Chemical composition and free radical-scavenging, anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities of the essential oil from Ocimum kilimandscharicum

• Published in: Phytomedicine (Stuttgart) Vol. 21; no. 11; pp. 1298 - 1302
• Main Authors: de Lima, V.T., Vieira, M.C., Kassuya, C.A.L., Cardoso, C.A.L., Alves, J.M., Foglio, M.A., de Carvalho, J.E., Formagio, A.S.N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Elsevier GmbH 25.09.2014; Urban & Fischer Verlag
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-inflammation; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Anti-inflammatory drugs; Anticancer; Antimitotic agents; Antineoplastic agents; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - pharmacology; Antioxidant activity; Basil; Camphor - chemistry; Camphor - pharmacology; Cell Line, Tumor; CG–MS; Chemical properties; Cyclohexanols - chemistry; Cyclohexanols - pharmacology; Cyclohexenes - chemistry; Cyclohexenes - pharmacology; Essences and essential oils; Female; Free Radical Scavengers - pharmacology; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Health aspects; Humans; Lamiaceae; Materia medica, Vegetable; Mice; Monoterpenes - chemistry; Monoterpenes - pharmacology; Ocimum - chemistry; Ocimum kilimandscharicum; Oils, Volatile - chemistry; Oils, Volatile - pharmacology; Pharmacognosy; Pharmacology, Experimental; Plant extracts; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Plant Oils - chemistry; Plant Oils - pharmacology; Terpenes - chemistry; Terpenes - pharmacology; Lamiaceae; Ocimum kilimandscharicum; Anticancer; CG–MS; Antioxidant activity; Anti-inflammation
• ISSN: 0944-7113; 1618-095X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2014.07.004

The essential oil from the leaves of Ocimum kilimandscharicum (EOOK), collected in Dourados-MS, was investigated for anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity and chemical composition. The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation, and the chemical composition was performed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The essential oil was evaluated for free radical-scavenging activity using the DPPH assay and was tested in an anticancer assay against ten human cancer cell lines. The response parameter (GI50) was calculated for the cell lines tested. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using carrageenan-induced pleurisy in mice. The chemical composition showed 45 components with a predominance of monoterpenes, such as camphor (51.81%), 1,8 cineole (20.13%) and limonene (11.23%). The EOOK exhibited potent free radical-scavenging activity by the DPPH assay with a GI50 of 8.31μg/ml. The major constituents, pure camphor (IC50=12.56μg/ml) and mixture of the limonene: 1, 8 cineole (IC50=23.25μg/ml) displayed a potent activity. The oral administration of EOOK (at 30 and 100mgkg−1), as well as the pure camphor or a mixture of 1,8 cineole with limonene, significantly inhibited the carrageenan (Cg) induced pleurisy, reducing the migration of total leukocytes in mice by 82±4% (30mgkg−1 of EOOK), 95±4% (100mgkg−1 of EOOK), 83±9% (camphor) and 80±5% (mixture of 1,8 cineole:limonene 1:1). In vitro cytotoxicity screening against a human ovarian cancer cell line displayed high selectivity and potent anticancer activity with GI50=31.90mgml−1. This work describes the anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antioxidant effects of EOOK for the first time. The essential oil exhibited marked anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer effects, an effect that can be attributed the presence of majorital compounds, and the response profiles from chemical composition differed from other oils collected in different locales.