Comparative GC-MS profiling and selective cytotoxicity of lipophilic extracts from Malaysian Garcinia species

Garcinia (Clusiaceae) is widely used in traditional medicine and is a rich source of bioactive compounds with diverse pharmacological properties. In this study, lipophilic extracts from the leaves and twigs of Garcinia atroviridis (GAL and GAT), Garcinia celebica (GCL and GCT), and Garcinia gummi-gutta (GGL and GGT) were investigated for their phytochemical composition and cytotoxic activity. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed that the extracts were rich in triterpenoids, steroids, tocopherols, and lipids. In vitro MTT assay demonstrated that cytotoxic effects at 48 h against MCF-7 and HeLa cells, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 5.25 to 145.50 μg/mL and 8.48 to 103.91 μg/mL, respectively, depending on plant species and parts used. Notably, GGL exhibited the highest selective cytotoxicity (SI = 3.82) against HeLa cells, with Hs27 fibroblasts as the normal cells. These findings provide valuable information on the bioactive compounds of Garcinia species and support further pharmacological investigations.