Opuntia ficus-indica is a cactus that is well adapted to harsh climatic conditions. It is an interesting source of food ingredients in the normal diet and of food industry. The present study aims at evaluating the some physical and morphological parameter cactus cultivars fruit, besides the phytochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of methanolic and ethyl acetate extract of four Opuntia ficus-indica cultivars. The present results revelead that the highest levels of phenol found in the ethyl acetate extract of Sanguinea and methanolic extract of Ain Jemaa. While ethyl acetate extract Ain Jemaa displayed significant elevated concentrations of total flavonoids and flavonols as compared with other cultivars. The findings of this study show that methanolic crude extracts exhibited a considerably broader antimicrobial activity compared to ethyl acetate extracts. The Moroccan cultivar has displayed the best antioxidant and antibacterial activity. The antioxidant activity found in juice extract of Maroco and Algeria cultivars are the highest, and is mainly due to beta-carotene, as demonstrated by principal component analysis, allowing the use of these fractions as sources of natural antioxidants.

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Punica granatum (POM) and Silybum marianum (MT) receiving attention as potential potent anti-oxidant and anti-mutant agents. In this context, the present study was designed to highlight their effects either in vitro as well as in vivo model of induced Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Human hepatoma (HepG2 cells) were treated with MT and POM to explore their antitumor activity then in vivo were carried out on thirty-six male albino rats divided into six groups (n=6). Two weeks after induction of HCC, rats were co-treated with either MT or POM ethanolic extract (500 mg/kg, orally) daily for 8 weeks. The results displayed marked reduction in the viability of HepG2 cells with IC50 equal to 48.4 and 8.6 μg/mL of POM and MT treatment respectively. Considering, in vivo experiment HCC group displayed significant elevation liver function indices (p<0.05). It also elicited depletion of liver reduced glutathione (GSH), and increased content of liver malondialdehyde (MDA) compared to control group. HCC was proved after a significantly elevated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level (p<0.05). All of these measurements were diminished significantly after POM and MT treatments, except the GSH level that was increased significantly. Supplementation of pomegranate and milk thistle extracts had a protective effect against chemically induced HCC.