Variation in Essential Oil and Bioactive Compounds of Curcuma kwangsiensis Collected from Natural Habitats

Abstract

The chemical compositions of essential oils (EOs) extracted from Curcuma kwangsiensis rhizomes collected from six natural habitats in P. R. China were evaluated using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Fifty-seven components were identified from the six EOs, and their main constituents were 8,9-dehydro-9-formyl-cycloisolongifolene (2.37 - 42.59%), germacrone (6.53 - 22.20%), and l-camphor (0.19 - 6.12%). The six EOs exhibited different DPPH radical-scavenging activities (IC , 2.24 - 31.03 μg/ml), with the activity of most of EOs being much higher than that of Trolox C (IC , 10.49 μg/ml) and BHT (IC , 54.13 μg/ml). Most EOs had potent antimicrobial effects against the tested bacteria and fungus. They also exhibited cytotoxicity against B16 (IC , 4.44 - 147.4 μg/ml) and LNCaP cells (IC , 73.94 - 429.25 μg/ml). The EOs showed excellent anti-inflammatory action by significantly downregulating expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, cyclooxygenase-2, and tumor necrosis factor-α. This study provides insight into the interrelation among growth location, phytoconstituents, and bioactivities, and the results indicate the potential of C. kwangsiensis as natural nutrients, medicines, and others additives.

Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of Essential Oils of Curcuma Species

“…They inhibited the production of proinflammatory cytokines including PKC, Akt, TNF-α, COX-2, NF-κB, and IKK [ 49 ]. The EO from C. kwangsiensis possesses antitumor, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, antifungal, and antiviral activities [ 62 , 63 ]. C. kwangsiensis , C. yunnanensis , C. nankunshanensis , C. sichuanensis , and C. rubescens EOs were cytotoxic to LNCaP (IC 50 = 1.3–16.6 µg/mL), B16 (IC 50 = 4.4–147.4 μg/mL), and HepG2 (IC 50 = 153.1–198.2 µg/mL) [ 49 , 63 ].…”

“…The EO from C. kwangsiensis possesses antitumor, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, antifungal, and antiviral activities [ 62 , 63 ]. C. kwangsiensis , C. yunnanensis , C. nankunshanensis , C. sichuanensis , and C. rubescens EOs were cytotoxic to LNCaP (IC 50 = 1.3–16.6 µg/mL), B16 (IC 50 = 4.4–147.4 μg/mL), and HepG2 (IC 50 = 153.1–198.2 µg/mL) [ 49 , 63 ]. C. purpurascens EO showed strong antiproliferative activity against human colorectal-cancer cells (HT-29; IC 50 = 4.9 ± 0.4 μg/mL), and weak cytotoxicity against human lung-cancer (A549; IC 50 = 46.3 ± 0.7 μg/mL), human cervical-cancer (Ca Ski; IC 50 = 32.5 ± 1.1 μg/mL), and HCT116 cells (IC 50 = 35.0 ± 0.3 μg/mL) [ 103 ].…”

Essential Oils and Their Main Chemical Components: The Past 20 Years of Preclinical Studies in Melanoma

“…When referring to EOs, their chemical composition and biological activities strictly depend on habitat, climate condition, season, agronomic practices, soil type, extraction procedures, as well as the harvesting stages and storage conditions of plants [31,36,37,51,75,[97][98][99][100][101][102][103]. All these elements should be taken into account.…”

“…Examples are EOs from Helichrysum microphyllum [45] and from Liriodendron tulipifera, and their main components β-elemene and (E)-nerolidol, showing antiproliferative activity in human melanoma cells strictly depending on harvesting period [51]. Moreover, EOs from Chrysanthemum boreale Makino, showed different levels of their component contents and bioactivities among the harvesting stages [31], while phytoconstituents and bioactivities of EOs from Curcuma kwangsiensis, strictly depended on the natural habitat [37]. Another example is provided by chemotaxonomical analysis of Artemisia absinthium, Salvia officinalis, Tanacetum vulgare and Thuja occidentalis, the amount of thujones (α-thujone and β-thujone) present in the EOs of the four species being strictly related to the plant organ and to its developmental phase [105].…”

Variation on Composition and Bioactivity of Essential Oils of Four Common Curcuma Herbs

“…As for Curcuma essential oil, the chemical constituents are extremely complicated and have shown up to 500 different molecules, of which the main components are α ‐atlantone, borneol, camphor, curcumol, curcumenol, curzerene, curdione, α ‐curcumene, β ‐curcumene, 1,8‐cineole, dehydrocurdione, β ‐eudesmol, elemene, furanodiene, furanodienone, germacrone, isocurcumenol, myrcene, neocurdione, phellandrene, ar ‐turmerone, turmerone, turmerol, terpinolene xanthorrhizol and zingerene, etc . Its usages abound in traditional medicine and aromatherapy for the health and cosmetic benefits derived from these components, which affect the body through strengthening the immune and endocrine systems, accelerating toxin elimination, promoting new cell growth, stimulating digestion and blood circulation …”