Cytostatic, cytotoxic, and antibacterial activities of essential oil isolated from Citrus hystrix

Abstract

The essential oil obtained from the peel of Citrus hystrix fruits is a colourless or light yellow liquid with a strong citrus scent. It was analysed for its constituents using gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy. The major components of the oil were β-pinene, limonene, terpinen-4-ol, α-pinene, α-terpinene, γ-terpinene, and α-terpineol. The antibacterial activity of C. hystrix essential oil was tested by disc diffusion and serial macrodilution methods against 50 multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains. The results confirmed its good activity expressed by minimal inhibitory concentration values in the range of 0.125–1 μl/ml. The effect on the viability and proliferation of normal human skin fibroblasts (HSF) and the human melanoma cells (WM793 and A375) was also examined. The observed cytostatic and cytotoxic activities were dependent on the dose of tested oil and the incubation time. Melanoma cells (WM793 and A375) were more sensitive to the essential oil from C. hystrix peel than normal cells (HSF). These results suggest a need for more detailed research on its possible use in therapy.