Anticancer, Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of the Essential Oils of Some Aromatic Medicinal Plants (<i>Pulicaria</i> <i>inuloides</i>-Asteraceae)

Purpose: To determine the anticancer, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Pulicaria inuloides essential oil (PiEO). Methods: 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol- 2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) was used to assess cytotoxic activity. Steam distillation of the aerial parts of P. inuloides was performed using a Clevenger apparatus. Antioxidant activities were determined by using 2, 2-diphenyl-1,1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Disc diffusion and microtiter broth microdilution assays were employed to determine antimicrobial activity. Results: PiEO inhibited six tested strains of Listeria with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 5.49 μg/mL against L. monocytogenes, L. innocua, and L. ivanovii; 6.24 μg/mL against L. welshimeri, and L. grayi; and 11.55 μg/mL against L. seeligeri. PiEO also possessed more efficient free radical scavenging activities than butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). PiEO possessed significant anticancer properties, indicated by growth inhibition and changes in the morphological structure of MCF-7 cancer cells treated with PiEO.