Antioxidant Activity and Phytochemical Profiling of Steam-Distilled Oil of Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum): Therapeutic Targeting Against Glaucoma, Oxidative Stress, Cholinergic Imbalance, and Diabetes

Molecules. 2025 Aug 14;30(16):3384. doi: 10.3390/molecules30163384.

Abstract

This investigation explored the chemical constituents and biological activities of the steam-distilled oil of L. usitatissimum (SDOLU), employing sophisticated techniques including LC-HRMS, GC-MS, and GC-FID. The analysis identified a diverse array of 17 phenolic compounds, with linoleoyl chloride (64.05%) and linoleic acid (10.39%) as the major fatty acid components. The SDOLU demonstrated remarkable antioxidant capacity, effectively neutralizing free radicals in both DPPH (IC50: 19.80 μg/mL) and ABTS•+ (IC50: 57.75 μg/mL) scavenging assays, alongside robust electron-donating activity in reducing ability tests. Moreover, the SDOLU showed significant inhibition of key enzymes implicated in metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders, including α-amylase (IC50: 531.44 μg/mL), acetylcholinesterase (IC50: 13.23 μg/mL), and carbonic anhydrase II (IC50: 281.02 μg/mL). Collectively, these results highlight the SDOLU as a valuable natural source of multifunctional bioactivities with potential applications in combating oxidative stress and enzyme-related global diseases. Further studies are warranted to validate its therapeutic efficacy and expand its industrial utilization.

Keywords: GC/MS; LC-HRMS; Linum usitatissimum; metabolic disorders; radical scavenging.

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholinesterase
  • Antioxidants* / chemistry
  • Antioxidants* / pharmacology
  • Diabetes Mellitus* / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Linseed Oil* / chemistry
  • Linseed Oil* / pharmacology
  • Oxidative Stress* / drug effects
  • Phenols / chemistry
  • Phytochemicals* / chemistry
  • Phytochemicals* / pharmacology
  • Plant Oils* / chemistry
  • Plant Oils* / pharmacology
  • Steam

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Phytochemicals
  • Linseed Oil
  • Plant Oils
  • Steam
  • Phenols
  • Acetylcholinesterase