Margotia gummifera essential oil as a source of anti-inflammatory drugs

• Important anti-inflammatory activity of Margotia gummifera oil and its major compounds.
• Significant NO scavenging potential of M. gummifera oil, myrcene and sabinene.
• Safety profile for a potential oral and topical application or a use by inhalation.
• M. gummifera oil for the development of nutraceuticals and/or plant-based medicines.

As part of our ongoing study on the valorization of aromatic plants, the present study was designed to elucidate the composition, scavenging potential, anti-inflammatory activity and cytotoxicity of Margotia gummifera essential oils.Umbels were submitted to hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus and the oils were analyzed by GC and GC–MS. For the anti-inflammatory activity, an in vitro model of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages was used and the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production was quantified through the Griess reagent, in the presence of the essential oil or its main compounds. NO scavenging potential was assessed using an NO donor and the cytotoxicity was evaluated on macrophages, keratinocytes and alveolar epithelial cells.The oils were characterized by high contents of monoterpene hydrocarbons, being the major compounds myrcene (20.4–23.0%) and sabinene (21.0–23.5%). The oil, myrcene and sabinene significantly inhibited NO production without affecting cell viability and showed a very effective NO scavenging potential, sabinene being the most active compound.These results suggest that M. gummifera essential oil, sabinene and myrcene should be explored as a natural source of new antioxidant and anti-inflammatory drugs for the development of food supplements, nutraceuticals or plant-based medicines.