The aim of the present research was to determine the chemical composition and the cytotoxic effects of Tetraclinis articulata trunk bark
essential oil (HEE) obtained by
steam distillation and five fractions obtained by normal phase
silica chromatographic separation. Chemical analysis allowed the identification of 54 known compounds. Relatively high amounts of oxygenated
sesquiterpenes (44.4-70.2%) were detected, mainly consisting of
caryophyllene oxide (13.1-26.6%), carotol (9.2-21.2%),14-hydroxy-9-epi-(E)-
caryophyllene (3.2-15.5%) and
humulene epoxide II (2.6-7.2%). The cytotoxic activity against
human mammary carcinoma cell lines (MDA-MB-231) and
colorectal carcinoma cell lines (SW620) of the
essential oil and its fractions were assessed. All the samples displayed moderate to weak activity compared to
5-fluorouracil. The
colorectal carcinoma cell line was relatively more sensitive to the
essential oil and its fractions compared to the
breast cancer cell line, showing IC50 values from 25.7 to 96.5 μg/mL. In addition, the
essential oil and its fraction E.2 revealed a cytotoxic activity against
colorectal carcinoma cell line, with IC50 values lower than 30 μg/mL. This is the first report on the chemical composition and cytotoxic activity of the trunk bark
essential oil of T. articulata.