Phytochemical composition and cosmeceutical-related bioactivities of Canscora lucidissima (H. Lév. & Vaniot) Hand.-Mazz

Abstract

Canscora lucidissima (H. Lév. & Vaniot) Hand.-Mazz. is a Vietnamese ethnomedicinal plant traditionally associated with anti-inflammatory use, yet its cosmeceutical potential remains poorly defined. This study provides an integrated evaluation of the phytochemical composition and cosmeceutical-related bioactivities of C. lucidissima solvent extracts, including antioxidant capacity, enzyme inhibitory, and antibacterial effects, together with in silico analyses of the identified phytochemicals covering molecular interactions, electronic features, and predicted ADME properties. Among the extracts, ethyl acetate showed the most consistent bioactivity profile, with the strongest tyrosinase inhibition (IC₅₀ = 195.24 µg/mL), α-amylase inhibition, DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activities, and antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The ethanol extract exhibited the highest α-glucosidase inhibition (IC₅₀ = 96.46 µg/mL). Phytochemical screening and UHPLC-UV-based quantification revealed a solvent-dependent distribution of secondary metabolites. Exploratory PCA and Pearson correlation analyses indicated associations between the biological responses and phenolic/flavonoid profiles, particularly catechin, chlorogenic acid, rutin, quercitrin, and quercetin, but these associations should not be interpreted as evidence of causality. Molecular docking analysis identified rutin, quercitrin, and chlorogenic acid as potential ligands for tyrosinase (2Y9X), with rutin exhibiting the most favorable predicted binding affinity. Its HOMO–LUMO gap also suggested favorable electronic characteristics. ADME prediction indicated that quercetin and apigenin possessed the most balanced drug-likeness and permeability-related profiles, whereas highly polar glycosides were mainly limited by reduced passive absorption. Overall, this study provides an integrated preliminary assessment of the phytochemical profile, cosmeceutical-related bioactivities, and computational characteristics of C. lucidissima, highlighting its potential for further investigation as a multifunctional botanical ingredient.