Abd-Rabou Ahmed A, Edris Amr E
Hormons Department, Medical Research Division, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
Aroma & Flavor Chemistry Department, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
Curr Clin Pharmacol. 2017;12(4):231-244. doi: 10.2174/1574884713666180110144336.
Essential oils (EOs) are natural volatile plant extracts that have different biological activities including antiproliferative potentials.
The current study aims at evaluating the antiproliferative activities against some cancer cell lines of six EOs in their neat oily state and in water-based microemulsions where the EOs exist as nanoparticles. The EOs included marjoram (Origanum majorana), turmeric (Curcuma longa), sweet basil (Ocimum basillicum), clove buds (Syzygium aromaticum), geranium (plargonium graviolenis), and black cumin (Nigella sativa).
GC-MS chromatographic analysis was used to reveal the chemical composition of EOs. Self-microemulsification method and oil titration method were used for the fabrication of the different microemulsions. MTT assay and IC50 determinations were used for evaluating the extent of the antiproliferative activity.
Results indicated that geranium EO was the most active against the evaluated cancer cell lines followed by basil EO and marjoram EO. On the other hand, turmeric followed by black cumin EOs showed the least antiproliferative activity relative to the other EOs. Clove EO showed selective activity depending on the type of cancer cell lines. Formulation of these EOs in microemulsions led to the development of water-borne nanoparticles having an average particle size from 10.7nm to 18.0 nm depending on the type of EO. Re-evaluation of the antiproliferative activity of these EOs after microemulsification showed differential behavior ranging from activity enhancement to retardation relative to the original activity of each corresponding neat EO in its oily state. Potential factors that could justify the obtained results are discussed.
Some EOs and their microemulsions may potentially be used as natural adjuvants to classical anti-cancer drugs.
精油（EOs）是天然挥发性植物提取物，具有不同的生物活性，包括抗增殖潜力。
本研究旨在评估六种精油在其纯油状态以及以纳米颗粒形式存在于水基微乳液中的情况下，对某些癌细胞系的抗增殖活性。这些精油包括马郁兰（牛至）、姜黄（姜黄属植物）、甜罗勒（罗勒）、丁香花蕾（丁香）、天竺葵（香叶天竺葵）和黑孜然（黑种草）。
采用气相色谱 - 质谱联用（GC - MS）色谱分析来揭示精油的化学成分。使用自微乳化法和油滴定法制备不同的微乳液。采用MTT法和IC50测定来评估抗增殖活性的程度。
结果表明，天竺葵精油对所评估的癌细胞系活性最强，其次是罗勒精油和马郁兰精油。另一方面，姜黄精油和黑孜然精油相对于其他精油显示出最低的抗增殖活性。丁香精油根据癌细胞系的类型表现出选择性活性。将这些精油制成微乳液后形成了平均粒径从10.7纳米到18.0纳米不等的水性纳米颗粒，具体取决于精油的类型。微乳化后对这些精油的抗增殖活性进行重新评估，结果显示与每种相应纯油状态的原始活性相比，活性变化情况各异，从增强到减弱都有。文中讨论了可能解释所得结果的潜在因素。
一些精油及其微乳液可能有潜力用作传统抗癌药物的天然佐剂。
