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Purpose: To determine the chemical components of the essential oil of Elsholtizia dense in Sichuan Province and evaluate the effect of the oil on human hepatoma cells (SMMC-7721) in vitro. Methods: The essential oil was extracted using the modified steam-distillation extraction method, and its chemical components were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The effect of the essential oil on proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells was studied by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, with L02 and HeLa cells serving as control groups. Results: GC-MS results show that the essential oil of E. dense contains 40 components. Thirty seven components were identified and accounted for 98.39% of the essential oil. The two main components were rosefuran epoxide (53.12%) and 2-ethyl imidazole (29.8%). The oil significantly inhibited cell proliferation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner (p < 0.05). SMMC-7721 cells were more inhibited than L02 and HeLa cells by the oil, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 26.23 and 25.46 µg/mL after 8-h and 24-h treatments, respectively. Conclusion: Out of the 40 chemical components of the essential oil of E. dense, rosefuran epoxide and 2-ethyl imidazole were the most abundant. The oil has a significant anti-tumor effect on SMMC-7721 cells, and thus has a potential to be developed as an anti-liver cancer drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]