Chemical composition and antigenotoxic properties of Lippia alba essential oils

The present work evaluated the chemical composition and the DNA protective effect of the essential oils (EOs) from Lippia alba against bleomycin-induced genotoxicity. EO constituents were determined by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometric (GC-MS) analysis. The major compounds encountered being citral (33% geranial and 25% neral), geraniol (7%) and trans-β-caryophyllene (7%) for L. alba specimen COL512077, and carvone (38%), limonene (33%) and bicyclosesquiphellandrene (8%) for the other, COL512078. The genotoxicity and antigenotoxicity of EO and the compounds citral, carvone and limonene, were assayed using the SOS Chromotest in Escherichia coli. The EOs were not genotoxic in the SOS chromotest, but one of the major compound (limonene) showed genotoxicity at doses between 97 and 1549 mM. Both EOs protected bacterial cells against bleomycin-induced genotoxicity. Antigenotoxicity in the two L. alba chemotypes was related to the major compounds, citral and carvone, respectively. The results were discussed in relation to the chemopreventive potential of L. alba EOs and its major compounds.     

Inhibitory effect of Ocotea quixos (Lam.) Kosterm. and Piper aduncum L. essential oils from Ecuador on West Nile virus infection

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus responsible of neuroinvasive manifestations. Natural products are well-known for their biological activities and pharmaceutical application. In this study, the inhibitory effects of essential oils (EOs) of Ocotea quixos (Lam.) Kosterm. and Piper aduncum L. on WNV replication were investigated. WNV was incubated with EOs before adsorption on Vero cells, viral replication was carried out in the absence or presence of EO. Cells were exposed to EO before the adsorption of untreated-virus. GC-MS and GC-FID were used for chemical characterization of EOs. Cell protection from infection was observed for both EOs. P. aduncum EO was characterized by dillapiole as main compound (48.21%) and O. quixos EO by 1,8-cineole (39.15%). Further investigations, such as the study of molecular and cellular mechanisms of action and in vivo evaluation, should be performed on these essential oils to derive new potential drugs against WNV.     

Chemical Composition and Biological Screening of the Essential Oils of Micromeria macrosiphon and M. arganietorum (Lamiaceae)

The chemical composition and in vitro biological activities of the essential oil (EO) of Micromeria macrosiphon Coss. and M. arganietorum (J. Emb.) R. Morales, two Lamiaceae endemic to south Morocco, were investigated. GC/MS analysis resulted in the identification of 36 metabolites from the EO of M. macrosiphon, 45 from M. arganietorum. Borneol was the major metabolite in both oils and together with related derivatives such as camphor, accounted for 2/3 of the EO of M. macrosiphon, 1/3 of those of M. arganietorum. Pinene and terpinene derivatives were also present in high proportions. From a chemotaxonomic point of view, the composition of the examined samples may be related to those of other species endemic to Macaronesia. Both EOs showed significant toxicity towards liver HepG2 and melanoma B16 4A5 tumor cell lines at 100 μg/mL; however, they were also cytotoxic towards S17 normal cell lines, with a selectivity index <1. No antibacterial activity was noticed against 52 strains at 100 μg/mL.     

Novel strategies of essential oils,chitosan, and nano- chitosan for inhibition of multi-drug resistant: E. coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes

Despite the wide range of available antibiotics, food borne bacteria demonstrate a huge spectrum of resistance. The current study aims to use natural components such as essential oils (EOs), chitosan, and nano-chitosan that have very influential antibacterial properties with novel technologies like chitosan solution/film loaded with EOs against multi-drug resistant bacteria. Two strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and three strains of Listeria monocytogenes were used to estimate antibiotics resistance. Ten EOs and their mixture, chitosan, nano-chitosan, chitosan plus EO solutions, and biodegradable chitosan film enriched with EOs were tested as antibacterial agents against pathogenic bacterial strains. Results showed that E. coli O157:H7 51,659 and L. monocytogenes 19,116 relatively exhibited considerable resistance to more than one single antibiotic. Turmeric, cumin, pepper black, and marjoram did not show any inhibition zone against L. monocytogenes; Whereas, clove, thyme, cinnamon, and garlic EOs exhibited high antibacterial activity against L. monocytogenes with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 250–400 μl 100^?1 ml and against E. coli O157:H7 with an MIC of 350–500 μl 100^?1 ml, respectively. Among combinations, clove, and thyme EOs showed the highest antibacterial activity against E. coli O157:H7 with MIC of 170 μl 100^?1 ml, and the combination of cinnamon and clove EOs showed the strongest antibacterial activity against L. monocytogenes with an MIC of 120 μl 100^?1 ml. Both chitosan and nano-chitosan showed a promising potential as an antibacterial agent against pathogenic bacteria as their MICs were relatively lower against L. monocytogenes than for E. coli O157:H7. Chitosan combined with each of cinnamon, clove, and thyme oil have a more effective antibacterial activity against L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 than the mixture of oils alone. Furthermore, the use of either chitosan solution or biodegradable chitosan film loaded with a combination of clove and thyme EOs had the strongest antibacterial activity against L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7. However, chitosan film without EOs did not exhibit an inhibition zone against the tested bacterial strains.     

Essential Oils from Piper caldense C. DC. and Piper xylosteoides (Kunth) Steud.: Seasonal Variation of the Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity

The essential oils (EOs) chemical composition can be affected by several environmental factors, impacting their desired biological activities. In this sense, this work aimed to evaluate the seasonal variation of the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Piper caldense and Piper xylosteoides leaves EOs. Their chemical composition was determined by GC/MS and GC-FID analyses, resulting in the identification of eighty compounds. P. caldense EOs were mainly consisted of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, whereas in P. xylosteoides EOs, monoterpene hydrocarbons were predominant. EOs from both species strongly inhibited B. subtilis (MIC=0.25 mg mL⁻¹), while only P. caldense EOs showed strong activity against S. aureus (MIC=0.50 mg mL⁻¹). P. caldense spring EO showed the broadest spectrum of antimicrobial action amongst all samples. For each species, PCA seasonally differentiated EOs chemical composition. In addition, as expected, PCA of all samples showed a distinction between the two species. This study has successfully demonstrated the importance of evaluating the seasonal variation of EOs chemical composition and antimicrobial activity in obtaining a product with the desired properties.     

Antibacterial Potent of Acetylated and Non-Acetylated Clove Bud Essential Oils and Their Main Compounds

Clove bud is a medicinal plant used traditionally in Asia for the treatment of various disease. Previously, Clove oil is a potential source of an antimicrobial compounds especially vis-a-vis bacterial pathogens. However, the compound responsible for this activity remains to be investigated. Essential oil (EO) clove, acetylated essential oil clove, eugenol, and acetyleugenol were evaluate as an antibacterial potential agent against Staphyloccocus aureus (SE), Escherichia coli (EC) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA). Essential oil containing eugenol was extracted from buds of Eugenia caryophyllata commonly named clove (Syzygium aromaticum (L.) (Family Myrtaceae) by a simple hydrodistillation. The analysis of the essential oils (EOs) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) shows eugenol as the major constituent with 70.14 % of the total. The Eugenol was isolated from the EO using chemical treatment. Afterwards, the EO and eugenol were converted to acetylated EO and acetyleugenol, respectively using acetic anhydride. The antibacterial result revealed that all compounds showed a strong activity against the three strains. The Staphyloccocus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were extremely sensitive against eugenol with an inhibition diameters of 25 mm. The MIC values of eugenol versus S. aureus and P. aeruginosa were 0.58 and 2.32 mg/mL, respectively, while the MIB values were 2.32 mg/mL and 9.28 mg/mL.     

Essential oils from wild populations of Algerian Lavandula stoechas L.: composition, chemical variability, and in vitro biological properties

In an effort to develop local productions of aromatic and medicinal plants, a comprehensive assessment of the composition and biological activities of the essential oils (EOs) extracted from the aerial flowering parts of wild growing Lavandula stoechas L. collected from eleven different locations in northern Algeria was performed. The oils were characterized by GC‐FID and GC/MS analyses, and 121 compounds were identified, accounting for 69.88–91.2% of the total oil compositions. The eleven oils greatly differed in their compositions, since only 66 compounds were common to all oils. Major EO components were fenchone ( 2 ; 11.27–37.48%), camphor ( 3 , 1.94–21.8%), 1,8‐cineole ( 1 ; 0.16–8.71%), and viridiflorol ( 10 ; 2.89–7.38%). The assessed in vitro biological properties demonstrated that the DPPH‐based radical‐scavenging activities and the inhibition of the β‐carotene/linoleic acid‐based lipid oxidation differed by an eight‐fold factor between the most and the least active oils and were linked to different sets of molecules in the different EOs. The eleven EOs exhibited good antimicrobial activities against most of the 16 tested strains of bacteria, filamentous fungi, and yeasts, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 0.16 to 11.90 mg/ml.     

Repellent,Insecticidal and Antimicrobial Activities of Leaf Essential Oils from Three Eucalyptus Species

Developing effective and eco‐friendly antimicrobials and pesticides has become a highly important issue. The repellent, insecticidal and antimicrobial activity of essential oils (EOs) isolated by hydrodistillation from dried leaves of the three Eucalyptus species (E. cloeziana, E. umbellata and E. benthamii) were investigated. During GC/MS analysis, α‐pinene (47.36 %), 1,8‐cineol (38.53 %) and α‐pinene (35.31 %) were identified as major components of E. cloeziana, E. umbellata and E. benthamii, respectively. The EOs from E. cloeziana exhibited the longest effective protection time (465 min, at 50.0 % w/w) for humans among the EOs studied. The effective protection time was 30 min and 300 min at concentrations of 12.5 % (w/w) and 25.0 % (w/w), respectively. Fumigating insecticidal activity of EOs from three Eucalyptus species was tested by airtight fumigation in conical flask, which indicated that essential oils had a highly and rapidly insecticidal activity on Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus. The antimicrobial activity of EOs was evaluated by using disc diffusion and agar dilution methods. There was no significant difference in the antibacterial activity of EOs from E. cloeziana and E. umbellate and they had the same MICs (20 mL/L) on Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. E. benthamii had the worst microbial inhibitory effect among the three Eucalyptus essential oils and the MIC value for the test species is 40 mL/L except for Rhodotorula Harrison (10 mL/L).     

Chemical Composition of Magonia pubescens Essential Oils and Gamma-Radiation Effects on Its Constituents and Cytotoxic Activity in Leukemia and Breast Cancer Model

Magonia pubescens A. St.-Hil. is a Brazilian species often used in ethnopharmacology for wound and pain healing and seborrhea treatment. For the first time, essential oils (EOs) obtained from M. pubescens inflorescences were studied. The plant materials (Montes Claros, Brazil, 2018) were submitted to different gamma-radiation doses and their chemical compositions were analyzed by GC/MS and GC-FID. The cytotoxic activity of the EOs was evaluated against K562 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines. A total of 30 components were identified, being 24 compounds detected for the first time in M. pubescens. The main obtained components were hotrienol (35.9 %), cis-linalool oxide (17.0 %) and trans-linalool oxide (10.2 %). The chemical composition of the EO was slightly affected by the applied radiation doses. Irradiated and non-irradiated EOs showed cytotoxic activity against both cell lines and the non-irradiated EO sample was the most active against the K562 cell lines (IC₅₀=22.10±1.98).     

Chemical Composition,Antibacterial, Antioxidant and in Vitro Antidiabetic Activities of Essential Oils from Eruca vesicaria

This work describes the study of the chemical composition and bioactivity of the essential oils (EOs) of the different organs (leaves, flowers, stems and roots) from Eruca vesicaria. According to the GC and GC/MS analysis, all the EOs were dominated by erucin (4‐methylthiobutyl isothiocyanate) with a percentage ranging from 17.9 % (leaves) to 98.5 % (roots). The isolated EOs were evaluated for their antioxidant (DPPH, ABTS and β‐carotene/linoleic acid), antibacterial and inhibitory property against α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase. Most EOs exhibited an interesting α‐glucosidase and α‐amylase inhibitory potential. The roots essential oil was found to be the most active with IC₅₀ values of 0.80±0.06 and 0.11±0.01 μg mL^?1, respectively. The essential oil of roots exhibited the highest antioxidant activity (DPPH, PI=92.76±0.01 %; ABTS, PI=78.87±0.19; and β‐carotene, PI=56.1±0.01 %). The isolated oils were also tested for their antibacterial activity against two Gram‐positive and three Gram‐negative bacteria. Moderate results have been noted by comparison with Gentamicin used as positive control.     

Chemodiversity Associated with Cytotoxicity and Antimicrobial Activity of Piper aduncum var. ossanum

Chemical analysis, antimicrobial activity and cytotoxic effects of essential oils (EOs) from leaves of Piper aduncum var. ossanum from two localities Bauta (EO‐B) and Ceiba (EO‐C), Artemisa Province, Cuba, were determined. EOs were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. EO‐B demonstrated higher activity against S. aureus and L. amazonensis; while a lower cytotoxicity on mammalian cells was observed. Both EOs displayed the same activity against Plasmodium falciparum, Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei, and Leishmania infantum. Both EOs were inactive against Escherichia coli and Candida albicans.     

Chemical Composition and Activity of Essential Oils of Carissa macrocarpa (Eckl.) A.DC. Cultivated in Tunisia and Its Anatomical Features

This is the first study investigating the chemical composition of essential oils (EOs) isolated from different tissues of Carissa macrocarpa (Eckl .) A.DC., their antimicrobial activity and the anatomical characters of the aerial organs and the fruits. The main EO components were pentadecanal and tetradecan‐1‐ol (31.9 and 16.5% in fresh leaf EO, respectively), (E)‐nerolidol and caryophyllene oxide (27.3 and 15.0% in fruit EO, respectively), linalool and hexahydrofarnesyl acetone (30.9 and 24.9% in stem EO, respectively), benzyl benzoate (24.3% in flower EO). The fruit EO was more active against Candida albicans (MIC = 0.46 mg/mL) compared to the reference antibiotic (17.66 mg/mL). Furthermore, at this concentration it inhibited all the Gram‐positive bacteria. Concerning the anatomical features, it is noteworthy to mention the presence of a large cluster of calcium oxalate crystals inside some parenchymatous cells. Large ducts corresponding to non articulated laticifers were identified in the cortex of leaf, stem and fruit pericarp. The laticifers categories and their distribution are taxonomically important to discriminate this species from others acclimated in different countries. Considering the obtained results, EOs of C. macrocarpa can be a good source of antimicrobial compounds, contributing to solve the problem of microbial resistance to antibiotics.     

In Vitro Trypanocidal and Antibacterial Activities of Essential Oils from Four Species of the Family Annonaceae

The objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition, and the trypanocidal and antibacterial activities of the essential oils from four species of Annonaceae: Bocageopsis multiflora (Mart .) R.E.Fr ., Duguetia quitarensis Benth ., Fusaea longifolia (Aubl. ) Saff ., and Guatteria punctata (Aubl .) R.A.Howard . The chemical composition of the essential oils from the aerial parts yielded 23, 20, 21 and 23 constituents, respectively, which were identified by GC/MS. The trypanocidal activity was evaluated against the amastigote and trypomastigote forms of T. cruzi. The antibacterial activity was evaluated by the microdilution method against enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus pyogenes, and methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The results of trypanocidal activity showed that the essential oils of the four species were active at the tested concentrations, with G. punctata essential oil being the most active, with IC₅₀=0.029 μg/mL, and selectivity index (SI)=32, being 34 times more active than the reference drug benznidazole. All EOs showed strong antibacterial activity (minimum inhibitory concentrations of 4.68–37.5 μg/mL) against strains of S. mutans.     

Chemical Constituent,Antimicrobial Activity,and Synergistic Effect of the Stem,Leaf, and Flower Essential Oil of the Artemisia fragrans Willd. from Khoy

Artemisia fragrans is commonly used as a folk medicine as antispasmodic, anti-pyretic, anti-inflammatory, and abortifacient agents. The villagers use its pungent odor to repel rodents, mites, and pests, as well as its essential oil and smoke after burning to treat lung infections after uprooting the plant. Herein, we extracted the essential oils (EOs) of different parts of the plant and analyzed their chemical compositions and antibacterial activities. The chemical analysis led to the identification of 73, 59, and 57 compounds in the EOs of the stem, leaf, and flower, respectively. All of the EOs exhibited antibacterial activities against both G+ and G− bacteria. The EOs of the leaf and flower were more effective against tested bacteria, except B. anthracis and P. aeruginosa, compared to that of the stem. The binary combination of the EOs (stem and flower) or (stem and leaf) showed a synergistic effect. Statistical analysis indicated EOs of leaf and flower are more potent than that of the stem. These findings suggest the application of leaf and flower of the plant, which not only can prevent its uprooting but also ensure better therapeutic function.     

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Cymbopogon citratus and Cymbopogon giganteus essential oils alone and in combination

As part of ongoing research on the chemical composition and the antimicrobial properties of Burkinabe plants essential oils alone and in combination, essential oils (EOs) from leaves of Cymbopogon citratus and Cymbopogon giganteus from Burkina Faso were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Five constituents, which accounted for 96.3% of the oil, were identified in the EO of C. citratus. Geranial (48.1%), neral (34.6%) and myrcene (11.0%) were the major constituents. For C. giganteus a total of eight compounds were identified which represented 86.0% of the oils extracted. The dominant compounds were limonene (42%) and a set of monoterpene alcohols: trans-p-mentha-1(7),8-dien-2-ol (14.2%), cis-p-mentha-1(7),8-dien-2-ol (12%), trans-p-mentha-2,8-dien-1-ol (5.6%) and cis-p-mentha-2,8-dien-1-ol (5.2%). The EOs were tested against nine bacteria by using disc diffusion and microdilution methods. C. giganteus EO showed antimicrobial effects against all microorganisms tested whereas C. citratus EO failed to inhibit Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antimicrobial activity of combinations of the two EOs was quantified by the checkerboard method. Combinations of the two EOs exerted synergistic, additive and indifferent antimicrobial effects. Results of the present investigation provide evidence that the combinations of plant EOs could be assessed for synergistic activity in order to reduce their minimum effective dose.     

Interference of Seasonal Variation on the Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activities of the Essential Oils from the Leaves of Iryanthera polyneura in the Amazon Rain Forest

The essential oils (EOs) obtained from the leaves of Iryanthera polyneura Ducke trees was chemically Assessed and tested for the ability of inhibiting the growth of Candida albicans, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans and S. sanguinis. The oil was also tested against breast (MCF‐7) and prostate (PC‐3) cancer cell lines. Minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) and 50 % inhibition concentrations (IC₅₀) values were obtained. EOs were active against Gram‐positive bacteria. Spathulenol, α‐cadinol and τ‐muurolol were major components of EOs. The oils showed a higher cytotoxicity against PC‐3 than MCF‐7 cells, although the oils were active against both cell types. Oils obtained from leaves collected in the dry season were more active against E. faecalis, S. aureus and PC‐3, while the oils obtained from leaves collected in the rainy season were more active against S. mutans, S. sanguinis and MCF‐7. The antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of the essential oils from the leaves of I. polyneura are related to the seasonal climate variation and are influenced by compounds that are minor components of the oils.     

Chemical composition and biological activities of essential oils of Salvia officinalis aerial parts as affected by diurnal variations

The main objective of this work is to evaluate the impact of the diurnal variation on the essential oil (EO) of Salvia officinalis and on their antioxidant, antifungal and insecticidal potentials. Obtained results showed that the chemical composition of EOs of sage varied significantly during the day. For the EO, the 7 am extract was characterized by the most significant antiradical activity. The EOs of 12 and 5 pm used at a dose of 10 μL were found to have the most effective potential to inhibit the growth of Botrytis cinerea whereas, the EO of 5 pm used at the same dose (10 μL) was the most effective against Fusarium sambucinum. For the fumigant test, the EO from 7 am had the highest activity against Spodoptera littoralis. The EO of 12 pm had the largest repellency activity against Trogoderma granarium. In addition, the EO from 7 am belongs to the repulsive class III, those of 12 and 5 pm belong to the repulsive class IV. The results of this study indicate how to optimize the best harvesting hour to obtain extracts characterized by the best yield of active compounds and by the more effective biological activity.     

Inhibitory efficacy of different essential oils against storage carrot rot with antifungal and resistance‐inducing potential

The inhibitory effects of essential oils (EOs) derived from coriander, lavender, geranium, thyme, savoury and eucalyptus were assessed against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, the causal agent of carrot white mould. All EOs showed antifungal activity against the pathogen in vitro and in vivo. In addition, all EOs markedly increased 6‐methoxymellein in the treated carrots. The EOs of thyme and savoury were found to be more effective than other tested EOs. The enzymatic tests showed that thyme and savoury EOs were more able than lavender EO to significantly increase the level of chitinases, peroxidases, β‐1,3‐glucanases, polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase in the treated carrots, indicating that the EOs of thyme and savoury have potential to be considered as effective inducers of resistance against carrot white mould. In this study, all EOs inhibited myceliogenic and carpogenic germination of sclerotia at concentrations 1 and 10 µl/ml sterile distilled water, respectively. After gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, major component in the thyme EO was found to be thymol (39.15%) followed by p‐cymene (13.85%) and carvacrol (10.36%), while in savoury EO were carvacrol (41.9%), γ‐terpinene (17.38) and p‐cymene (11.25%).     

Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Mexican oregano essential oils (Lippia graveolens H. B. K.) with different composition when microencapsulated inβ‐cyclodextrin

Aims: To study how the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Lippia graveolens essential oils with different composition are affected after the microencapsulation process with β‐cyclodextrin (βCD). Methods and results: Three Mexican oregano essential oils (EOs) with different carvacrol/thymol/p‐cymene ratios (38 : 3 : 32, 23 : 2 : 42, 7 : 19 : 35) were used in this study. Microencapsulation was carried out by spray‐drying. Antimicrobial activities were measured as MBC (minimal bactericidal concentration) using 0·05%/0·10%/0·20% (w/v) dilutions of EOs against Escherichia coli ATCC 11229, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538. Antioxidant activities were determined by the 2,2′‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazil (DPPH) method. EOs showed antimicrobial and antioxidant activity, but microencapsulation preserved the antimicrobial activity in all cases and increased the antioxidant activity from four‐ to eightfold. Conclusions: Although the Lippia essential oils were from the same species, their composition affects the biological activities before and after the microencapsulation process, as well as encapsulation efficiency. Our study supports the fact that microencapsulation of EOs in β‐cyclodextrin preserves the antimicrobial activity, improves the antioxidant activity and acts as a protection for EOs main compounds. Significance and Impact of the Study: Microencapsulation affects positively EOs main compounds, improves antioxidant activity and retains antimicrobial activity, enhancing the quality of the oils.     

Anti-Inflammatory Properties and Chemical Characterization of the Essential Oils of Four Citrus Species

Citrus fruits have potential health-promoting properties and their essential oils have long been used in several applications. Due to biological effects described to some citrus species in this study our objectives were to analyze and compare the phytochemical composition and evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of essential oils (EO) obtained from four different Citrus species. Mice were treated with EO obtained from C. limon, C. latifolia, C. aurantifolia or C. limonia (10 to 100 mg/kg, p.o.) and their anti-inflammatory effects were evaluated in chemical induced inflammation (formalin-induced licking response) and carrageenan-induced inflammation in the subcutaneous air pouch model. A possible antinociceptive effect was evaluated in the hot plate model. Phytochemical analyses indicated the presence of geranial, limonene, γ-terpinene and others. EOs from C. limon, C. aurantifolia and C. limonia exhibited anti-inflammatory effects by reducing cell migration, cytokine production and protein extravasation induced by carrageenan. These effects were also obtained with similar amounts of pure limonene. It was also observed that C. aurantifolia induced myelotoxicity in mice. Anti-inflammatory effect of C. limon and C. limonia is probably due to their large quantities of limonene, while the myelotoxicity observed with C. aurantifolia is most likely due to the high concentration of citral. Our results indicate that these EOs from C. limon, C. aurantifolia and C. limonia have a significant anti-inflammatory effect; however, care should be taken with C. aurantifolia.