Abstract
Leaf volatile components of Bursera simaruba (L.) Sarg., a native tree from tropical America used in traditional medicine, were extracted by hydrodistillation. The essential oil was analyzed by GC-MS. We have identified 38 compounds in this oil, of which limonene (46.7%), β-caryophyllene (14.7%), α-humulene (13.2%) and germacrene D (7.6%) are the major components. The anticancer activity of the essential oil was tested on human lung carcinoma cell line A-549 and human colon adenocarcinoma cell line, DLD-1. B. simaruba leaf essential oil was found to be active against both tumor cell lines, with a GI50 of 42 ± 2 μg/mL for A-549 and 48 ± 2 μg/mL for DLD-1. The evaluation of the cytotoxic properties of the major constituents of the oil indicates that α-humulene is possibly responsible for this activity.