Exploring the Phytochemical Composition with AntiInflammatory, Antiproliferative, Antityrosinase and Antioxidant Activities of <i>Globba racemosa</i> Sm. Essential Oil: An Underexplored Medicinal Plant

The study investigates the phytochemical composition and biological activities of essential oil extracted from the rhizomes of Globba racemosa Sm., an underexplored aromatic medicinal herb from the Zingiberaceae family, collected in North Eastern India. Using GC─MS analysis, 42 volatile constituents were identified, representing 91.14% of the total oil, with major compounds including palmitic acid (13.24%), manool (10.4%), β-caryophyllene (6.61%), sabinene (6.53%), linoleic acid (6.4%), β-pinene (5.84%) and phytol (4.91%). The essential oil exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages at 100 µg/mL, remarkably reducing the levels of nitric oxide, prostaglandins and pro-inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β). It also demonstrated potent antiproliferative activity against MCF7 (82.16 µg/mL), PC3 (115.45 µg/mL) and HepG2 (158.25 µg/mL) cancer cell lines. 3T3-L1 non-malignant cells were used to test the non-toxic effectiveness of the essential oil, showing no toxicity, with an IC₅₀ value of 758.42 µg/mL. The essential oil showed moderate anti-tyrosinase activity (189.12 µg/mL) compared to kojic acid (91.14 µg/mL) and substantial antioxidant activity in DPPH (64.97 µg/mL) and ABTS (34.28 µg/mL) assays relative to ascorbic acid and BHT standards. These findings highlight the potential of G. racemosa essential oil as a promising therapeutic agent for inflammatory, proliferative and oxidative stress-related disorders.