 μg/mL) on prostate cancer cell line was obtained for the oleoresin. The low cytotoxicity and moderate antioxidant potential of the oleoresin from D. oliveri is an indication of possible application in related in vivo studies for future therapeutic applications. The major compounds being sesquiterpenes could be used as a biomarker for the chemotaxonomical characteriza-tion of the species.
Keywords: Cadinene, Copaene, Daniellia oliveri, Diterpenoids, Cytotoxicity, Antioxidant