Genotoxic and cytotoxic potential of essential oils from plants of the Cerrado and southern Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Cancer represents a major public health concern, and the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants has been extensively studied as an alternative approach for its treatment. This study evaluated the genotoxic, cytotoxic properties, and selectivity of essential oils from native plants of the Brazilian Cerrado and Pantanal: Cymbopogon citratus, Endlicheria paniculata, Matayba guianensis, and Siparuna guianensis. These species, popular in traditional medicine, were tested for their ability to inhibit the growth of skin (B16-F10), breast (MCF-7), and brain (U251) cancer cells, to assess selective tumor toxicity. The essential oils were analyzed for their cytotoxicity, evaluating their capacity to inhibit cell growth in cancer and normal lines, such as murine fibroblasts (NIH/3T3) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Among the oils tested, Matayba guianensis exhibited significant activity against all cancer cell lines studied, while Siparuna. guianensis showed strong inhibitory action on brain cancer cells. Endlicheria paniculata displayed cytotoxicity in both tumor and normal cells, whereas Cymbopogon citratus was toxic only to normal cells. This profile was investigated to assess the oils' ability to preferentially target cancer cells, with Siparuna. guianensis notably displaying high selectivity for brain and breast cancer cells, suggesting safer potential use. Genotoxicity analysis indicated that Siparuna guianensis essential oil lacks mutagenic effects, suggesting an additional safety profile for therapeutic development. Based on these results, Matayba guianensis and Siparuna guianensis oils show promise as anticancer agents, demonstrating selective activity and potential for future therapeutic strategies aimed at cancer treatment.