Antiproliferative and antioxidant properties of Alhagi maurorum Boiss (Leguminosae) aerial parts

• Alhagi maurorum, a legume used as natural sweetener, was investigated.
• Analyzed non-polar extracts were promising in phytochemicals composition.
• DE extract showed antioxidant and melanoma antiproliferative activities.
• Based on these properties A. maurorum can be used for the development of functional products.

This work is aimed to investigate the antiproliferative and antioxidant activities of Alhagi maurorum, a legume used as natural sweetener. Diethyl ether (DE) and petroleum ether (PE) extracts were analyzed for their chemical composition by GC–MS analysis. Both extract were further investigated for their potential cytotoxicity against a panel of human cancer cell lines by sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. DE extract, characterized by fatty acids and coumarins as main constituents, showed the strongest activity against C32 melanoma cell line with an IC50 value of 2.7 μg/ml. For antioxidant investigation different in vitro systems, namely 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS*+), μ-carotene bleaching test, ferric reducing ability power assay (FRAP) and Fe-chelating activity assay were employed. DE extract showed the highest radical scavenging activity against ABTS radical with an IC50 value of 4.7 μg/ml. This extract was also able to reduce the metal transition ion iron with a FRAP value of 69.6 μM Fe(II)/g that is comparable to the positive control butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) (63.2 μM Fe(II)/g). These biological properties may be of interest from a functional point of view and to propose an alternative use of this edible legume.