Effects of mandarin essential oil on cellular growth and lipid metabolism

MANASSERO CA; SPERONI F; GARCÍA DE BRAVO MM; POLO M

Puerto Madryn

Congreso; XLVI Reunión Anual de SAIB; 2010

Essential oil is a mixture of fragrant volatile compounds, named after the aromatic characteristics of plant materials from which they can be isolated. They basically consist of two classes of compounds: terpenes and phenylpropenes. Many terpenes have multiple effects on mevalonate metabolism and antiproliferative effect on various cell lines. The aim of this work was to study the effect of essential oil of mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) (AEM) and its major component, limonene (LM) on cell growth and lipid content in A549 and HEPG2 human tumor cells. The AEM was obtained by cold pressing the fruit peel. The effect on cellular proliferation and viability was performed using MTT test. Cholesterol, triglyceride and phosphorus were determined for the lipid analysis. Results indicate that AEM and LM inhibit cell proliferation of both tumor lines. Preliminary data showed that HEPG2 and A549 treated with AEM had lower IC50 values (dose resulting in 50% cell growth inhibition) than cells treated with LM. A549 cells incubated with the AEM IC50 value diminished the content of total cholesterol and triglyceride. We concluded that C. reticulata AEM has an antiproliferative effect on human tumor cells and that LM, the major terpene component