Isolation of unique fluorinated coumarins from new mexico green chile seeds: a novel green extraction approach and bioevaluation against oxidative stress disorders

Abstract

New Mexico Green Chile seeds, often discarded as waste, represent a novel source of bioactive compounds. This study aimed to isolate and characterize new coumarin derivatives from these seeds using a sustainable kinetic thermomagnetic extraction technique. This green method was optimized using five variables: solvent type, extraction time, temperature, rotation speed, and magnetic field intensity, generating 243 extracts. From these, four fluorinated coumarins (N1–N4) with rare substitution patterns were purified via column chromatography and structurally characterized using UV–Vis, FTIR, NMR, and HR-MS. Among the isolated compounds, N2 showed superior biological activity. In SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, it exhibited strong antioxidant effects by significantly reducing reactive oxygen species levels. N2 also demonstrated potent anticancer effects, particularly against HeLa and MCF-7 cell lines, with relatively low IC₅₀ values. All isolated coumarins showed selective COX-2 inhibition over COX-1, suggesting potential anti-inflammatory activity with reduced gastrointestinal risk. Additionally, moderate inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes by N2 indicates possible antidiabetic benefits. This study highlights New Mexico Green Chile seeds as a sustainable source of unique fluorinated coumarins with therapeutic potential. It also introduces a novel, eco-friendly extraction method suitable for natural product research. The potent bioactivities observed, particularly for N2, warrant further preclinical evaluation and exploration of these compounds as potential leads for pharmaceutical or nutraceutical development.