Oldenlandia diffusa(Willd.) Roxb. Essential Oil from Assam, India: GC-MS Analysis and Anticancer Activity

In this study essential oil from Oldenlandia diffusa (aerial parts) was extracted using hydrodistillation method. Characterization of the essential oil was done by using GC-MS analysis and identified 71 compounds. Pentacosane (13.29%), hexacosane (11.59%), tetracosane (11.18%), heptacosane (9.76%),tricosane (6.90%), phytol (5.71%), hexatriacontane (4.87%) and isophytol (4.69%) were the major compounds constituting the oil. Further, cytotoxicity of the extracted oil was observed against PA1 (Ovarian), MIAPaCa-2 (Pancreatic), A549 (Lung), MCF7 (Breast), HeLa (Cervical), HepG2 (Liver), PC-3 (Prostatic), MDA-MB-231 (Breast) cell lines. The oil exhibited dose and time dependent inhibition effects against the cancer cell lines. Best inhibition activity was observed against PA1, HeLa and PC-3 cancer cell lines. The IC50 values ranged from 24.19±0.837 - 3.12±0.126 µg/mL in PA1 cells, 51.87±3.104 - 28.95±0.76 µg/mL in HeLa cells and 52.92±1.233 - 14.62±0.465 µg/mL in PC-3 cells at 24, 48 and 72h. From the experiments, it was clear that essential oil of Oldenlandia diffusa should be further explored as an anticancer agent for developing medicinal drug.