title: Comparative study on the cytotoxicity of different Myrtaceae essential oils on cultured vero and RC-37 cells.
abstract: Medicinally and commercially important essential oils from the family Myrtaceae, i.e. cajuput, clove, kanuka and manuka were phytochemically analysed by GC-MS. Cytotoxicity of these essential oils was evaluated in a standard neutral red assay. Maximum noncytotoxic concentrations for cajuput oil and clove oil were determined at 0.006%, kanuka oil and manuka oil were more cytotoxic with a maximum noncytotoxic concentration of 0.001%. The compounds alpha-pinene, eugenol and leptospermone demonstrated maximum noncytotoxic concentrations at dilutions of 0.001%, 0.003% and 0.001%, respectively. However, the terpene 1,8-cineole was about 100 times less toxic to cultured cells with a maximum noncytotoxic concentration of 0.1% and a TC50 value of 0.44%. Manuka essential oil exhibited high levels of virucidal activity against HSV-1 as well against drug-resistant HSV-1 isolates in viral suspension tests. Determination of cytotoxicity of natural products is an important prerequisite for application in cosmetic and health care products and in antiviral tests.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Hygiene Institute, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schnitzler
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wiesenhofer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reichling
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D027822:Myrtaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014709:Vero Cells; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile