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Chemical Profiling, Anti-Tick and Antimicrobial Activities of Cedrus deodara (Roxb.) G. Don Oil Extracted Using
Ram Prasad Baral1,2,3, Kusum Shrestha2,4, Rameshwar Adhikari1,2
1Central Department of Chemistry, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, 44618, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Introduction:
Bio-insecticides are becoming increasingly important due to the toxicity of many synthetic insecticides. The tar (Diyar oil) of the plant Cedrus deodara, extracted by the traditional Chula method, is used by local people in Karnali, Nepal, to repel ticks and fleas on cattle. This study aims to perform chemical profiling and assess the anti-tick potential of Cedrus deodara.
Methods:
The tar, which is also called Diyar Oil (DO), was extracted using the traditional Chula method, and the Essential Oil (EO) of Cedrus deodara was obtained by hydrodistillation. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to identify the chemical compounds in DO and EO. The anti-tick, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities were performed using the contact method, agar-well diffusion method, and DPPH assay.
Results:
The GC-MS analysis showed the presence of atlantone (25.81%) and β-himachalene (12.06%) in Deodara Oil (DO), and the Essential Oil was dominated by β-himachalene (21.95%) and trans-, α-atlantone (15.02%). DO (2500 ppm) and EO (2500 ppm) eradicated full ticks by 4 h, outperforming the standard drug Flumethrin. Both DO and EO were found to be effective against Escherichia coli. Both DO and EO were found to be DPPH radical scavengers with IC50 values of 0.248 ± 0.0042 μg/mL for DO and 0.148 ± 0.0042 μg/mL, respectively.
Discussion:
Both DO and EO at 2500 ppm show potent anti-tick activity, and atlatone and β-himachalene are the major compounds in both DO and EO.
Conclusion:
The oil of Cedrus deodara may be a potential natural anti-tick agent.
