Anticancer and Antioxidant Properties of Terpinolene in Rat Brain Cells

Abstract

Terpinolene (TPO) is a natural monoterpene present in essential oils of many aromatic plant species. Although various biological activities of TPO have been demonstrated, its neurotoxicity has never been explored. In this in vitro study we investigated TPO's antiproliferative and/or cytotoxic properties using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test, genotoxic damage potential using the single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE), and oxidative effects through total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidative stress (TOS) in cultured primary rat neurons and N2a neuroblastoma cells. Dose-dependent effects of TPO (at 10 mg L(-1), 25 mg L(-1), 50 mg L(-1), 100 mg L(-1), 200 mg L(-1), and 400 mg L(-1)) were tested in both cell types. Significant (P<0.05) decrease in cell proliferation were observed in cultured primary rat neurons starting with the dose of 100 mg L(-1) and in N2a neuroblastoma cells starting with 50 mg L(-1). TPO was not genotoxic in either cell type. In addition, TPO treatment at 10 mg L(-1), 25 mg L(-1), and 50 mg L(-1) increased TAC in primary rat neurons, but not in N2a cells. However, at concentrations above 50 mg L(-1) it increased TOS in both cell types. Our findings clearly demonstrate that TPO is a potent antiproliferative agent for brain tumour cells and may have potential as an anticancer agent, which needs to be further studied.

Essential oils rich in monoterpenes are unsuitable as additives to boar semen extender

“…This compound is known to present anti-parasitic activity against Leishmania (Machado et al, 2014), antiviral activity against the herpes simplex virus (Schnitzler, Schön, & Reichling, 2001), as well as analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities (Takaishi et al, 2012). However, despite its widespread use, Terpinolene, present at a concentration of 19.18% in the M. atropurpureum EO, has a widespread use as a synthetic food flavouring additive or fragrance enhancer in perfumes (Aydin, Türkez, & Taşdemir, 2013). Several biological activities were attributed to terpinolene, such as anticancer (Harada et al, 2012), antioxidant (Dorman, Figueiredo, Barroso, & Deans, 2000), antifungal (Hammer, Carson, & Riley, 2004) and larvicidal (Conti et al, 2012) activities.…”

“…Aydin et al (2013) observed antioxidant and antiproliferative properties, suggesting a possible use for this monoterpene in the biotherapy of cancer. Despite the effects of terpinolene described in the literature, the spermicidal effect of the oil from M. atropurpureum suggests that cellular toxicity induced by other oil components supersedes a possible protective effect by terpinolene.…”

First Draft Genome of a Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest Burseraceae reveals commercially-promising genes involved in terpenic oleoresins synthesis

“…Terpinolene was the major component found in the essential oil from resin. This compound purportedly has therapeutic properties such as antifungal, antibacterial, anticancer, antioxidant and sedative activity [40,41] and is also the most abundant compound of fresh P. heptaphyllum oleoresin [5]. Parts of the P. heptaphyllum genome were previously sequenced in order to study the repertoire of monoterpene synthases and to better understand monoterpene synthesis in Protium; they concluded that the chemical composition of P. heptaphyllum oleoresins changes over time [5].…”

Kazakh Ziziphora Species as Sources of Bioactive Substances

“…Inhibition of P-glycoprotein-mediated transport of different substances [213] Anti-inflammatory (inhibition of NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW-264.7 macrophages) [223] Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase [224] Suppression of CNS in mice [214,215,225] Antiproliferative (tested on primary rat neurons and N2a neuroblastoma cells) [226]; antiproliferative effect on K562 cells [227]; some cytotoxic activity [190] Molecules 2016, 21, 826 14 of 53…”