Natural products with anticonvulsant potentials from Syzygium aromaticum (Myrtaceae)

Chemical investigation of the methanol crude extract of dried flower buds ofSyzygium aromaticum(Myrtaceae) resulted in the isolation of seven known compounds; oleanolic acid (1), lignoceric acid (2), β-sitosterol (3), heneicosanoic acid (4), 5-hydroxy-7-methoxy-2-methylchromone (5), 5-hydroxy-7-methoxy-2,8-dimethylchromone (6) and vanillin (7). Their structures were elucidated using one-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and comparison with literature data. The crude extract, and compounds 1-6, revealed significant anticonvulsant activities against seizures induced by picrotoxin, pentylenetetrazole and bicuculline, respectively in mice. Compound3produced 100% protection, compound2,and5;on the other hand,each offered 83.33%, while the lowest protection came from compounds1,4,and6(16.66 – 50 00 %). This is the first report on the anticonvulsant activity of these isolated compounds, and the first report on the isolation of compounds2,4,5,6,and 7 fromSyzygium aromaticum.