Chemical Profiling, Antioxidant, Antiproliferative, and Antibacterial Potentials of Chemically Characterized Extract of <i>Citrullus colocynthis</i> L. Seeds
Mohammed Bourhia,
Kaoutar Bouothmany,
Hanane Bakrim,
Safaa Hadrach,
Ahmad Mohammad Salamatullah,
Abdulhakeem Alzahrani,
Heba Khalil Alyahya,
Nawal A. Albadr,
Said Gmouh,
Amine Laglaoui,
Mohammed El Mzibri,
Laila Benbacer
Affiliations
Mohammed Bourhia
Laboratory of Chemistry-Biochemistry, Environment, Nutrition, and Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca B.P. 5696, Morocco
Kaoutar Bouothmany
Biology and Molecular Research Unit, Department of Life Sciences (CNESTEN), Rabat B.P. 10001, Morocco
Hanane Bakrim
Research Team of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Engineering (ERBGB), Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Tangier B.P. 416, Morocco
Safaa Hadrach
Laboratory of Chemistry-Biochemistry, Environment, Nutrition, and Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca B.P. 5696, Morocco
Ahmad Mohammad Salamatullah
Department of Food Science & Nutrition, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Abdulhakeem Alzahrani
Department of Food Science & Nutrition, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Heba Khalil Alyahya
Department of Food Science & Nutrition, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Nawal A. Albadr
Department of Food Science & Nutrition, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Said Gmouh
Laboratory of Engineering and Materials LIMAT, Faculty of Sciences Ben M’Sik, University Hassan II, Casablanca B.P. 7955, Morocco
Amine Laglaoui
Research Team of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Engineering (ERBGB), Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Tangier B.P. 416, Morocco
Mohammed El Mzibri
Biology and Molecular Research Unit, Department of Life Sciences (CNESTEN), Rabat B.P. 10001, Morocco
Laila Benbacer
Biology and Molecular Research Unit, Department of Life Sciences (CNESTEN), Rabat B.P. 10001, Morocco
Background: Citrullus colocynthis L. (C. colocynthis) is commonly known as colocynth. It belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae that is frequently used in alternative medicine in the north of Africa. The aim of the study: the present research was undertaken to investigate the chemical composition, antioxidant, antiproliferative, and antibacterial potentials of C. colocynthis seed extract. Material and methods: the chemical composition of C. colocynthis seed organic extract was characterized using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antioxidant property was carried out using both β-carotene bleaching and DPPH assays. The antibacterial effect was effectuated using the agar disc diffusion method. The antiproliferative activity vs. human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (HT-29) and human breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MDA MB 231) were carried by WST-1 test. The chemical analysis showed the presence of interesting potentially bioactive compounds. The studied plant extract exhibited antioxidant potential with IC50 value of 2. 22 mg/mL (β-carotene bleaching) and 8.98 ± 0.619 mg/mL (DPPH). Concerning the antiproliferative activity, the seed extract was effective in MDA-MB-231 and HT-29 cancer cells with IC50 values 86.89 ± 3.395 and 242.1 ± 17.9 μg/mL, respectively, whilst the extract of Citrullus colocynthis seeds was non-toxic in healthy human dermal fibroblasts. Regarding the antibacterial test, the extract was effective in Gram-positive bacteria only. Conclusion: The outcome of this research indicated that the extracts from C. colocynthis seeds may compose a promising source with interesting compounds that can be used to fight cancer, free radicals damage, and bacterial infections.
