GC/MS Analysis and Potential Cytotoxic Activity of Haplophyllum tuberculatum Essential Oils Against Lung and Liver Cancer Cells

Background: Haplophyllum tuberculatum is a plant belongs to family rutacee.It is rich in volatile oils, fixed oils, alkaloids, and furanocoumarins.It is well known for the huge number of folkloric uses in middle east.Objective: The aim of this study is to establish the chemical composition of the essential oils of Libyan H. tuberculatum and to investigate their cytotoxic potentialities.Materials and Methods: The essential oils of the aerial parts and flowers of H. tuberculatum growing in Libya were prepared by hydrodistillation.GC/MS analyses were performed on a Shimaduz capillary gas chromatograph (GC 17A ver.3) instrument directly coupled to mass spectrometer-MS QP5050A.Oil A and F of H. tuberculatum at different concentrations (0-50 µg/ml) in DMSO were tested for cytotoxicity against human tumor cell lines.Results: Oil yield was found 0.4 and 1.5 (v/w %) on dry weight basis respectively.GC/MS analysis resulted in identification of total 35 compounds.15 compounds were common to both oils.oil A of H. tuberculatum exhibited antitumor activities against.liver carcinoma cell line (HEPG2) and lung carcinoma cell line (H1299) 4.7 µg/ml and 4.1 µg/ml.Conclusion: Essential oil of the aerial parts of H. tuberculatum is potentially active against lung (H-1299), and liver (HEPG2) carcinoma cell lines.The observed cytotoxic, activities can be attributed to the dominance of α and γ-terpinene in this oil.