Chromatographic analysis, anti-proliferative and radical scavenging activity of Pinus wallichina essential oil growing in high altitude areas of Kashmir, India.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the in vitro anti-proliferative and radical scavenging properties of the essential oil and its fractions and to determine the chemo-type of P. wallichiana essential oil.

METHODS

Pinus wallichiana oil was extracted by hydro-distillation and fractionated by silica gel column chromatography method. The oil and its fractions were analyzed by Gas chromatography, Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and (13)C NMR. Different concentrations of oil 12.5, 25, 50 and 100μg/ml and single concentration 50μg/ml of its fractions B(1), B(2), A(2), G(2), Uk(13) and I(2) were evaluated for its anti-proliferative activity by in vitro {3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide} assay against human monocyte, lung carcinoma, liver adenocarcinoma, prostate and ovarian carcinoma, while as the radical scavenging activity was evaluated by different in vitro DPPH assays.

RESULTS

The analyses indicated the presence of 17 constituents with β-pinene (46.8%) and α-pinene (25.2%) as major constituents. The oil and its fractions showed significant anti-proliferative activity. The radical scavenging activity also showed good results.

CONCLUSIONS

The oil could be used as a drug to control the diseases like cancer, cirrhosis and arteriosclerosis, caused by reactive oxygen species.