The Evaluation of α-amyrin from Callistemon Citrinus: A Study on Distribution and Cytotoxic Properties

Callistemon citrinus is an aromatic herb, its lemon-scented leaves and bioactive potential propose that it could find a niche as a flavoring spice, intensely in herbal teas and natural medicine formulations. The C. citrinus from ITERA Botanical Gardens is reported to contain α-amyrin, a triterpene with promising bioactivity, prevalent in various segments of C. citrinus. The α-amyrin has cytotoxic properties, which are of interest in both medicinal and food science topics. This study objects to isolate and measure the α-amyrin content from various parts of C. citrinus. The α-amyrin exhibited high concentrations in n-hexane bark extract by 39.27 ± 0.774 ppm and showed moderate-weak activity against A549, MCF7, and HeLa, with IC50 values of 54.14 ± 1.41, 82.79 ± 0.86, 69.35 ± 2.37 µM respectively. This research intends to support the Botanical Garden’s greening campaign by investigating bioactive compounds against malignant human cancer cells. HIGHLIGHTS This research supports the Botanical Garden’s greening program by exploring bioactive compounds derived from reforested plants. The C. citrinus contains essential oils and terpenoids, commonly used in aromatherapy, holistic medicine, and culinary applications. Bioactive compounds are found in various parts of the C. citrinus plant, with the bark’s n-hexane extract exhibiting the highest content. The compound exhibits moderate to weak activity against A549, MCF7, and HeLa cancer cell lines. This research promotes the exploration of synergistic treatments using multiple bioactive compounds for cancer therapy. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT