Cytotoxic Essential Oils from Eryngium campestre and Eryngium amethystinum (Apiaceae) Growing in Central Italy.
Eryngium campestre and E. amethystinum are thorny herbs belonging to the Apiaceae family and spontaneously growing in stony pastures and dry meadows, preferentially on calcareous substrates. In the Mediterranean countries, these plants have been used as a food or traditional remedies to treat various ailments. In the present work, we have analyzed the chemical composition of the essential oils distilled from the aerial parts by GC-FID and GC/MS, and evaluated their cytotoxic effects on a panel of human cancer cells, namely A375 (human malignant melanoma), MDA-MB 231 cells (human breast adenocarcinoma), and HCT116 cells (human colon carcinoma), by the MTT assay. Furthermore, the Eryngium essential oils were evaluated for antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities. The two essential oils were rich in sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, with germacrene D as the major compound, accompanied by allo-aromadendrene, β-elemene, spathulenol, and ledol. They turned out to be highly cytotoxic on the tumor cells, with IC50values (1.65 - 5.32 and 1.57 - 2.99 μg/ml for E. amethystinum and E. campestre, respectively) comparable or close to those of the anticancer drug cisplatin. The E. amethystinum essential oil exhibited a moderate antioxidant activity, whereas that of E. campestre a weak AChE inhibition.
Plant Diversity and Ecosystems Management Unit, School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Pontoni 5, IT-62032, Camerino.|EA 2219 Géoarchitecture, UFR Sciences & Techniques, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, 6 Avenue Victor Le Gorgeu, FR-29200, Brest.
Kevin
K
Cianfaglione
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Laboratory for Translational Research in Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, BE-9000, Ghent.
Evy E
EE
Blomme
School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, IT-62032, Camerino.
Luana
L
Quassinti
School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, IT-62032, Camerino.
Massimo
M
Bramucci
School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, IT-62032, Camerino.
Giulio
G
Lupidi
Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 5, IT-35131, Padova.
Stefano
S
Dall'Acqua
School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Via Sant'Agostino 1, IT-62032, Camerino.
Filippo
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1375-4744
F
Maggi
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D031049:Eryngium / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry*; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000737:chemistry; D012717:Sesquiterpenes
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000975:Antioxidants; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D003603:Cytotoxins; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D012717:Sesquiterpenes

Eryngium amethystinum
; 
Eryngium campestre
; Cytotoxic activities; Essential oils; Sesquiterpenes