Litsea cubeba essential oil: chemical profile, antioxidant activity, cytotoxicity, effect against Fusarium verticillioides and fumonisins production

• Published in: Journal of environmental science and health. Part B, Pesticides, food contaminants, and agricultural wastes Vol. 56; no. 4; pp. 387 - 395
• Main Authors: Pante, Giseli Cristina, Castro, Juliana Cristina, Lini, Renata Sano, Romoli, Jéssica Cristina Zoratto, Almeida, Rafaela Takako Ribeiro de, Garcia, Francielle Pelegrin, Nakamura, Celso Vataru, Pilau, Eduardo Jorge, Abreu Filho, Benício Alves de, Machinski, Miguel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 2021; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Antioxidants; biofungicide; biological activities; Chemical activity; Conidia; Cytotoxicity; environmental science; essential oil; Essential oils; Fludioxonil; Fluorescence; Fluorescence microscopy; Fumonisins; Fungicides; Fusarium; Fusarium verticillioides; Geranial; Hyphae; Litsea cubeba; Metalaxyl; Microscopy; Mycelia; Neral; Oils & fats; Scanning electron microscopy; Scavenging; Sulfonic acid; Toxicity; Vitamin E; biological activities; biofungicide; essential oil; Litsea cubeba; environmental science
• ISSN: 0360-1234; 1532-4109
• DOI: 10.1080/03601234.2021.1890519

The purpose of this study was to determine the chemical profile of Litsea cubeba essential oil, carry out an in vitro evaluation of its antioxidant potential and its cytotoxicity, as well as its antifungal and antimicotoxigenic activities against Fusarium verticillioides. Most of the compounds observed in the EO were neral (32.75%) and geranial (37.67%). The radical scavenging capacity of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid was 104.4 and 56.4 mmol Trolox mg
−1
, respectively, indicating good antioxidant activity. The EO studied by us revealed cytotoxic effect against HT-29 and HeLa cancer cells. The Minimum Inhibitory and Minimum Fungicidal Concentrations against F. verticillioides were both 125 µg mL
−1
. Morphological investigation, performed by fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, showed that hyphae and microconidia structures underwent changes after treatment with the EO. Analyses performed with the EO strongly reduced the mycelial development of F. verticillioides and the synthesis of fumonisins B
1
and B
2
in dose-dependence effect compared (P < 0.01) with the fungal control (10
5
conidia mL
−1
) and positive control (fludioxonil + metalaxyl-M). Thus, the results obtained in vitro suggest that L. cubeba EO has excellent antioxidant, fungicidal, and antimycotoxigenic effects.