Chemical composition and anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit. essential oil: an ethnopharmacological study

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Hyptis suaveolensL. Poit. (Lamiaceae), is an invasive weed with aromatic properties, which is widespread in tropical regions of the world. Its traditional uses in folk medicine are recorded for treating inflammatory disorders, pain, fever, and infections. Essential oil of H. suaveolens from northern India remains chemically and pharmacologically underexplored.Aim of the studyThis investigation scientifically validates the ethnopharmacological claims of H. suaveolens for anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects by characterizing the essential oil from plants of Dehradun, Uttarakhand origin, via GC-MS and evaluating its in vitro and in vivo bioactivities alongside acute toxicity per standardized assays and guidelines.Materials and MethodsAerial parts of H. suaveolens from Aamwala Uparla, Dehradun, were shade dried and hydrodistilled to obtain its essential oil (HSEO) which was then examined for its physicochemical properties. The composition of the oil was determined by GC-MS. In vitro anti-inflammatory activity involved COX-II inhibition and HRBC membrane stabilization assays. In vivo studies used female Wistar rats for carrageenan-induced paw edema (50–200 mg/kg i.p.), acetic acid writhing, tail-flick latency, and histopathology.ResultsGC-MS identified 48 compounds (96.7% total), predominantly monoterpenoids (75.98%) with β-sabinene (19.86%), β-phellandrene (9.33%), α-phellandrene (7.94%), terpinen-4-ol (7.50%), β-pinene (5.40%), and β-caryophyllene (7.50%). HSEO showed dose-dependent COX-II inhibition (IC50: 0.798 ± 0.112 mg/mL) and HRBC stabilization (IC50: 731 ± 1.354 μg/mL), comparable to celecoxib/diclofenac. In vivo, 200 mg/kg achieved 93.64% edema inhibition at 5 h (carrageenan model), with histopathology confirming reduced edema/infiltration; writhing reduced by 92%, and tail-flick latency extended dose-dependently. No toxicity observed up to 2000 mg/kg.ConclusionFor the first time, the present paper reports the in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of the essential oil of H. suaveolens. These results substantiate traditional uses of H. suaveolens, highlighting HSEO's anti-inflammatory and analgesic potential, positioning it as a safe candidate for drug development. Additional research is needed to elucidate its mechanisms and explore commercialization in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical sectors.