# A First Investigation on Verbascum propontideum Murb.: Comparative Biological Properties, Phytochemical Profile and Mineral Composition

## TL;DR

This study explores the biological properties, phytochemical content, and mineral composition of Verbascum propontideum, highlighting its potential as a natural source for anticancer and antioxidant agents.

## Contribution

The study is the first to investigate the biological and phytochemical properties of Verbascum propontideum and its potential pharmacological applications.

## Key findings

- Flower extracts of Verbascum propontideum showed better antiproliferative effects than leaf extracts.
- Leaf methanol extract had the highest antioxidant activity and total phenolic content.
- Naringin and ferulic acid were identified as main phenolic compounds in leaf and flower methanol extracts.

## Abstract

The current study revealed for the first time various health-related biological properties of different extracts of Verbascum propontideum Murb. Additionally, mineral element analyses were performed. Cell viability was evaluated by the MTT assay. Apoptotic cell death using the Annexin V/PI method and cell cycle analyses were conducted by flow cytometry. To investigate the antioxidant activities, different assays were performed. Quantitative analyses were performed. The phenolic compounds were quantified by HPLC analysis. Except for water extracts, flower extracts with lower IC50 values have a better antiproliferative effect on all cells tested than leaf extracts. Methanol extracts possessed apoptotic and cell cycle arrest potential in HT-29 and Caco-2 human colorectal cancer cells. According to the results of the DPPH, FRAP, and CUPRAC assays, the leaf methanol extract with the highest antioxidant activity was the extract with the highest total phenolic content (29.55 ± 0.66 mgGAE/g extract). The highest total flavonoid (9.19 ± 0.036 mgQE/g extract) and total tannin contents (26.45 ± 0.34 mgCE/g extract) were detected in leaf acetone and flower acetone extracts, respectively. The main phenolic compounds identified for leaf methanol (177.192 µg/g) and flower methanol (3885.940 µg/g) extract were naringin and ferulic acid, respectively. The leaf and flower parts possess mineral elements. V. propontideum may be considered for pharmacological applications as a promising natural source for new anticancer and antioxidant agents.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11130-026-01470-8.