Investigating the anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties of the extract and essential oil of Dracocephalum multicaule and Satureja isophylla

Yaghoubi, Hashem; Rostamzadeh Mansour, Somayyeh; Baezzat, Negar

doi:10.22034/cmr.2026.8669.3330

Investigating the anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties of the extract and essential oil of Dracocephalum multicaule and Satureja isophylla

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

hashem yaghoubi ¹

somayyeh Rostamzadeh Mansour ²

Negar Baezzat ³

¹ DEPARTEMENT

² Department of chemistry, Ard.C., Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran

³ Department of Biology, Ard.C., Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran

10.22034/cmr.2026.8669.3330

Abstract

Medicinal plants are vital resources in combating antibiotic resistance and developing new anticancer treatments. This research evaluated the antibacterial, antioxidant, and anticancer potential of extracts and essential oils from Dracocephalum multicaule (Dm) and Satureja isophylla (Si). Antibacterial assays against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus revealed that Dm essential oil (100 µL/mL) produced the largest inhibition zone (15.2 mm) against S. aureus. In contrast, Si aqueous extract (100 µg/mL) showed a 12.8 mm zone against the same bacterium. MIC/MBC results indicated that Dm extract had no effect on E. coli even at 120 mg/mL, while its essential oil inhibited both bacteria at 100 µL/mL. Similarly, Si essential oil (MICs: 120 µL/mL for E. coli, 100 µL/mL for S. aureus) outperformed its corresponding extract. In anticancer evaluation using the MTT assay on AGS gastric adenocarcinoma cells, Dm essential oil significantly reduced cell viability, with an IC₅₀ of 85 µg/mL after 48 hours. The DPPH antioxidant test identified Si essential oil as the most potent (EC₅₀: 32 µg/mL), followed by Dm aqueous extract (EC₅₀: 65 µg/mL). Overall, the essential oils of both plants demonstrated stronger bioactivity than their extracts. Dm essential oil exhibited notable antibacterial and anticancer effects, whereas Si essential oil showed exceptional antioxidant capacity. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of these plant-derived compounds for future drug development.

Keywords

AGS cell lines

Disk diffusion

MBC

MIC

and S. aureus

Subjects