A comprehensive assessment of the antiproliferative effects of Cymbopogon winterianus essential oil, citronellal, and citronellal complexed with β-cyclodextrin on cervical cancer cell line (HeLa)

Cymbopogon winterianus. Jowitt (syn. Cymbopogon nardus. (L.) W. Watson var. mahapengiri. Winter) (Poaceae family) is native to tropical and semitropical areas of Asia, India, and Indonesia, and is cultivated in South and Central America. In this work, the antiproliferative potential of the essential oil of C. winterianus, its major compound against the HeLa cervical cancer lineage, as well as the major compound Citronellal complexed with β-cyclodextrin (β-CO) was evaluated. By gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, it was possible to identify that Citronellal (38.89 %) is the major compound in C. winterianus. In vitro assays with cervical cancer cells (HeLa), it was possible to observe the antiproliferative activity of C. winterianus essential oil (CW), with IC50 of 1.86 μg/mL, as well as of the compound Citronellal (CO), IC50 4.44 μg/mL and citronellal complexed β-cyclodextrin (β-CO), IC50 2.59 μg/mL, as well as the evaluation of cell migration and cell cycle. NIH-3T3 non-tumor cells were also used to evaluate the selectivity of these compounds in tumor cells. All tested samples showed SI > 3, confirming the highest toxicity in tumor cells. All samples tested were able to decrease cell migration and when the proportion of cells in the Sub-G0 Phase was observed, all samples increased the proportion of cells with fragmented DNA, an indication of cell death, except for CW. Thus, it can be concluded that there is a potential to be explored in the C. winterianus essential oil, Citronellal, and Citronellal complexed with β-cyclodextrin. •The essential oil of Cymbopogon winterianus was analyzed by GC-MS.•Citronellal was the major compound found in C. winterianus essential oil.•Citronellal was complexed with β-cyclodextrin by physical mixture and coevaporation.•The complexation efficiency was evaluated by DSC and TG.•Anticancer potential was evaluated by MTT, wound healing and flow cytometry assays.