Chemical characterization, antioxidant, genotoxic and in vitro cytotoxic activity assessment of Juniperus communis var. saxatilis

Abstract

Chemical composition and antioxidative, genotoxic and cytotoxic potential of essential oil (EO) and post-distillation waste (PDW) of Serbian Juniperus communis L. var. saxatilis Pall. was studied in human lung carcinoma (A549) and normal lung fibroblast (MRC-5) cells. GC-MS analysis identified 93.95% of total EO content and determined cc-pinen as a dominant component (23.61%). LC-MS/MS analysis of PDW pointed at rutin (12.2 mg g(-1)) and quinic acid (11.1 mg g-1) as the most abundant. Antioxidativity of PDW was strong in DPPH (IC50 was 5.27 mu g mL(-1)), and moderate in TBA and FRAP assays. Both substances were more cytotoxic to A549 than to MRC-5 cells. Obtained IC50 values were 69.4 mu g mL-1 and 120 mu g mL(-1) for EO, and 1.27 mg mL(-1) and 2.86 mg mL(-1) for PDW, respectively. PDW was genotoxic (0.3 mg mL(-1) and 1 mg mL(-1) in A549 and MRC-5 cells, respectively) and induced apoptosis and arrested cell cycle in G2/M phase in A549 cells (0.3 mg mL(-1)). In mixtures with doxorubicin cytotoxicity of EO and PDW increased, and combination index values (0.12-0.18) revealed clear synergistic effect, stronger in cancer cells. This indicates that J. communis var. saxatilis could decrease the chemotherapeutic doses of doxorubicin, potentially reducing its side effects.