First Insights into the Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Colliguaja odorifera Molina Leaf Extracts and Their Isolated Phenolic Compounds

Abstract

Despite the ethnobotanical significance of Chilean Colliguaja species, research on their biological activities and phytochemical composition remains limited. Among these species, Colliguaja odorifera Molina (Euphorbiaceae), traditionally used in folk medicine to alleviate toothaches, stands out for its potential for medicinal applications. This study aims to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of the C. odorifera leaf extracts and their secondary metabolites isolated from the most active extract. A hydroalcoholic extract of C. odorifera leaves was prepared, and subsequently ethyl acetate (EA-E), n-butanol (B-E), and water (W-E) extracts were obtained by liquid–liquid partition. The extracts were first evaluated for their ability to inhibit lipoxygenase, and the most active extract was subsequently tested for hyaluronidase (HA) and secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA₂). The most active extract was EA-E, with IC₅₀ values of 11.75, 31.09, and 6.60 µg/mL for anti-LOX activity, hyaluronidase, and sPLA₂, respectively. This extract was analyzed by chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, allowing the identification, for the first time, of shikimic acid, gallic acid, methyl gallate, ethyl gallate, and a putative galloyl-luteolin. These results suggest that C. odorifera is a promising candidate for the development of natural alternatives to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.