Investigation of the Chemical Composition and Bioactivities of Essential Oil from Leaves of Myrsine linearis (Lour.)

Abstract: Myrsine linearis (Lour.) is a medicinal plant in Vietnam that was used to treat various diseases. However, the phytochemical and biological activities of this plant have not been extensively investigated. Therefore, this study extracted the essential oil from Myrsine linearis leaves (MLEO), followed by the identification of phytochemical components and the evaluation of anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities in vitro and in silico. The results showed that major constituents in MLEO were β-caryophyllene (11.3 %), α-humulene (10.3 %), caryophyllene oxide (4.6 %), and spathulenol (4.3 %). MLEO inhibited the protein denaturation (IC50 =34.01±5.64 µg/mL) and inhibited nitric oxide release in LPS-induced macrophage with the value of 33.19±1.78 %. The main compounds in MLEO bound to cyclooxygenase-2 and nitric oxide synthase, with binding energy values ranging from -6.1 to -7.5 kcal/mol, similar to those of positive controls. Additionally, MLEO demonstrated cytotoxicity against different cancer cells, with IC50 values ranging from 20.26±1.1 µg/mL to 21.11±1.41 µg/mL. Therefore, MLEO is a promising candidate for supporting the treatment of diseases relating to inflammation and cancer.