José F. Cicció

Chemical composition of Schinus molle essential oil and its cytotoxic activity on tumour cell lines

The leaf essential oil hydrodistilled from Schinus molle grown in Costa Rica was characterised in terms of its chemical composition, antioxidant activity, ability to induce cytotoxicity and the mechanism of cell death involved in the process. As a result, 42 constituents, accounting for 97.2% of the total oil, were identified. The major constituents of the oil were β-pinene and α-pinene. The antioxidant activity showed an IC50 of 36.3 µg mL−1. The essential oil was cytotoxic in several cell lines, showing that it is more effective on breast carcinoma and leukemic cell lines. The LD50 for cytotoxicity at 48 h in K562 corresponded to 78.7 µg mL−1, which was very similar to the LD50 obtained when apoptosis was measured. The essential oil did not induce significant necrosis up to 200 µg mL−1, which together with the former results indicate that apoptosis is the main mechanism of toxicity induced by S. molle essential oil in this cell line. In conclusion, the essential oil tested was weak antioxidant and induced cytotoxicity in different cell types by a mechanism related to apoptosis. It would be interesting to elucidate the role that different components of the oil play in the effect observed here, since some of them could have potential anti-tumoural effects, either alone or in combination.

Composition and chemical polymorphism of the essential oils from Piper lanceaefolium.

Essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from leaves and spikes of Piper lanceaefolium H.B.K. of Costa Rica were analysed by GC-FID, GC-MS and 13C-NMR methods. Main constituents found in the oil from leaves were sesquiterpene hydrocarbons - especially beta-caryophyllene and germacrene D - and phenylpropanoids, of which elemicin and parsley apiol were the major ones. The volatile oil from spikes showed monoterpene hydrocarbons, namely alpha- and beta-pinene, and the same phenylpropanoids as in the oil from leaves as the major constituents. Results obtained in the analysis by GC-FID and GC-MS of the essential oils from individual plants of different geographic origin were submitted to chemometric cluster analysis and principal component analysis, showing the presence of three different types of oils (i) parsley apiol/elemicin, (ii) elemicin/parsley apiol/dill apiol, and (iii) parsley apiol/dill apiol.

Volatile constituents of the oils from Povedadaphne Quadriporata (lauraceae) from "Alberto M. Brenes" biological preserve, Costa Rica

The composition of the leaf, bark and wood oils of Povedadaphne quadriporata W. Burger from Costa Rica were analyzed by capillary GC/FID and GC/MS. One hundred and sixty-three compounds were identified. The major components from the leaf oil were a-pinene (21.2%), germacrene D (18.1%), b-pinene (14.8%), a-phellandrene (7.8%), a-copaene (6.6%), b-caryophyllene (6.1%) and d-cadinene (3.5%). From bark oil, the main constituents were a-pinene (27.7%), p-cymene (7.8%), b-pinene (7.4%), camphene (3.6%), a-copaene (3.5%) and limonene (3.3%). From wood oil, 1,10-di-epi-cubenol (8.0%), a-eudesmol (3.4%), cadalene (3.4%) and d-cadinene (3.0%) were the major compounds identified. This paper describes for the first time the composition of essential oils in this unique species and genus.

Composition of the essential oils from leaves and fruits of three Hedyosmum species from Costa Rica.

Essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from leaves and fruits of Hedyosmum mexicanum Cordemoy, leaves of H. bonplandianum Kunth and leaves of H. costaricensis C.E. Wood from Costa Rica were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. GC-IR and 13C-NMR analysis were performed to improve the identification of some compounds. Monoterpene hydrocarbons, especially sabinene, and oxygen-containing sesquiterpenes, mainly furanodiene, were the major constituents found in the oils of H. mexicanum. Monoterpene hydrocarbons were also the main group of components in the oil of H. bonplandianum, whereas the oil of H. costaricensis was mainly constituted by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, especially germacrene-d. 13C-NMR analysis of the latter oil allowed us to identify the compound 1β,6α-dihydroxy-4(14)-eudesmene. Copyright

Essential Oils From Beilschmiedia pendula (Sw.) Hemsl. (Lauraceae) From Costa Rica

Abstract The composition of the essential oil from leaves and branches of Beilschmiedia pendula growing wild in Costa Rica was determined by capillary GC-FID and GC/MS. Sixty eight and 67 compounds were identified in the leaf and branch oils respectively corresponding to about 84.3% and 96.7% of the total amount of the oils. The leaf oil consists mainly of monoterpene hydrocarbons (27.4%), sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (33.0%) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (16.3%). The major components of the leaf oil were β-pinene (10.4%), β-caryophyllene (8.6%), α-pinene (7.9%) and bicyclogermacrene (7.2%). The branch oil consists mainly of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (59.3%) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (24.9%). The major components of the branch oil were β-caryophyllene (17.3%), β-selinene (9.1%), bicyclogermacrene (8.9%), α-cadinol (5.8%) and spathulenol (4.6%).

Volatile compounds of Nectandra salicina (lauraceae) from Costa Rica and their cytotoxic activity on cell lines

The chemical composition of the volatiles of Nectandra salicina growing wild in Costa Rica was determined by capillary GC/FID and GC/MS. Thirty-seven and forty-two compounds were identified in the leaf and branch oils respectively corresponding to about 92.6 and 86.2% of the total amount of the oils. The major components of the leaf oil were: atractylone (14.6%), viridiflorene (10.1%), α-pinene (9.4%), β-caryophyllene (7.2%), α-humulene (7.0%), δ-cadinene (6.1%), β-pinene (6.0%) and germacrene D (5.8%). The major components of the branch oil were: atractylone (21.1%), germacrene D (10.7%), viridiflorene (7.9%) and 7-epi-α-selinene (5.0%). When the oils were tested on different cell lines, all the LD50 values were higher than 150 µg/mL, with values very similar for the leaf and branch oils. Low toxicity could be explained by antagonistic effects among the main compounds present in the oils.

Essential Oils from Ocotea austinii C. K. Allen (Lauraceae) from Costa Rica

Abstract The composition of the essential oil from leaves and twig wood of Ocotea austinii growing wild in Costa Rica was determined by capillary GC/FID and GC/MS. Seventy-six and seventy-seven compounds were identified in the leaf and twig wood oils corresponding to about 99.8% and 98.3% of the total amount of the oils, respectively. The leaf oil consists mainly of terpene hydrocarbons (87.5%) and oxygenated terpenes (11.8%). The major components of the leaf oil were β-pinene (33.2%), β-pinene (13.0%) and δ-cadinene (5.7%). The wood oil also consisted mainly of terpene hydrocarbons (67.4%) and oxygenated terpenes (29.9%). The major components of the wood oil were α-pinene (14.9%), β-pinene (8.2%), β-eudesmol (9.1%), α-eudesmol (8.8%) and viridiflorene (5.0%)

Composition of the Essential Oil from Leaves of Croton jimenezii from Costa Rica

Abstract The composition of the essential oils from leaves of Croton jimenezii Standl, et Valerio, from two locations in Costa Rica were examined and compared. The oils were analyzed by GC/MS. The oil yields were close to 0.1%, and the composition of the oils were somewhat different for each location. Eighty-nine compounds were identified corresponding to about 95% of the oils. The main constituents of one of the oils were, methyl eugenol (29.5%), germacrene D (15.6%) and β-caryophyllene (12.9%), whereas hexadecanoic acid (16.1%), phytol (10.6%), β-caryophyllene (10.4%) and germacrene D (9.8%) were the main constituents in the other sample.

Essential Oil from the Leaves of Piper augustum from “Alberto M. Brenes” Biological Preserve, Costa Rica

Abstract The composition of the leaf oil of Piper augustum Rudge from Costa Rica was analyzed by capillary GC/MS. Sixty-nine compounds were identified corresponding to ca. 97% of the oil. The major components were α-phellandrene (14.7%), β-caryophyllene (13.5%), limonene (13.0%), α-pinene (10.5%) and linalool (10.3%).

Composition of the Essential Oil from Leaves of Lippia myriocephala from Costa Rica

Abstract The composition of the essential oil from leaves of Lippia myriocephala Schltdl. et Cham. from Costa Rica was analyzed by capillary GC/FID and GC/MS. Fifty-nine compounds were identified corresponding to about 92% of the oil. The major components were β-caryophyllene (16.1%), germacrene D (11.2%), β-cubebene (8.1%), geranylacetone (7.3%) and α-copaene (6.2%).