title: Phytochemical analysis and cytotoxicity towards multidrug-resistant leukemia cells of essential oils derived from Lebanese medicinal plants.
abstract: Juniperus excelsa fruit essential oil as well as J. oxycedrus, Cedrus libani, and Pinus pinea wood essential oils have been obtained with yields between 2.2 ± 0.3 % to 3.4 ± 0.5 % and analyzed by gas chromatography. Sesquiterpenes mainly characterized C. libani and J. oxycedrus essential oils, while in P. pinea and J. excelsa, monoterpenes were the most abundant compounds. In J. oxycedrus, cis-calamenene (7.8 %), cuparene (3.8 %), and cis-thujopsenal (2.0 %) have been detected for the first time. The cytotoxic activity of these essential oils against drug-sensitive CCRF-CEM and multidrug-resistant P-glycoprotein-expressing CEM/ADR5000 leukemia cells has been investigated (IC₅₀ values: 29.46 to 61.54 µg/mL). Remarkably, multidrug-resistant CEM/ADR5000 cells did not reveal cross-resistance, indicating that these essential oils might be useful to treat otherwise drug-resistant and refractory tumors.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Sciences II, Lebanese University, Chemistry Department, Fanar, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Antoine M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Saab
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guerrini
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sacchetti
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maietti
authors.forename: Maʼen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeino
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arend
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gambari
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bernardi
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Efferth
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D028203:Cedrus / Q000737:chemistry; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple / Q000187:drug effects; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D018653:Juniperus / Q000737:chemistry; D007861:Lebanon; D007938:Leukemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D028223:Pinus / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects*; D014934:Wood / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D012717:Sesquiterpenes