Composition and in vitro anticancer activities of the leaf essential oil of Neolitsea variabillima from Taiwan.

This study investigated the chemical composition and in vitro anticancer activities of the essential oil isolated from the leaf of Neolitsea variabillima. The essential oil was isolated using hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus, and characterized by GC-FID and GC-MS. Sixty-seven compounds were identified, representing 100% of the oil. The main components identified were trans-beta-ocimene (13.4%), alpha-cadinol (10.5%), terpinen-4-ol (9.3%), tau-cadinol (9.2%), beta-caryophyllene (8.8%), and sabinene (6.7%). The anticancer activities of oil were evaluated. The results showed that the oil exhibited cytotoxic activity against human oral, liver, lung, colon, melanoma, and leukemic cancer cells. The presence of beta-caryophyllene, tau-cadinol, and alpha-cadinol significantly contributed to the anticancer activities of N. variabillima leaf oil.