Antibacterial, Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Studies of the Essential Oil and Ethanol Extract of Aerial Parts of Artemisia rutifolia Steph.ex. Spreng

Abstract

Mongolia is rich in medicinal plants. In recent years, interest in plant-derived food additives has grown. This study was aimed to evaluate antioxidant, cytotoxic activities of aerial parts ethanol extracts from Artemisia rutifolia Steph.ex Spreng grown in Mongolia. The essential oil composition variability of A.rutifolia Steph.ex Spreng aerial parts collected from three different slopes of Kharkhiraa mountain was assessed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Chromatographic analysis of A.rutifolia Steph.ex Spreng essential oils showed the predominance of monoterpene hydrocarbons represented mainly by santolina triene, β-myrcene. The antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of the essential oil and ethanol crude extracts were determined by using DPPH and MTT assays. The antioxidant activity of A.rutifolia Steph.ex Spreng ethanol extract is 2.12 times higher than the antioxidant activity of the essential oil. The essential oil of A.rutifolia Steph.ex Spreng with a concentration of 150 mg/ml or 3μg/disk inhibits the growth of S.enterica 9.3 ± 0.76 mm, B.subtillus 10.3 ± 0.58 mm, S.aureus 9.6 ± 1.5 mm and has a moderate bacterial activity. The results clearly showed that the essential oil presented satisfactory cytotoxic activity against two human tumor cell lines HepG2 (human liver cancer cell line); AGS (human stomach cancer cell line). Our work revealed that the ethanol extracts and essential oil of Artemisia ritifolia Steph.ex Spreng grown in Mongolia has potential as sources of new antioxidant, and cytotoxic compounds, respectively. Essential oil of A.rutifolia Steph.ex Spreng contains caryophylline-7.19% and caryophylline oxide-5.82%, so the essential oil at a dose of 25 mg/ ml inhibits the growth of human stomach cancer cell (AGS). The results of the study were certified by the utility model certificate of “Soap Fragrance Elixir” with the registration number 20-003068.