Herein, we investigated effect of Thymelaea hirsuta isolates on hepatocellular carcinoma. Methanolic extract of T. hirsuta led to isolation of two new compounds [6` hydroxyDaphnoretin (9) and Mithnin (15)], seven compounds reported for the first time from genus Thymelaea [Dotriacontanol (1), and 3-ketopentatriacontanoic (2),Docosylcoumarate (5), Docosylcaffeate (6), Daphnodorin B (11), 3`` -epidihydrodaphnodorin B (12) and Wikstaiwanone B ( 14)], and six known compounds.Eight compounds (5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, and 15) showed significant anti-proliferative activity on HepG2 cells. These compounds caused significant reduction (p<0.05) in serum levels of AST, ALT, ALP, total bilirubin, GGT, and AFP, a significant increase in Bax and p53 expression, and a significant decrease in Bcl2 gene in liver as compared to the HCC group. These results indicate that T. hirsuta isolates inhibited HCC progression, possibly through induction of apoptosis and therefore they could be used as a beneficial source for treating HCC.

Thymelaea hirsuta a perennial, evergreen and dioecious shrub, which is native to North Africa. T. hirsuta is a widespread invasive weed and is commonly known as "Methnane". Along the history, T. hirsuta, family Thymelaeaceae, has been recognized as an important medicinal plant. Much research has been carried out on the medical applications of Methnane. The choice of the plant was based on the good previous biological study of T. hirsuta plant extract to use as anticancer, hepatoprotective and anti-diapetic. Several species of Thymelaeaceae have been the subject of numerous phytochemical studies. Initially, interest may have been due to the marked toxicity of these plants, but the widespread use of some species medicinally has certainly played a part in sustaining this interest.

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Asteraceae, often known as Compositae, is one of the largest angiospermic plant families among dicotyledonous, based on the enormous number of species (1,620 genera and 23,600 species). The Asteraceae family includes several large and widely dispersed genus, Artemisia being one of the most common in the Northern Hemisphere. There are 500 species of the genus Artemisia worldwide. Several species of Artemisia have been reported to contain numerous phytochemicals such as polyphenols, phenolic acids, flavonoids, acetylenes and triterpene. Artemisia monosperma (Delile) is a perennial fragrant plant that grows widely in the deserts of Middle East, Africa and China. This plant is commonly used in folk medicine as a remedy of a wide range of illness. The choice of the plant was based on the good previous biological study of A. monosperma plant extract it was found to have anticancer, antimicrobial and anti-diabetic activities. This review highlights the phytochemical constituents of this important and valuable genus as well as its different reported biological activities. Definitively, the plant extract of A. monosperma good source of health strengthening constituents which can be used for curative and nutritional purposes, therefore there is need for further studies on the active compounds of this plant so as to optimize their medicinal and nutritional values.

Amaranthaceae is a family of flowering plants. It is often containing isoflavonoids. In phytochemical research, various methylene dioxyflavonols, saponins, triterpenoids, ecdysteroids, and specific carbohydrates have been found in the roots. There are around 165 genera and 2,040 species in it. The flowering plant species Cornulaca monacantha is now a member of the Amaranthaceae family and belongs to the genus Cornulaca (formerly Chenopodiaceae). It is a type of desert plant that can be found throughout the Middle East and the Sahara; the southern limit of its distribution is thought to mark the edge of the desert. C. monacantha is an annual herb with thorny leaves that are highly ramified from the base and turn yellow when dried. It has been recognized as an important medicinal plant with different use. The plant is used to cure liver issues including jaundice. It is also regarded as a superior camel pasture, particularly for its impact on milk production. Few studies have been conducted on the chemical composition of C. monacantha, hence little is known about its phytochemical content, including derivatives of quercetin and luteolin, thirteen triterpenoid saponins, four gallotannin analogues, including monacanthin A and monacanthin B. In Arabic it is known as had and djouri, and the Tuareg people call it tahara. It was first described in 1813 by the French botanist Alire Raffeneau Delile.