Chemical study and antimalarial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities of Melaleuca armillaris (Sol Ex Gateau) Sm essential oil

J Med Food. 2011 Nov;14(11):1383-8. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2010.0168. Epub 2011 Apr 10.

Abstract

This study investigated the chemical composition (by using gas chromatography/flame ionization detection and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, an antioxidant [1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl] [DPPH] radical-scavenging assay, and a 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate [ABTS] radical cation-scavenging assay) and the antimalarial and cytotoxic activities of essential oil extracted from leaves of Melaleuca armillaris. Thirty-two components representing more than 98% of the total composition of the essential oil were identified. The main components were 1,8-cineole (85.8%), camphene (5.05%), and α-pinene (1.95%). The antioxidant activity by ABTS assay showed a mean (± standard deviation) 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) value of 247.3 ± 3.9 mg/L, and the DPPH assay yielded an IC(50) value of 2183.6 ± 44.3 mg/L. The antimalarial study indicated that the essential oil had mild activity against the chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum FcB1 strain (IC(50), 27 ± 2 mg/L). The cytotoxic activity of this essential oil was tested against MCF7 human breast cancer cells and was found to be high (IC(50), 12 ± 1 mg/L).

MeSH terms

  • Antimalarials / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology*
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Benzothiazoles / analysis
  • Bicyclic Monoterpenes
  • Biphenyl Compounds / analysis
  • Chromatography, Gas / methods
  • Cyclohexanols / analysis
  • Eucalyptol
  • Flame Ionization / methods
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / methods
  • Melaleuca / chemistry*
  • Monoterpenes / analysis
  • Oils, Volatile / pharmacology*
  • Picrates / analysis
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Sulfonic Acids / analysis
  • Terpenes / analysis

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Antioxidants
  • Benzothiazoles
  • Bicyclic Monoterpenes
  • Biphenyl Compounds
  • Cyclohexanols
  • Monoterpenes
  • Oils, Volatile
  • Picrates
  • Plant Extracts
  • Sulfonic Acids
  • Terpenes
  • 2,2'-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid
  • 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl
  • camphene
  • alpha-pinene
  • Eucalyptol