CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, ANTIMICROBIAL, ANTIOXIDANT AND CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITIES OF EUCALYPTUS CHAPMANIANA GROWN IN IRAQ

The chemical composition of the essential oils extracted from immature flowers, leaves and seeds of Eucalyptus chapmaniana grown in Iraq were analyzed for the first time by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Twenty-four different compounds were identified and the predominant compound is eucalyptol, which accounted for 59.9, 55.6 and 8.6% of total compounds, respectively. To asses the possible therapeutic uses of the extracts, their antioxidant properties were assessed via DPPH free radical scavenging. The extracts showed significant antioxidant and antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus volgaris, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. The cytoxicity of flower extract against the Human Leukemia (HL-60) cells was evaluated and the extracts significantly reduced the viability of HL-60 cells in a dose- and time-dependent response relationship. The results indicated that essential oils from immature flowers are highly cytotoxic to HL-60 cells and that their antitumor potential was confirmed.