Phytochemical Content and in Vitro Antioxidant, Antibacterial and Antitumor Activities of Phoenix Dactylifera Fruit Extract

Abstract

Phoenix dactylifera fruits are important sources for carbohydrates, minerals,
vitamins, phenols and flavonoids compounds, which are important for human health. The
objective of study: To evaluate the chemical composition, minerals, phytochemical,
antioxidant activity using [FRAP+ and DPPH+], and antibacterial properties against some
bacterial strains, (E. coli, St. aureus, L. monocytogenes and B. subtillis), of Phoenix
dactylifera fruits. In addition, cytotoxic study of plant fruit extracts on human cancer cell
lines (MCF-7 and HCT-116). The phytochemical screening showed that the fruit extracts
contain alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, phenols, saponins, carbohydrates and except
steroids. The Phoenix dactylifera fruits have the highest value of polyphenol and flavonoid
content which were 181.27mg GAE/g and 31.09mg QE/g, respectively. The antioxidant
activity was evaluated using the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) radical into
79.17 and 87.05%, at a concentration 16mg/ml of aqueous and methanolic extracts. DPPH
assay revealed a good antioxidant activity of methanolic extract which was (IC50 0.45μg).
Moreover, the methanolic extract of Phoenix dactylifera led to the highest growth
inhibition (18.75, 20.5 and 17mm), against E. coli, L. monocytogenes and B. subtillis at a
concentration 4mg/ml, respectively. While, the aqueous extract provided the medium
percentage of growth inhibition (11.5, 9.75 and 12.5mm) against E. coli, St. aureus and B.
subtillis at a concentration 4mg/ml, respectively. Moreover, the fruit extracts have a
reasonable effect on breast and colon cancer cell lines inhibition when compared with
Thymoquinone at a concentration 75μg/ml.