Chemical profile of Matourea azurea essential oil: Cytotoxic, cytoprotective, and antitumoral potential

This study aimed to characterize the chemical profile of the Matourea azurea essential oil by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and investigate its cellular protective and antitumoral effect on tumor cell lines. Cytotoxicity analysis was performed in murine fibroblast cells (L929), the antitumoral activity in adenocarcinoma (A549) and glioma (GL261 and C6) cell lines, and cell protection using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as an oxidizing agent. GC analysis confirmed that this chemotype is rich in mono and sesquiterpenes, including alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and ethers. Major compounds include myrtenal (18.66%), trans-pinocarveol (13.25%), β-copaen-4α-ol (11.96%), pinocarvone (9.88%), and cyclosativene (7.81%). Regarding cytotoxicity, no decrease in L929 cell metabolic activity was observed up to 500 μg/mL, but a decrease occurred at higher concentrations (750-1000 μg/mL). The essential oil of M. azurea did not show antitumoral activity (500 μg/mL). However, it showed strong protection against hydrogen peroxide.