Photoprotective Agents Obtained from Aromatic Plants Grown in Colombia: Total Phenolic Content, Antioxidant Activity, and Assessment of Cytotoxic Potential in Cancer Cell Lines of ICymbopogon flexuosus/I L. and ITagetes lucida/I Cav. Essential Oils

• Published in: Plants (Basel) Vol. 11; no. 13
• Main Authors: Caballero-Gallardo, Karina, Quintero-Rincón, Patricia, Stashenko, Elena E, Olivero-Verbel, Jesus
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 01.06.2022
• Subjects: Antioxidants; Aromatic plants; Composition; Essences and essential oils; Phenols; Colombia
• ISSN: 2223-7747; 2223-7747
• DOI: 10.3390/plants11131693

Photoprotective agents obtained from plants provide benefits for the health of the skin. The present study aims to assess the total phenolic content (TPC) and in vitro UV-protective properties of twelve essential oils (EOs) from plants grown in Colombia and to evaluate the antioxidant and cytotoxic potential of two species identified as photoprotective potentials: Cymbopogon flexuosus and Tagetes lucida. The composition of EOs was studied by GC/MS. The cytotoxicity of both EOs was examined using an MTT assay, and an H[sub.2]-DCFDA probe was employed to estimate the intracellular production of ROS in HepG2 and Calu-1 cells. Major constituents (≥10%) were neral, geranial, geranyl acetate in C. flexuosus and estragole in T. lucida. The TPC for C. flexuosus and T. lucida EOs were ≥10 mg GAE/g of byproduct. Both EOs showed photoprotective properties (SPF[sub.in vitro]: 13–14), and long-wavelength UVA protection (λc > 370 nm). HepG2 and Calu-1 cells exposed to C. flexuosus exhibited antiproliferative activity (˂50%) at 125 µg/mL, while T. lucida was at 250 and 500 µg/mL. The IC[sub.50] values for C. flexuosus were 75 and 100 µg/mL in HepG2 and Calu-1 cells, respectively, whereas those for T. lucida were >250 µg/mL. These EOs achieved significant inhibitory effects (between 15.6 and 40.4%) against H[sub.2]O[sub.2]-induced oxidative stress. The results showed that EO compounds recognized as antioxidants could counteract the effects elicited by H[sub.2]O[sub.2].