ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTICANCER ACTIVITY IN VITRO OF SYZYGIUM AROMATICUM ESSENTIAL OIL

Objective: This study evaluated the in vitro antioxidant and anticancer activities of essential oil (EO) from Syzygium aromaticum (clove). Methods: Clove flower buds were collected in Maranhão, Brazil, and hydrodistillation was used for EO extraction. Antioxidant activity was assessed via ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays, while anticancer activity was tested against various human cancer cell lines (colon, lung, liver, prostate, neuroblastoma, etc.) using the SRB assay to determine IC50 values. The chemical composition was analyzed by GC-MS. Results: The EO demonstrated strong antioxidant activity, especially in the ABTS assay (IC50 = 0.73 mg/L). It displayed significant cytotoxicity against cancer cells, particularly colon (502713; IC50 = 6.27 mg/L), liver (HepG2; IC50 = 6.99 mg/L), and neuroblastoma (IMR-32; IC50 = 6.89 mg/L). GC-MS revealed eugenol (71.11%) as the primary compound, followed by β-caryophyllene (19.55%) and humulene (3.99%), indicating geographic influences on chemotypes. Conclusion: S. aromaticum EO shows potent antioxidant and anticancer effects in vitro, likely due to its high phenolic content. Further in vivo and clinical studies are needed to validate its therapeutic potential and safety. These findings underscore the significance of natural products in developing complementary therapies for oxidative stress-related diseases and cancer.