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Varronia curassavica Jacq. is a medicinal plant found in Brazil used as anti-inflammatory. Here, we investigated the in vitro antioxidant activity of 70 % ethanol extract of V. curassavica leaves on synthetic radicals (ABTS•±/DPPH•) and reactive oxygen species (O2•-, ROO•, HOCl/OCl-, H2O2), besides its in vitro cytotoxicity. The extract was characterized by UPLC-ESI-QToF-MSE and the annotated compounds were one hydroxybenzoic acid, five phenylpropanoids, and three glycosylated quercetin derivatives, being the main compound rosmarinic acid or its isomer. The antioxidant activity was very promising in all tests, highlighting on the capture of O2•-, which EC50 value was three times lower than Trolox. This activity may be due to the presence of the major compounds, all phenolic compounds. The extract also presented low cytotoxicity. Thus, the extract from V. curassavica leaves has great potential as an antioxidant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the potential of Baccharis trimera essential oil (EO) and its components in cancer therapy through the application of cytotoxicity and cell death assays. Using gas chromatography analysis, the major components of the aerial parts of the essential oil were identified as (E)-caryophyllene (18.9%), bicyclogermacrene (15.6%), and germacrene D (10.5%). Baccharis trimera essential oil (5.8 µg/mL) and &#-humulene (7.8 µg/mL) presented strong cytotoxic activity, while (E)-caryophyllene (11.5 µg/mL) and caryophyllene oxide (> 100.0 µg/mL) showed moderate and low activities, respectively, against MCF-7 cell lines. Against HepG2 cell lines, B. trimera essential oil (10.4 µg/mL), α-humulene (17.1 µg/mL), and caryophyllene oxide (19.4 µg/mL) exhibited moderate activity, while (E)-caryophyllene (52.3 µg/mL) displayed low activity against HepG2 cell lines. The selectivity index values of EO (MCF-7 and HepG2), a-humulene and (E)-caryophyllene (MCF-7), and caryophyllene oxide (HepG2) were found between 1.1 and 2.8, compared with MCF-10A cells. The annexin-V and Hoechst / propidium iodide assays performed with essential oil, (E)-caryophyllene, α-humulene, and caryophyllene oxide showed apoptosis and necrosis mechanisms for all cell lines. Based on these findings, B. trimera essential oil and its components can be considered as potential therapeutic agents against cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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