GC-MS Analysis, Thermal Characterization and Biomedical Applications of Essential Oil from Cymbopogon martinii: In vitro Approach

Background: Plant derived metabolites have served as the foundation of sophisticated systems in traditional medicine that have existed for hundreds of years and continue to supply mankind with novel treatments. Owing to its antibacterial characteristics, Gingergrass (Cymbopogon martinii) has been utilized in aromatherapy as a skin tonic. It's also been employed in Ayurvedic medicine to treat skin conditions and nerve discomfort. It helps with neuralgia, epilepsy, and anorexia, among other central nervous system disorders. Geraniol, the main constituent of Cymbopogon martinii essential oil, has numerous biological properties, including antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities, and may constitute a new class of therapeutic medicines against pancreatic and colon malignancies. In this study, an attempt was made to explore the physiochemical and bioactive properties of Cymbopogon martinii Essential oil to understand the chemical composition and thermal stability of the oil along with its efficacy against biological agents. The hydro-distillation method was used to extract the Gingergrass (Cymbopogon martinii) Essential oil and its chemical composition as well as Thermal characteristics was determined. The essential oil's potential to scavenge free radicals was evaluated, as well as its anti-inflammatory effect was determined. The essential oil's antibacterial potential was tested against a variety of drug-resistant microorganisms, while its antimalarial efficacy was investigated against Plasmodium falciparum. In addition, the EO was tested against Hela and CHO cell lines for anticancer and cytotoxic activities, respectively.

Results: The GC-MS Analysis of the essential oil characterized 10 major compounds which included different classes of alcohols, esters, ketones, monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Thermogravimetric and differential calorimetric analysis revealed that the oil showed a stable thermograph when exposed to constant increasing temperatures. The essential oil exhibited promising antimicrobial and antimalarial activity against the drug-resistant pathogens. Further, moderate free radical scavenging activity was observed during DPPH Assay. The essential oil also showed reliable anti-inflammatory, anticancer and cytotoxic activity.

Conclusion: According to the research, Cymbopogon martinii essential oil has a number of medicinal benefits and can be used as a therapeutic agent to address a range of health issues.