Antibacterial, Antiparasitic, and Cytotoxic Activities of Chemical Characterized Essential Oil of Chrysopogon zizanioides Roots

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition as well as the antibacterial, antiparasitic, and cytotoxic potentialities of the Brazilian <i>Chrysopogon zizanioides</i> root essential oil (CZ-EO) In addition, CZ-EO cytotoxicity to LLCMK₂ adherent epithelial cells was assessed. The major compounds identified in CZ-EO were khusimol (30.0 ± 0.3%), β-eudesmol (10.8 ± 0.3%), α-muurolene (6.0 ± 0.1%), and patchouli alcohol (5.6 ± 0.2%). CZ-EO displayed optimal antibacterial activity against <i>Prevotella nigrescens</i>, <i>Fusobacterium nucleatum</i>, <i>Prevotella melaninogenica</i>, and <i>Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans</i>, with Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values between 22 and 62.5 µg/mL and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) values between 22 and 400 µg/mL. CZ-EO was highly active against the <i>L. amazonensis</i> promastigote and amastigote forms (IC₅₀ = 7.20 and 16.21 µg/mL, respectively) and the <i>T. cruzi</i> trypomastigote form (IC₅₀ = 11.2 µg/mL). Moreover, CZ-EO showed moderate cytotoxicity to LLCMK₂ cells, with CC₅₀ = 565.4 µg/mL. These results revealed an interesting in vitro selectivity of CZ-EO toward the <i>L. amazonensis</i> promastigote and amastigote forms (Selectivity Index, SI = 78.5 and 34.8, respectively) and the <i>T. cruzi</i> trypomastigote form (SI = 50.5) compared to LLCMK₂ cells. These results showed the promising potential of CZ-EO for developing new antimicrobial, antileishmanial, and antitrypanosomal drugs.