Abstract

ANTICANCER, ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF THE ESSENTIAL OILS OF SOME AROMATIC MEDICINAL PLANTS (PULICARIA WIGHTIANA-ASTERACEAE)

S. Haseena Bhanu* and K. Thyagaraju

ABSTRACT

To determine the anticancer, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Pulicaria wightiana essential oil (PwEO). Methods: 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol- 2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) was used to assess cytotoxic activity. Steam distillation of the aerial parts of P. wightiana was performed using a Clevenger apparatus. Antioxidant activities were determined by using 2, 2-diphenyl-1,1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Disc diffusion and microtiter broth microdilution assays were employed to determine antimicrobial activity. Results: PwEO inhibited six tested strains of Listeria with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 5.49 ìg/mL against L. monocytogenes, L. innocua, and L. ivanovii; 6.24 ìg/mL against L. welshimeri, and L. grayi; and 11.55 ìg/mL against L. seeligeri. PwEO also possessed more efficient free radical scavenging activities than butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). PwEO possessed significant anticancer properties, indicated by growth inhibition and changes in the morphological structure of MCF-7 cancer cells treated with PwEO.

Keywords: Pulicaria wightiana, essential oil, MCF-7, antimicrobial, antioxidant activity.