Phytochemical Profiling and In Vitro Bioactivity Testing of the Ethanolic Extract of the Seed of Carica papaya Integrated with Silver Nanoparticles

Multifunctional bioactivities of Phyllanthus emblica L. fruit extracts: linking phytochemical profiling to antileishmanial, antioxidant and antibacterial effects in vitro and in vivo

Fingerprinting and biofunctional evaluation of Vitex agnus-castus: in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial activities and cytotoxicity against thyroid cancer cells

Bridging in vitro bioactivities and in silico insights of Rubia cordifolia L. (Rubiaceae) leaf extracts for therapeutic applications

Medicinal plants are important sources of bioactive compounds with significant therapeutic potential. This study evaluated the phenolic profile, biological activities, and molecular docking-based antiproliferative potential of the Rubia cordifolia leaf extracts in methanolic (RCLM), chloroform (RCLC), and distilled water (RCLD). Leaf extract was selected because of its richness in secondary metabolites and its roles in photosynthesis, defense mechanisms, and environmental interactions. Phytochemical screening was performed using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), while antioxidant activity was determined through DPPH scavenging, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and total reducing power (TRP). Antibacterial activity was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Bacillus subtilis. Cytotoxicity was investigated using the brine shrimp lethality assay and PC3 and 3T3 cell lines. Among the extracts, RCLM exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity with a DPPH IC50 of 54.41 ± 0.53 µg/mL, a TAC of 102.08 ± 0.89 µg/mL, and a TRP of 201.56 ± 0.61 µg/mL. The highest antibacterial activity was observed against Bacillus subtilis with an inhibition zone of 26 ± 0.7 mm. The methanolic extract also showed pronounced brine shrimp cytotoxic activity. Furthermore, RCLM showed > 50% inhibition against 3T3 cell lines and < 50% inhibition against PC3 cell lines. HPLC analysis revealed chlorogenic acid as the major phenolic compound (392.44 ppm), while salicylic acid was detected at the lowest concentration (3.408 ppm). Molecular docking demonstrated strong binding affinities for chlorogenic acid (− 7.7 kcal/mol) and HB acid (− 10.5 kcal/mol) to target proteins implicated in oxidative stress and cancer progression. These findings suggest that Rubia cordifolia leaf extract possesses promising pharmacological applications.

Phytochemical, antioxidant, and anticancer evaluation of Passiflora edulis leaf extract using in vitro and in silico approaches

Methanolic leaf extract of Passiflora edulis was characterized by its phytochemical composition and biological activities in an integrated in vitro and in silico approach. Qualitative phytochemical screening indicated that bioactive secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, saponins, and steroids were present. The DPPH activity increased in a dose-dependent manner, reaching 81% at the highest concentration, without implying a complete or maximal endpoint. The cytotoxic study in HepG2 human liver cancer cells revealed a moderate antiproliferative effect with an IC₅₀ value of 251 µg/mL. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometric analysis showed different phytoconstituents and 13-docosenamide (Z) as predominant, however hexadecane and N-isopropyl-3-phenylpropanamide were also present. Molecular docking studies showed moderate binding affinities (−6.5 to −7.8 kcal/mol) of selected compounds against the target protein, which represented PCSK9–LDLR complex. Significantly, N-isopropyl-3-phenylpropanamide demonstrated the most favorable binding interactions by engaging in both hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions with key amino acid residues, indicating potential modulation of protein function. These results suggest that the biological activity of P. edulis extract may be mediated through multi-target interactions with cancer-associated metabolic pathways. Nonetheless, moderate cytotoxic potency and basic extract evaluation justify further studies.

The DPPH test, andcytotoxicity (MTT) evaluation of Cinnamomum verum and Laurus nobilis methanolic extracts on cancer cells in vitro

Herbal plants are traditionally used in Saudi Arabia to treat various illnesses. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitrocytotoxic activity of methanol extracts of two medicinal plants against the human epithelial cell line Caco-2. The selectivity index (SI) of each extract was then determined by the IC50ratio of normal to cancer cells. L. nobilisshowed the highest cytotoxic effect, and the least cytotoxicity was found in C. verum. Antioxidantactivity was assessed through the DPPH radical scavenging assay. Notably, C. verumand L. nobilisexhibited the highest concentrations of total phenolics (54.33 ± 0.198 mg GAE/g and 57.4 ± 6.053 mg QE/g, respectively). Both extracts demonstrated strong antioxidant activity against DPPH radicals, with IC50values ranging from 0.55 to 49.43 μg/mL. In addition, the extracts showed significant anticoccidial effects. The findings suggest that medicinal plant extracts could serve as valuable antioxidant agents for drug development.

Phytochemical Profile and Bioactive Potential of Erythroxylum nummularium Peyr: Evaluation of Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Antinociceptive Properties

Erythroxylum nummularium is a native Brazilian species with limited phytochemical and pharmacological characterization. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and biological properties of methanolic extracts and fractions obtained from the leaves, branches, stem bark, and stem of the plant. Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total alkaloid content (TAT), and GC–MS profiling were combined with antioxidant (DPPH, β-carotene bleaching, TAC), antimicrobial, toxicological, and antinociceptive assays. The extracts exhibited substantial variation in TPC, TFC, and metabolite profiles, which strongly influenced their biological activities. The ethyl acetate fraction from the leaves (ELEN) showed the highest TPC and TFC, correlating with superior antioxidant performance, antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, low toxicity in Artemia salina, and significant antinociceptive effects in mice, with an LD50 above 2000 mg/kg. In the antioxidant assays, the ethyl acetate fraction from the stem bark (ESBEN) exhibited the highest overall activity, likely due to its elevated levels of highly polar phenolics and flavonoids. Among the fractions characterized by GC–MS, DSBEN, DLEN, and DBEN were the most active, with phenolic acids, their methylated derivatives, and low-molecular-weight organic acids contributing synergistically to antioxidant activity. These findings identify E. nummularium as a promising source of structurally diverse metabolites with antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antinociceptive potential and support further investigation toward the development of natural bioactive agents.