Preliminary investigation of the volatile composition and biological activities of the ethanolic extract from the roots of globba pendula roxb

This study conducted a preliminary survey of the chemical composition and biological activities of the ethanol extract from the roots of Globba pendula (G. pendula) Roxb. collected in Vung Tau, Vietnam. Chemical profiling was performed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and UV-Vis spectrophotometry for quantification of total flavonoids and total phenolics. Biological activities were evaluated by the DPPH free radical scavenging assay for antioxidant potential, and the MTT assay for in vitro cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines HepG2, A549 and MCF-7. Results: The crude extract contained a total phenolic content of 21,6 (mg GAE/g of extract) and a total flavonoid content of 1,8 (mg QE/g of extract). GC-MS analysis identified 3-Hexen-2-one as the main volatile compound in all extracts (ranging from 30.87% to 47.50%). The extract showed promising antioxidant activity with an IC50 = 25,24 ± 8,293 mg/mL. However, the cytotoxic activity was weak or inactive across the tested concentrations. Specifically, the 96% ethanol extract (NM96) showed weak activity (IC50 > 150 mg/mL) compared to Ellipticine, while the 50% and 70% extracts were inactive (IC50 > 256 mg/mL).