The volatile oils from fresh leaves of Piper sarmentosum Roxb., Polyscias fruticose Harms. and Polygonum odoratum Lour. Were isolated by hydrodistillation and analysed through a combination of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The essential oils were obtained in 0.0124, 0.1384 and 0.0567% yield, respectively. All volatile oils exist as a yellow liquid. The major constituents of Piper sarmentosum Roxb. were β-caryphyllene (42.51%), α-selinene (11.27%), (+)-β-selinene (11.24%), β-elemene (10.85%) and α-humulene (6.99%). The identified constituents of Polyscias fruticose Harms. include α-bergamotene (20.25%), γ-elemene (15.28%), and germacrene d (13.29%). Two peaks with relative areas of 25.19% and 14.53%, respectively remained unidentified. The major constituents of Polygonum odoratum Lour. Were dodecanal (39.54%), decanal (21.14%), β-caryphyllene (10.10%), 1-tetradeconal (8.84%) and euparone (7.36%). In addition, the volatile oils from Polyscias fruticose Harms. and Polygonum odoratum Lour. Showed significant pharmacological effect (ED50 << 30µg/ml) to anticancer activity, while Piper sarmentosum Roxb. oil exhibited only weak cytotoxic effect (ED50 > 30 µg/ml), from primary screening tests with P388 (mouse lymphocytic leukemia) cells. Moreover, none of the components exhibited antioxidant activity (IC50 values of >> 100µg/ml) in a DPPH radical scavenging assay.
Keywords: GC-MS, Volatile oil, Piper sarmentosum Roxb., Polyscias fruticose Harms., Polygonum odoratum Lour., Anticancer, Antioxidant
Corresponding author: E-mail: t_chem@hotmail.com
