Investigation of biological activities and bioactive compounds of Rhynchostegium megapolitanum collected from Aydın, Türkiye

Abstract

This study examines the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties of methanol, chloroform, and n-hexane extracts from Rhynchostegium megapolitanum, a moss species collected in Aydın, Türkiye. Total phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin contents were quantified. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH and ABTS assays, yielding 76.0%, 71.4% and 7.93% DPPH and 59.1%, 21.3% and 4.44% ABTS radical scavenging activities for methanol, chloroform and hexane extracts, respectively. Antimicrobial activity was tested against 17 bacteria and 4 yeasts, showing significant efficacy, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria. Methanol extracts of R. megapolitanum exhibited notable antibacterial effects. Anticancer activity was evaluated on PC-3 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. Cytotoxicity was assessed using Hoechst/PI double staining, and paclitaxel (1 µM) served as a positive control. The extracts, in apoptosis mechanism demonstrated concentration-dependent antiproliferative effects (5–40 µM), supporting their potential as natural therapeutic agents in cancer research.