Phytochemical Composition, Biological Activities of Croton lobatus L. Leaves, Hydrolysis Effect on Activities and Chemical Composition

Croton lobatus L. is medicinal plant widely used in traditional medicine, but little known in literature for its biological properties. Aims were to study its phytochemical composition and some biological properties and influence of acid hydrolysis on biological activities and chemical composition of Croton lobatus L. extracts. Successive extractions with solvents of increasing polarity (cyclohexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol) were carried out on powder of Croton lobatus L. leaves. Evaluation of xanthine oxidase, acetylcholinesterase, 5-lipoxygenase and α-amylase inhibitions, antioxidant activity was performed. Acid hydrolysis effect was evaluated by comparison of chemical composition and xanthine oxidase, α-amylase inhibition activities of hydrolyzed and unhydrolyzed extracts. Results showed that at 50 mg/L Croton lobatus L. has very small antioxidant activity (3.4 - 4.9%), small inhibitory activity of 5-lipoxygenase (6.3-6.9%), inhibitory activity of acetylcholinesterase between (2.7 - 31.3%), moderate inhibitory activity of α-amylase (52.8 - 64.3%), moderate inhibitory activity of xanthine oxidase (22.2 - 62.6%). Croton lobatus L. could be used in diabetes and gout treatments, given results of α-amylase inhibition and xanthine oxidase. Acid hydrolysis has negative effect on process of xanthine oxidase inhibition and on chemical composition.