Bioactive Components Identification and a Pilot Health Properties Study of Tribulus terrestris Linn: A Native Saudi Arabian Plant
Author(s): Aminah A Barqawi*
Abstract
There are multiple wild plants in Saudi Arabia with unique phytochemical components that are reflected by the geographical desert such as Tribulus terrestris Linn from the Zygophyllaceae family with yellow flowers. The wonderful yellow flower is used to treat infertility, libido, and menopausal disorder as a traditional native medicine. This study aims to investigate the profile bioactive content and the antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and antimicrobial properties of Tribulus terrestris L. We studied the phytochemical profiling and antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and antimicrobial properties of 2 leaf extracts made from Tribulus terrestris L., a native plant from Saudi Arabia. We analyzed the main phenolics using HPLC-DAD. Furthermore, we use GC/MS and GC-FID to identify the hydrocarbon profile in the study of non-polar extract. We studied the polar extract antioxidant activity using DPPH, ABTS, and Fe+2 chelation assays. We also assessed the activity as cytotoxicity and antibacterial. These findings highlight Tribulus terrestris L. as a valuable source of antioxidants with potential applications in food and medicine. We further explore bioactive components against cancer cells of HepG-2, MCF-7, and HeLa. Additionally, we investigated the antibacterial effect against bacteria: S. aureus. We report that Tribulus terrestris L. is a valuable source of antioxidants with potential cytotoxicity, and antimicrobial applications in food and medicine. Its bioactive components make it a promising candidate for further exploration.
