In Vitro Cytobiochemical Potentials and Protective Effects of Bioactive Phytochemicals from Artemisia Turanica

Abstract

The current study evaluates chemical constituents and estimates the antimicrobial, antioxidant, ferrous-ion chelating, tyrosinase inhibition, cytotoxic, and radical scavenging activities of the essential oil of Artemisia turanica Krasch. from northeastern Iran. The antibacterial activity of the oil was evaluated by determination of inhibition zones, minimal inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration and decimal reduction time. Phenolic content of the oil was determined using the Folin – Ciocalteu assay. Antioxidant properties of the oil of A. turanica were determined by three methods: the ferric reducing antioxidant power, bleaching of DPPH or radical scavenging activity, and β-carotene-linoleic acid assay. In vitro cytotoxicity was assessed by the MTT assay. Oxygenated monoterpenes, especially 1,8-cineole (35.2%), α-thujone (24.2%), and cis-chrysanthenol (16.8%) were the major components in the oil of A. turanica. Bactericidal kinetics of this oil indicated that E. coli is the most vulnerable (MIC = 2.5 mg/mL, D = 6.43 min). Total phenolic content of the oil was found to be 237.87 ± 6.66 μg GAE/mg oil. The oil exhibited a dose-dependent scavenging of DPPH, nitric oxide, and superoxide anion radicals with IC₅₀ values of 7.00 mg/mL, 9.69 μg, and 14.63 μg, respectively. Ferrous-ion chelating activity of the oil (IC₅₀ = 16.97 μg) was lower than that of EDTA. IC₅₀ values for Hela and lymphocyte cells were calculated to be 17.67 and 3291.49 μg/mL, respectively. The results suggest application of A. turanica oil as a natural antioxidant and anticancer agent.