Antioxidant, antiacetylcholinesterase and apoptotic effects of essential oil of Isodon wightii (Bentham) H. Hara

Isodon wightii (Bentham) H. Hara is well known for aromatic essential oil. This is the first study aimed to evaluate antioxidant, antiacetylcholinesterase and apoptotic potential of I. wightii oil. DPPH scavenging, metal ion chelation and antiacetylcholinesterase activities were carried out for the extracted essential oil from the leaves of I. wightii. Cytotoxic effect on HeLa cells was studied by MTT assay and its apoptotic potential was determined by Acridine Orange/Ethidium Bromide and Hoechst33258 stains. A significant free radical scavenging and metal ion chelation were determined for oil. Acetylcholinesterase inhibition was recorded with IC50 value of 7.864 µg/mL. The cytotoxic effect of oil on HeLa cells was calculated with IC50 value of 13.264 µg/mL. High level of apoptosed cells were observed at 100 µg/mL oil treated cells. The results of the study emphasise the medicinal importance of I. wightii essential oil which could be a prominent plant based cancer therapeutic agent.