Therapeutic Potential of Artemisia campestris Essential Oil: Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Anticancer Insights From In Silico Analysis

Abstract

Artemisia campestris subsp. campestris (tuguft) is a medicinal plant traditionally used in Algerian medicine. This study investigates the chemical composition and bioactivity of its essential oil (ACEO). Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis identified key compounds, including linalyl acetate (2.92%), geranyl acetate (2.45%), and eucalyptol (1.38%). ACEO demonstrated significant antioxidant activity, with IC₅₀ values of 11.09 μg/mL (DPPH), 15.81 μg/mL (FRAP), and 22.70 μg/mL (β-carotene). It also enhanced peroxidase activity by 82.67 U/g. The anti-inflammatory effects were confirmed with an IC₅₀ of 18.87 μg/mL. Notably, in silico molecular docking revealed that 3-cyclopentyl-N-(2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)ethyl) exhibits strong binding affinity to phosphoinositide 3-kinase gamma, a target for pancreatic cancer therapy, suggesting potential anticancer activity. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of ACEO, highlighting its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties.