The essential oils of leaves and stems of Rhodostemonodaphne parvifolia collected in the Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Thirteen components were identified in the leaf oil, of which ß-caryophyllene was the major (41.30%). Fifty components were identified in the stem oil, among them the sesquiterpenes ß-caryophyllene (16.20%) and epi-cedrol (13.30%), together with the monoterpene linalool (15.40%). The essential oils were analyzed at chemical, DPPH free radical scavenging; and enzymatic bioassays, acetylcholinesterase inhibition. At antioxidant DPPH assays, the oils showed to be active at the qualitative assay but only weakly active at quantitative test (inactive at concentration lower than 1,000 µg/mL). The inhibition of acetylcholinesterase was detected only in leaves essential oils. This paper describes for the first time the composition of these essential oils and their biological activities.
Rhodostemonodaphne parvifolia; essential oil; antioxidant; anticholinesterase
