Chemical Composition andIn VitroCytotoxic Activity ofXylopia aethiopica(Dun) A. Rich. (Annonaceae) Fruit Essential Oil from Togo

Essential oil extracted (4.4% in yield) from air-dried fruits of Xylopia aethiopica harvested in Togo was investigated for percentage composition and in vitro cytotoxicity. The chemical composition of the essential oil was examined by GC and GC/MS. Thirty-five compounds were identified representing 89.9% of total oil. The major constituents were β-pinene (23.6%), α-pinene (11%), sabinene (9.8%), germacrene D (8.3%) and 1,8 cineole (8.2%). The cytotoxicity of the volatile oil was evaluated in vitro on the human epidermal cell line HaCaT. The tested sample did not show any cytotoxicity (IC50 >3000 μg.ml-1) effect at concentrations around 3000 μg.ml-1. Further testing in bioassay would probably help in validating some of medicinal uses of X. aethiopica in topical drugs and/or in cosmetics as natural products.