Chemical profiling, cytotoxic and antioxidant activity of volatile oil isolated from the mint (Mentha spicata L.,) grown in Oman

• Published in: Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology Vol. 34; p. 102034
• Main Authors: Alsaraf, Shahad, Hadi, Zainab, Akhtar, Md Jawaid, Khan, Shah Alam
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2021
• Subjects: Antioxidant; Brine shrimp lethality test; Cytotoxic; DPPH; Mentha spicata; Brine shrimp lethality test; DPPH; Antioxidant; Cytotoxic; Mentha spicata
• ISSN: 1878-8181; 1878-8181
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bcab.2021.102034

The study aimed to characterize the volatile constituents of Mentha spicata L., grown in Oman, and to investigate in vitro cytotoxic and antioxidant activities of the volatile oil. The pale-yellow color essential oil (% yield 0.55% v/w) showed the presence of thirteen compounds representing 99.19% of the total constituents. d-Carvone (65.21%) and dl-limonene (27.28%) were identified as the major volatile chemical constituents. Mint oil exhibited promising antioxidant (IC50 = 26.64 μg/mL) and cytotoxic activity (LC50 = 245 μg/mL). CLC predicted d-carvone to be active against thyroid gland undifferentiated (anaplastic) carcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma, brain carcinoma, and lymphoblastic leukemia while dl-limonene could be effective against skin melanoma, breast adenocarcinoma in addition to the above carcinomas. Omani spearmint volatile oil exhibited promising cytotoxic and antioxidant activities. However, further detailed studies are warranted to develop mint oil as a natural antioxidant and to unlock its hidden cytotoxic potential. [Display omitted] •Chemical profiling of Omani Mentha spicata species was done by GC-MS analysis.•The GC-MS analysis of mentha volatile oil established it to be a carvone chemotype.•Mentha essential oil exhibited promising antioxidant and cytotoxic activities.•Computational studies revealed carvone and limonene to possess useful bioactivities including cytotoxicity.