Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of Horwoodia dicksoniae through Phytochemical Profiling, Antioxidant Assessment, and Biological Activity Evaluation
Aiman Ammari*, Ramzi Amran, Ahmad Alhimaidi
Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
* Corresponding Author: Aiman Ammari. Email: 
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Medicinal Plants: Phytochemical and Pharmacological Research)
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2026.087258
Received 13 June 2026; Accepted 10 July 2026; Published online 28 July 2026
Abstract
Medicinal plants are valuable sources of bioactive compounds with diverse pharmacological properties. However, the phytochemical composition and biological activities of
Horwoodia dicksoniae remain insufficiently investigated. Therefore, this study evaluated the phytochemical composition, antioxidant activity, physicochemical characteristics, and
in vitro cytotoxic potential of the ethanolic extract of
H. dicksoniae collected from the Thumamah area, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The extract was subjected to phytochemical characterization, chemical profiling, physicochemical analysis, antioxidant activity assessment, and cytotoxicity evaluation. Qualitative screening confirmed the presence of phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, and glycosides, while quantitative analysis revealed high levels of phenolic and tannin constituents. The extract exhibited notable antioxidant activity, with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC
50) values of 500.65 ± 2.54 and 227.52 ± 6.85 μg/mL. Chemical profiling identified 127 phytochemical constituents, predominantly fatty acids, terpenoids, esters, and oxygenated hydrocarbons, with 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-, cis-(-)-1,2-epoxy-p-menth-8-ene, n-hexadecanoic acid, caryophyllene oxide, phytol, linalool, and retinol as the major compounds. Physicochemical analysis indicated satisfactory dispersion stability, while cytotoxicity testing against A549 cells demonstrated moderate growth inhibition, although the IC
50 value was not reached within the tested concentration range. These findings suggest that
H. dicksoniae is a promising source of bioactive phytochemicals with antioxidant potential and warrants further investigation for pharmaceutical applications.
Graphical Abstract
Keywords
Phytochemical profiling; FTIR spectroscopy; antioxidant activity; cytotoxicity; medicinal plants
Open Access
Login
Register
Submit a Paper
Propose a Special lssue
Download PDF
Supplementary Material File
Downloads
Citation Tools
