Anti-Inflammatory and Antifungal Activities of Wood Essential Oil from Juniperus morrisonicola Hayata

This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of the wood essential oil from Juniperus morrisonicola Hayata (Jm-EO), an endemic conifer in Taiwan. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed a sesquiterpenoid-rich profile, with cedrol, widdrol, and thujopsen comprising over 55% of the total essential oil content. Jm-EO exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity in vitro, notably inhibiting nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages (IC₅₀ = 12.9 μg/mL). Among the major constituents, widdrol demonstrated the most potent anti-inflammatory activity (IC₅₀ = 24.7 μM), followed by thujopsene and cedrol, representing the first report of widdrol's anti-inflammatory activity. Jm-EO also showed cytotoxic effects against HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells (IC₅₀ = 41.5 μg/mL at 48 h) and achieved complete inhibition of Laetiporus sulphureus at 100 ppm. These findings suggest that Jm-EO is a promising natural resource with potential applications in anti-inflammatory drug development and as an eco-friendly wood preservative.