This study investigated the chemical composition (by using gas chromatography/flame ionization detection and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, an antioxidant [1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl] [DPPH] radical–scavenging assay, and a 2,2′-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate [ABTS] radical cation–scavenging assay) and the antimalarial and cytotoxic activities of essential oil extracted from leaves of Melaleuca armillaris. Thirty-two components representing more than 98% of the total composition of the essential oil were identified. The main components were 1,8-cineole (85.8%), camphene (5.05%), and α-pinene (1.95%). The antioxidant activity by ABTS assay showed a mean (±standard deviation) 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 247.3±3.9 mg/L, and the DPPH assay yielded an IC50 value of 2183.6±44.3 mg/L. The antimalarial study indicated that the essential oil had mild activity against the chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum FcB1 strain (IC50, 27±2 mg/L). The cytotoxic activity of this essential oil was tested against MCF7 human breast cancer cells and was found to be high (IC50, 12±1 mg/L).
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