1. Introduction
Citrus species, part of the Rutaceae family, are globally renowned for their popular fruits and diverse health benefits. Among them, sweet oranges (
Citrus sinensis) play a significant role, constituting approximately 70% of the world's citrus production and consumption. Alongside sweet oranges, other widely cultivated and consumed
Citrus species include tangerines or mandarins (
Citrus reticulata), grapefruits (
Citrus vitis), limes (
Citrus aurantifolia), and lemons (
Citrus limon) [
1].
Indonesia has a substantial
Citrus production of approximately 2.6 million tons per year, encompassing 255 different varieties, including sweet (
C. sinensis), mandarin (
C. reticulata), sour (
C. aurantium), pomelo oranges (
C. maxima), tangerines (
C. nobilis), lemons, limes, etc [
2,
3].
Citrus, beyond its application as a condiment, is utilized in sweet delicacies in European nations, enhancing dishes such as pan-seared chicken with orange-brandy sauce or pork tenderloin with blood oranges [
4]. Notably,
C. limon and
C. hystrix are extensively used as spices in Asian countries due to their distinctive scents and natural oils [
5,
6].
Citrus essential oils (EOs), obtained through hydro distillation of citrus peels, are rich sources of bioactive compounds with applications in the pharmaceutical and food industries [
7]. Comprising a complex mixture of aldehydes, esters, alcohols, ketones, acids, monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenes [
8], these EOs exhibit diverse biological activities, including antibacterial, antiviral, fungicidal, and antioxidant properties [
9,
10]. Beyond their antimicrobial effects, Citrus EOs also serve a crucial role as antioxidative agents, protecting organisms and tissues from damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) [
11].
Previous studies have unveiled the phytochemical makeup of essential oils (EOs) derived from
Citrus species. Among these components, the pivotal active compound found in
Citrus EOs is D-limonene. However, its concentration significantly fluctuates across
Citrus species, spanning from 34.2% to 81.9% of the total compounds. Lemon essential oil exhibits stronger antioxidant activity, as assessed by ABTS and DPPH free radicals, compared to other
Citrus EOs [
12]. The major components of this EO are Limonene (67.1%), α-terpinene (8.0%), and α-pinene (11.0%) [
13]. In another study,
C. limon EO also demonstrated significant inhibition in the growth of
Solanum lycopersicum and
Lepidium sativum germinating seeds at a level of 100 µg/mL in comparison with
C. myrtifolia and
C. bergamia EOs [
14]. Additionally, this EO was reported to exhibit moderate toxicity in animal gavage with 500 and 100 mg/kg doses at the sub-chronic stage [
15].
Nevertheless, the precise phytochemical constituents responsible for the biological properties of Citrus EOs, especially across diverse Citrus species in Indonesia, remain unknown. This study aims to determine these associations by examining the chemical composition of EOs and their corresponding antioxidant, allelopathic, and cytotoxic characteristics, utilizing principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The significance of this study extends beyond uncovering the therapeutic potential inherent in Citrus EOs; it also delves into exploring their promising applications across agricultural, medicinal, and interdisciplinary domains.
4. Discussion
In the current study, we evaluated the antioxidant, plant inhibitory, and cytotoxic properties of three distinct Citrus essential oils (EOs) originating from Indonesia as well as their phytochemical components. Utilizing chemometric techniques, Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), we discriminated between EO samples to elucidate their proximity concerning antioxidant activity concerning their phytochemical compositions.
In terms of antioxidant properties, the EO from
C. limon exhibited the highest potency at 66.11% DPPH scavenging activity, surpassing the activity levels of
C. sinensis and
C. hytrix EOs, which recorded values of 36.50% and 4.08%, respectively. This result was similarly reflected in the total flavonoid contents of the EO samples, with
C. limon EO showing the highest concentration at 30.56 mg QE/g extract. These observations might be attributed to the notably elevated concentration of antioxidative agents in
C. limon EO such as D-limonene compared to the other samples. This result aligned with prior studies that identified D-limonene as the predominant constituent in
C. limon peel [25; 26] and leaf EO [27;28]. Notably, D-Limonene stands out as the primary volatile compound in lemon essential oil, at levels usually ranging between 70 and 48% [
30]. Subsequent investigations have elucidated the diverse antioxidant properties of D-limonene through in vitro assays, including DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, iron chelating, hydroxyl radical scavenging, and superoxide radical scavenging assays, showcasing its efficacy in reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) through varied mechanisms. Additionally, in vivo assessments have revealed that D-limonene enhances antioxidant levels and augments the protein expression of inducible cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and in nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) UC rats [
31].
In terms of plant growth inhibition, the
C. hystrix EO demonstrated the strongest inhibitory activity. Prior research has shown that a methanol extract derived from
C. hystrix, at a concentration of 10 mg/ml, effectively inhibited the germination of lettuce seeds and impeded the growth of their roots. This finding suggests the potential use of the extract as a bioherbicide in the future for weed management [
32]. In this study, the main phytochemical compounds
C. hystrix EO were Ethyl 2-(5-methyl-5-vinyltetrahydrofuran-2-yl) propan-2-yl carbonate (7.02%) and Isopulegol (15.95%). The scientific literature documents the phytotoxic activity of EOs, which manifest in varying degrees of inhibition on seed germination and radical elongation. This activity appears to be caused by monoterpenes, specifically oxygenated compounds, especially ketones, alcohols, aldehydes, and phenols [
33].
Furthermore, in the field of cytotoxicity assays, which evaluates the capacity of cytotoxic substances to induce cellular harm or cell mortality, the essential oil derived from
C. hystrix exhibited a greater mortality rate in comparison to other citrus oils. This higher cytotoxicity aligns with prior studies that showed
C. hystrix EO had cytotoxic activity on
Artemia salina and demonstrated a greater cytotoxicity effect on different cell lines including human cervix carcinoma (HeLa), murine melanoma (B16F10), and human lung fibroblast (MRC-5) [
34]. Moreover, the current investigation demonstrates that the essential oil of
C. hystrix possessed a notably elevated level of Isopulegol (15.95%). Isopulegol is a monoterpene found in different plant species that have been scientifically proven to possess pharmacological properties [
35].
In the realm of biological activity, citrus EOs have demonstrated inhibitory effects against several microorganisms. For instance, the EO from
C. limon has been shown to inhibit bacteria including
Lactobacillus plantarum,
Lactobacillus mesenteroides, and
Escherichia coli [
36]. Similarly,
C. sinensis EO exhibits inhibitory activity against Gram-positive bacteria like
Staphylococcus aureus,
Lactobacillus monocytogenes, and
Enterococcus faecium along with some Gram-negative bacteria including
Salmonella enteritidis and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa [
37]. Furthermore,
C. hystrix EO, has demonstrated inhibitory effect against various bacteria such as
Staphylococcus aureus,
Enterococcus faecalis,
Escherichia coli,
Staphylococcus epidermidis, and
Proteus vulgaris [
38]. The observed inhibitory effects of Citrus EOs against these bacteria are attributed to specific volatile components such as D-limonene and isopulegol, which are believed to contribute significantly to their antimicrobial properties [
39,
40].
The present study found the isopulegol and ethyl 2-(5-methyl-5-vinyltetrahydrofuran-2-yl) propan-2-yl carbonate as the major component present in
C. hystrix EO. In contrast, a previous study reported different major compounds in the Citrus peel EO are sabinene, β-pinene, citronellal, limonene, terpinen-4-ol, and α-pinene [
41]. Limonene was identified as the predominant constituent in nearly all Citrus peel EO samples, except
C. hystrix and
C. micrantha EOs, which were dominated by β-pinene. The most abundant compounds were monoterpenes, followed by sesquiterpenes and ester. According to another study, the kaffir lime peel EO has three primary chemical components: D-limonene (17.10%), 3-carene (13.77%), and γ-terpinene (12.56%). All three chemicals belong to the monoterpene hydrocarbon group and are characterized by the presence of double bonds, which are known as alkenes [
42].
The variations in the primary chemical constituents of essential oils between the current findings and previous studies can be attributed to disparities in the geographical regions where the plants are cultivated, resulting in distinct chemical compositions. The chemical composition of essential oils within a plant is determined by various factors including the plant species, climate, geographical location, season, soil composition, extraction technique, and the specific plant portion used for oil extraction. These variations highlight the importance of considering multiple factors when studying and comparing essential oil compositions from different sources [
43].
To understand the relation of antioxidant and phytochemical components of
Citrus EOs as well as closeness among samples, principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchy cluster analysis were employed. PCA and HCA analyses successfully discriminated EO samples into two groups, namely EO with high and low antioxidant activity. EOs of
C. limon and
C. sinensis were clustered in the same place showing the closeness of both samples. However,
C. hystrix EO was put in a different cluster meaning the different properties of this sample to
C. limon and
C. sinensis EOs. PCA and HCA were widely used to discriminate many samples based on their similarity, for example, to cluster EO of
Juniperus rigida [
44] and
Foeniculum vulgare [
45]. In line with the previous study, the present study highlights the power of chemometric analysis to classify and cluster as well as to determine the relationship among observed variables.
5. Conclusions
In the present study, EOs extracted from the peels of three distinct Citrus species from Indonesia, namely C. sinensis, C. limon, and C. hystrix, underwent evaluation for their antioxidant potential, plant inhibitory effects, and lethality properties against brine shrimp. We employed Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) and Particle Component Analysis (PCA) to gauge the proximity of these samples concerning their antioxidant activity. Among the EOs tested, C. limon EO exhibited the most robust antioxidant activity against the DPPH free radical, while C. sinensis EO demonstrated the highest inhibitory effect on the growth of L. sativa, a vegetable plant. GC-MS analysis unveiled D-limonene as the predominant component in C. limon and C. sinensis EOs, constituting 36.41% and 27.86%, respectively. Meanwhile, C. hystrix EO featured Isopulegol as the major volatile compound, accounting for 15.95% of its composition. PCA and HCA analyses effectively classified the Citrus EO samples into two distinct categories. Specifically, C. limon and C. sinensis were grouped together as samples with high antioxidant activity, whereas C. hystrix EO exhibited lower activity. The clustering in HCA highlighted the proximity between C. limon and C. sinensis EOs. This study underscores the potent antioxidant, plant inhibitory, and brine shrimp cytotoxic effects exhibited by Citrus species EOs, suggesting their potential as sources for natural antioxidatives, herbicidal agents, and pharmaceutical substances. However, further elucidation is necessary to ascertain the specific volatile components responsible for these observed biological activities.