Abstract
Lavandin essential oil (LEO), a natural sterile hybrid obtained by crossbreeding L. angustifolia × L. latifolia, is mainly composed by active components belonging to the family of terpenes endowed with relevant anti-proliferative activity, which can be enhanced by proper application of nanotechnology. In particular, this study reports the chemical characterization and the screening of the anti-proliferative activity on different human cell lines of pure and nano-formulated lavandin essential oil (EO). LEO and its formulation (NanoLEO) were analyzed by HS/GC-MS (Headspace/Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) to describe and compare their chemical volatile composition. The most abundant compounds were linalool and 1,8-cineole (LEO: 28.6%; 27.4%) (NanoLEO: 60.4%; 12.6%) followed by α-pinene (LEO: 9.6%; NanoLEO: 4.5%), camphor (LEO: 6.5%; NanoLEO: 7.0%) and linalyl acetate (LEO: 6.5%; NanoLEO: 3.6%). The cytotoxic effects of LEO and NanoLEO were investigated on human neuroblastoma cells (SHSY5Y), human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7), human lymphoblastic leukemia cells (CCRF CEM), human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (Caco-2) and one normal breast epithelial cell (MCF10A) by the MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide)-assay. Caco-2, MCF7 and MCF10A normal cells resulted more resistant to the treatment with LEO, while CCRF-CEM and SHSY5Y cells were more sensitive. The antiproliferative effect of LEO resulted amplified when the essential oil was supplied as nanoformulation, mainly in Caco-2 cells. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy investigations were carried out on Caco-2 cells to outline at ultrastructural level possible affections induced by LEO and NanoLEO treatments.
Highlights
Plants provide a large amount of secondary metabolites, some of which are used in their original or semisynthetic form, to treat different human pathologies [1]
Clear evidences were reported on apoptosis induction mechanism exerted by essential oils: Melissa officinalis essential oil induced apoptosis of glioblastoma multiforme cells [40], Salvia milthiorriza treatment reduced the proliferation of HepG2 hepatoma cells, changing their morphology and inducing cell death by apoptosis [41], Artemisia annua essential oil induced apoptosis in SMMC-7721 hepatocarcinoma cells [42] and essential oil of the conifer tree Tetraclinis articulata showed pro apoptotic activity in human melanoma and ovarian cancer cell lines [43]
The chemical volatile composition of Lavandula × intermedia essential oil pure and encapsulated in nanoemulsion was characterized by HS-GC/mass spectrometer (MS) technique and their antiproliferative activity investigated on different cell lines
Summary
Plants provide a large amount of secondary metabolites, some of which are used in their original or semisynthetic form, to treat different human pathologies [1]. Lavender oils are commonly used in aromatherapy and in numerous applications for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes [11]. Their biological activities were investigated and antioxidant [12,13,14,15], anxiolytic and antidepressive [16,17,18], antifungal and bactericidal [6,19], cytotoxic [20,21], anti-inflammatory [22] and analgesic [23], autophagy and apoptosis induction properties [8,24] have been reported. Good but different antioxidant activities were revealed for different cultivars of lavandin and lavender EOs by more assays such as β-carotene/linoleic acid bleaching (lipid peroxidation inhibition), DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) % and ABTS (2,2 -azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) % + (radical scavenging activity) [12]
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