Metabolite profiling and bioactivity of Pogostemon cablin L. from North Konawe: GC-MS analysis, anti-inflammatory, and antinociceptive mechanisms via COX-2/cytokine inhibition

Abstract

Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. is a medicinal plant traditionally used to treat inflammation and pain. However, the phytochemical profile and pharmacological mechanisms of plants cultivated in North Konawe, Indonesia, are not well characterized. This study aimed to analyze the chemical constituents of its ethanolic extract using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and to evaluate its anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects through in vivo models. GC-MS analysis revealed 18 volatile compounds, with patchouli alcohol as the major component, followed by α-guaiene, seychellene, intermedeol, and β-caryophyllene derivatives. The extract was tested in xylene-induced ear edema and formalin-induced nociceptive models in mice. Oral administration of the extract at doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg significantly reduced ear edema thickness and pain responses in a dose-dependent manner. In the nociceptive model, the extract also suppressed systemic inflammatory responses, as indicated by reduced plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6, and cyclooxygenase-2 expression. These findings demonstrate that P. cablin exerts anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects, likely through inhibition of peripheral inflammatory mediators. The study highlights the therapeutic potential of P. cablin from North Konawe as a promising source of natural agents for inflammatory pain management.