Identification and In Vitro Cytotoxic Evaluation of (E)-Nerolidol From Piper mollicomum Kunth Essential Oil in Breast and Lung Cancer Cell Lines.

Piper mollicomum Kunth., a plant traditionally used in rural Brazilian communities since the colonial period, shows promising potential for cancer treatment. This study investigated the phytochemical composition and cytotoxic activity of ethanolic, dichloromethane extracts, and essential oil from the plant's leaves. Chemical analyses, including phytochemical screening, UPLC, and GC-MS, were performed. Cytotoxicity was then assessed using the Sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay on MDA-MB-231 (breast) and A549 (lung) cancer cell lines. The dichloromethane extract showed the strongest cytotoxicity, with IC50 values of 24.95 and 28.57 µg/mL, respectively. The essential oil exhibited even greater activity (IC50 = 3.57 µg/mL), with (E)-nerolidol identified as its major component (up to 78.04% in dried leaves). (E)-nerolidol also showed cytotoxicity (IC50 = 9.04 µM). These findings highlight the potential of P. mollicomum, particularly its essential oil, as a natural source of cytotoxic compounds for breast and lung cancer treatment, reinforcing its ethnopharmacological relevance.