Influence of foliar spray of ethephon and water stress on the essential oil composition and impact on the cytotoxic activity of Thymus vulgaris aerial parts |
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| Authors: | H. M. Hassan M. M. Bishr S. M. A. Khalik |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacognosy Department, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt;2. Pharmaceuticals and Medicinal Plants (Mepaco), Enshas El Raml Sharkyah, Egypt;3. Nahda University, Bani Sweif, Egypt |
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| Abstract: | Thymus vulgaris, (Lamiaceae), essential oils composition and yield, were found to be greatly influenced by water stress and growth enhancers. Therefore, three controlled cultivation conditions were applied to achieve the highest essential oil productivity of T. vulgaris. The essential oils obtained by hydro-distillation of the aerial parts were analyzed using (GC-MS). The tested plant subjected to drought showed a 66% increase in the essential oil yield, while those subjected to drought stress and foliar spray showed 57.1% increase and the regularly irrigated group with foliar spraying showed 23.8% increase relative to the control group. The cytotoxic activity of T. vulgaris essential oils was evaluated against lung (A-549), colon (HCT-116), intestinal (CACO2) and breast (MCF-7) carcinoma using the cell viability assay. The lowest IC50 values 0.44 and 0.33 μg/mL were seen against (HCT-116) and (CACO2) cells respectively. These IC50 values were lower than that of doxorubicin used as reference drug. |
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| Keywords: | Essential oils Thymus vulgaris cytotoxic activity ethephon |
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