BACKGROUND: The aim of this work was to study the constituents and cytotoxicity of the essential oils from the fruits of Angelica archangelica growing in Iceland. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three samples of essential oils were prepared by steam distillation. Their composition was established with GC/MS. The effects of the oils were examined in PANC-1 human pancreas cancer cells and Crl mouse breast cancer cells in concentrations ranging from 10-400 microg/ml, measuring the reduction of the tetrazolium salt 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) -5- (3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2- (4-sulphophenyl) -2H-tetrazolium (MTS) by mitochondrial enzymes. RESULTS: Two types of essential oils were found, differing mainly in the absence or presence of beta-phellandrene. The ED50 of the oils ranged from 48.6 microg/ml to 108.3 microg/ml for PANC-1 and 48.0 microg/ml to 91.8 microg/ml for Crl cells. CONCLUSION: The cytotoxic activity of the essential oils was independent of the quantity of their main components.
BACKGROUND: The aim of this work was to study the constituents and cytotoxicity of the essential oils from the fruits of Angelica archangelica growing in Iceland. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three samples of essential oils were prepared by steam distillation. Their composition was established with GC/MS. The effects of the oils were examined in PANC-1 humanpancreas cancer cells and Crlmousebreast cancer cells in concentrations ranging from 10-400 microg/ml, measuring the reduction of the tetrazolium salt 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) -5- (3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2- (4-sulphophenyl) -2H-tetrazolium (MTS) by mitochondrial enzymes. RESULTS: Two types of essential oils were found, differing mainly in the absence or presence of beta-phellandrene. The ED50 of the oils ranged from 48.6 microg/ml to 108.3 microg/ml for PANC-1 and 48.0 microg/ml to 91.8 microg/ml for Crl cells. CONCLUSION: The cytotoxic activity of the essential oils was independent of the quantity of their main components.