The results of GC–MS analysis of the essential oil of C. paniculatus
seeds suggest that the oil is highly rich in antioxidant
constituents that possess free radical scavenging activities and
might be used for reducing oxidative stress. The major constituents
of the oil, namely, palmitic acid, phytol, and linalool, are known
to be natural antioxidants that have diverse roles in reducing free
radicals and alleviating oxidative stress. On evaluating the antioxidant
capacities and total phenolic content of the various extracts
of C. paniculatus, a positive correlation was observed between each
other, which suggests that the antioxidant activities of the medicinal
plant can be attributed to their phenolic compounds. Among
the three solvent extracts, chloroform extract was found to have the
best antioxidant potential and higher phenolic content, while the
aqueous extract was observed to have strong anti-inflammatory
activities. The overall study indicates that C. paniculatus is a potent
medicinal plant with its seeds being strongly rich in antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory properties. This suggests that the essential
oil of its seeds could have a possible role in targeting ageing and
oxidative stress related diseases and therefore could be used as a
potential source for new drug development for various disorders
caused by extreme oxidative stress.