CHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS AND CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITY OF ESSENTIAL OILS EXTRACTED FROM HEDYCHIUM CORONARIUM J.KOENIG GROWN IN VIETNAM

Hedychium coronarium, commonly known as white ginger lily (Zingiberaceae), is a native species in Asian forests. The plant has long been used as a traditional medicine for treating pain and inflammatory conditions and as a food-flavouring spice. In this work, the essential oil samples prepared from Hedychium coronarium leaves, rhizomes, and stems were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with the mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method, which gave information on the main chemical components of leaf essential oil [β-pinene (27.90%), caryophyllene (23.93%), caryophyllene oxide (17.31%)], rhizome essential oil [β-pinene (29.56%), sabinene (12.05%), coronarin E (10.91%), p-cymene (10.39%), and α- pinene (10.06%)], and stem essential oil [α-phellandrene (18.71%), p-cymene (12.68%), β-pinene (12.18%)]. Three essential oils were also evaluated for their cytotoxic effects against SK-LU-1 cells (lung adenocarcinoma). The leaf essential oil was shown to be the most potent cytotoxic agent with an IC50 value of 80.19 ± 3.32 μg/mL. The cytotoxic activity against SK-LU-1 cells of the essential oils of Hedychium coronarium was reported for the first time. The results of this investigation indicated the similarities and differences among the chemical compositions of leaf, rhizome, and stem parts of Hedychium coronarium collected in Vietnam, which can be considered a potential and inexpensive resource of zingiberaceous essential oils. Keywords: Hedychium coronarium; essential oil; GC/MS; SK-LU-1