Rose-scented geranium essential oil from Algeria (Pelargonium graveolens L'Herit.): Assessment of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties against different metastatic cancer cell lines

Introduction. - The study of natural products is one of the strategies implemented discovery of new compounds that can be used in cancer therapy. Aromatic herbs and plants found in Algeria and their anti-angiogenesis and cytotoxic potentials against not been much explored. Objectives. - Our work aimed to evaluate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties of the essential oil (EO) extracted from rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) and its major (citronellol) and characteristic (linalool) constituents. Results. - The chemical composition of EO was determined with chromatographic analysis revealed the presence of citronellol as the major compound (25.84%). A strong chelating of terpene alcohols (IC50 = 1.58 +/- 0.23 mg/mL for citronellol) was found, with a significant difference (P< 0.05) compared with the standard antioxidants used (L-ascorbic acid and butylated hydroxyanisole). The EO is distinguished by an interesting anti-inflammatory effect with the lowest IC50 (4.63 +/- 0.3 mg/mL), and it constitutes a good stabilizer of the erythrocyte membrane. Citronellol also exhibited the best anti-inflammatory effect (IC50 =0.74 +/- 0.09 mg/mL). We also assessed the anticancer effect of EO on two main pathways involved in cancer development, angiogenesis and cell proliferation, using in ovo bioassays with a chorio-allantoic membrane (CAM) of chicken eggs and in vitro assays of its cytotoxicity on different metastatic breast cancer (MDA-MB-231), gastric (AGS) and melanoma (MV3) cell lines. In the CAM model, the density of micro-vessels is 75 +/- 10 in the group supplemented with EO compared to 140 +/- 9 for the control group (b-FGF). In addition, the EO significantly reduced the number of newly formed vessels. The cytotoxicity was evaluated using the cell proliferation inhibition method and cell viability was measured using the MTT test. Results revealed that the treatment of cancer lines with different concentrations of EO reduces the rate of cell viability in a dosedependent manner. EO showed the greatest cytotoxicity on the AGS line with an inhibition rate of 92.87 +/- 0.13% at the highest dose (4 mu L/mL), followed by the MV3 line (88.76 +/- 0.96%). Conclusion and prospects. - Data demonstrated that rose-scented geranium EO has an antitumor potential on metastatic cancer cell lines. It is distinguished by its antiproliferative, anti-angiogenic, and anti-inflammatory activities. Medicinal plants might contain new molecules, with new structures, which could become lead candidate among future anticancer drugs. (C) 2021 Academie Nationale de Pharmacie. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties of rose-scented geranium essential oil and its major and characteristic constituents. The results showed that the essential oil exhibited strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, stabilized the erythrocyte membrane, and had cytotoxic effects on cancer cell lines. Rose-scented geranium essential oil could be a potential candidate for future anticancer drugs.