Essential Oils of Zygophyllum coccineum L. Chemical Characterization, Antioxidant, Antibacterial and Cytotoxic Activity on Human Breast Adenocarcinoma (MCF-7)

Background: Zygophyllum coccineum L., a halophytic plant from the Zygophyllaceae family, has traditional medicinal uses. Its essential oil (EO) contains diverse bioactive compounds with potential therapeutic value. This study investigates the chemical composition of Z. coccineum EO and evaluates its antioxidant, antibacterial and cytotoxic activities. Methods: EO was extracted from the aerial parts of Z. coccineum via hydro-distillation and analyzed using GC-MS. Antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH and ABTS assays, while antibacterial effects were tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria using the agar diffusion method. Cytotoxicity was evaluated against MCF-7 breast cancer cells using the MTT assay. Result: GC-MS analysis identified 22 compounds in Z. coccineum EO, with palmitic acid (20.36%), 1-(2,3,6-trimethylphenyl)-2-butanone (15.62%) and (E)-3-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-1-en-1-yl) acrylaldehyde (11.47%) as major constituents. The EO exhibited significant antioxidant potency, with IC50 values of 19.96 µL/L (DPPH) and 16.70 µL/L (ABTS). It showed strong antibacterial activity, particularly against Salmonella typhimurium (20.88 mm inhibition zone). Additionally, the EO also demonstrated cytotoxic towards MCF-7 cells with an IC50 of 48.26 µg/mL while exhibiting minimal toxicity toward normal WI-38 cells. Conclusion, Z. coccineum EO has a satisfactory bioactive molecule reservoir with potent antioxidant, antibacterial and discriminative anticancer activities. The findings validate its potential pharmaceutical uses.