Chemical composition, anticholinesterase activity and cytotoxicity of the essential oil of <i>Luvunga scandens</i> (Roxb.) Wight from Malaysia

<i>Luvunga scandens</i> (Roxb.) Wight is identified as one of the vital folk medicinal plants in Malaysia. Despite its traditional use, the essential oil composition and bioactivities of <i>L. scandens</i> remain largely unexplored. This study investigates the essential oil composition, anticholinesterase activity, and cytotoxicity of <i>L. scandens</i> leaves. After the essential oil was extracted using hydrodistillation, GC-FID and GC-MS were used for analysis, identifying 35 components, representing 93.8 % of the total oil. The major components included germacrene D (17.8 %), <i>γ</i>-elemene (15.6 %), <i>β</i>-gurjunene (10.8 %), <i>α</i>-cadinol (5.3 %), <i>α</i>-humulene (4.9 %), and alloaromadendrene (4.5 %). With IC₅₀ values of 78.5 and 95.2 μg/mL, the essential oil showed moderate inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The cytotoxicity was evaluated using an MTT assay. The essential oil exhibited cytotoxicity against three cancer cell lines; HepG2, MCF7, and A549 with IC₅₀ values of 70.2, 52.8, and 65.5 μg/mL, respectively. These findings provide new insights into the potential therapeutic applications of <i>L. scandens</i> essential oil, particularly in neurodegenerative diseases and cancer therapy.