Phytochemical analysis and antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities of Xanthium strumarium L. (Asteraceae).

Abstract

Background/aim: Medicinal plants are considered an important source of novel antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer agents. The main goal of this study was to define the beneficial properties of various extracts obtained from Xanthium strumarium.

Materials and methods: Evaluations were conducted on the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extracts. High-performance liquid chromatography and diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) was used to determine the phenolic profiles of the extracts. DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays were used to evaluate the free radical scavenging properties of the X. strumarium extracts. The broth dilution method was used for antimicrobial activity assessments, the MTT assay was used for the evaluation of cytotoxicity in K562 and P3HR1 cells treated with the extracts, and western blotting was used for the determination of molecular pathways. DNA fragmentation was also conducted utilizing the diphenylamine assay.

Results: The total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the acetone extract were significantly higher than those of the methanol and ethanol extracts at 454.54 mg GAE/g and 78.94 mg catechin/g, respectively. The acetone extract had the highest amounts of flavonoids. All extracts exhibited noTable antioxidant activity. The acetone extract had lower minimum inhibitory concentrations than the other extracts against the studied bacterial and fungal strains. The extracts showed varying degrees of cytotoxicity in the studied cell lines and all such effects were dose-dependent and solvent-specific. Half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values ranged between 180.12 and 410.23 μg/mL, with the lowest IC₅₀ value being obtained for the acetone extract. Treatments led to cytochrome c release and high expression of caspase-3 and caspase-8, which can be attributed to the involvement of mitochondria in the process of apoptosis. The DNA fragmentation percentage increased in both cell lines with all extracts.

Conclusion: Based on these findings, X. strumarium demonstrates significant antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties. Notably, the acetone extract exhibited the strongest activity across the tested parameters, highlighting its potential for further pharmaceutical and therapeutic applications.