Cytotoxic and antioxidant effect of the ethanolic extract of Citrullus colocynthis L. plant fruit

Abstract


 Citrullus colocynthis L. of the Cucurbitaecea botanical family is a plant widely used in traditional medicine in Algeria. It seems empirically effective in the treatment of various diseases. The aim of the present research is to evaluate the antioxidant and cytotoxic effects, in vitro, of the ethanolic extract of C. colocynthis fruits. The quantitative analysis has shown that the ethanolic extract of C. colocynthis is rich in total polyphenols with a content of 443.62 ± 2.13 µg EAG/mg of extract. The results obtained showed a strong anti-free radical activity of the ethanolic extract of C.colocynthis exerted against the DPPH free radical scavenging effect (CI50 = 6.31 µg/ml) and highlighted a powerful ferric reducing antioxidant power (CI50 = 27.94 µg/ml). We should also note a good antioxidant activity against the OH radical, obtained with the concentration (IC50 = 67.13 µg/ml). Furthermore, the obtained results indicate that the treatment of the three cancer cell lines (HepG2, SH-SY5Y and Raw 264.7) with the different concentrations of the used extract reduced the number of cells in a dose-dependent way. Based on our results, we can consider that Citrullus colocynthis is a plant with a strong pharmacological power and can therefore be used in phytotherapy.

Combined Effect of Biostimulants and Mineral Fertilizers on Crop Performance and Fruit Quality of Watermelon Plants

“…In another study, Rafi et al [108] reported that lycopene may inhibit inflammation in RAW 264.7 cell lines and suggested that fruits that are rich in lycopene could be useful as anti-inflammatory agents. Moreover, protein hydrolysates for watermelon seeds protected RAW 264.7 cells from oxidative damage [109]; while Fetni et al [110] and Darwish et al [111] reported similar effects for fruit extracts of Citrullus colocynthis. Considering the limited reports regarding the anti-inflammatory activity of watermelon fruit, our results could provide useful information about the effect of simple agronomic techniques, such as biostimulant application, on the bioactive properties of fruit extracts.…”