Chemical composition, antioxidant, cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of Pimenta racemosa (Mill.) J.W. Moore flower essential oil

Hydrodistilled essential oil obtained from Pimenta racemosa fresh flower was analyzed by GLC-MS. Fifty two components were identified, including 3.14% monoterpenes, 94.85% oxygenated monoterpenes and 0.42% oxygenated sesquiterpenes where 1,8-Cineole (75.4%) and linalool (9.08%) represented the major constituents. Quantification of the oil constituents was carried out using GLC-FID analysis where 1,8-cineole was detected at 428.3 μg/ml. The oil exhibited potential antioxidant activity when tested by DPPH radical scavenging assay where SC50=5.95 µg. The cytotoxic activity was evaluated using MTT assay compared with 1,8-cineole and doxorubicin. The oil showed significant activity against human carcinoma cell lines including colon (HCT-116), hepatic (HepG-2), lung (A-549) and intestinal epithelium (Caco-2) with IC50 values 1.71, 3.67, 1.35, and 2.63 µg, respectively. The oil cytotoxicity exceeded 1,8-cineole except for HepG-2. Additionally the antimicrobial activity was evaluated using agar disc diffusion and MIC where the oil exhibited the best activity against Bacillus subtilis and Geotrichum candidum with MIC=0.49 and 0.98 µg, respectively