# Unveiling Therapeutic Powers of Indigenous Flora: Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Anticancer Properties of Horwoodia dicksoniae

## TL;DR

This study explores the medicinal potential of Horwoodia dicksoniae, finding it has strong antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer properties.

## Contribution

The paper is the first to report GC-MS and LC-MS/MS analyses of Horwoodia dicksoniae extract and its bioactive compounds.

## Key findings

- H. dicksoniae extract inhibited growth of multiple bacteria and fungi more effectively than Stipa capensis.
- The extract showed antioxidant and anticancer effects against colon cancer cells.
- GC-MS and LC-MS/MS identified 12 and 44 compounds, including flavonoids and caffeic acid.

## Abstract

Background: Horwoodia dicksoniae Turrill. (Brassicaceae) and Stipa capensis Thunb. (Poaceae) are commonly grown in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: This study evaluated the antibacterial and antifungal potential of these plants. H. dicksoniae extract was further subjected to antioxidant, anticancer, GC-MS, LC-MS/MS, and in silico analyses. Results: H. dicksoniae extract presented a higher antimicrobial efficiency than S. capensis extract by effectively inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Bacillus subtilis, and Candida albicans. H. dicksoniae ethanolic extract also demonstrated promising antioxidant and anticancer properties against the human colon cancer cell line HCT-116. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 12 natural compounds in the H. dicksoniae extract, whereas LC-MS/MS analysis revealed 19 different compounds in negative ion mode and 25 in positive ion mode. Furthermore, the presence of bioactive compounds in the H. dicksoniae extract, such as flavonoids (acacetin and hesperetin) and caffeic acid, confirmed the observed antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, and anticancer activities. Molecular docking revealed promising interactions between various bioactive compounds and target proteins associated with antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities. Conclusions: This study is the first to report GC-MS and LC-MS/MS analyses of H. dicksoniae ethanolic extract. The findings provide valuable insights into the potential mechanisms and therapeutic applications of the identified bioactive compounds. Thus, the present work can serve as a platform for the isolation of natural compounds from H. dicksoniae extract, which may play a significant role in the discovery and design of new drugs for the treatment of human diseases.