P LANTS have been used as a source of traditional medicine to treat many diseases and conditions for many years. They considered as excellent source of phytochemicals which showed antioxidant and anticancer activities. The aim of the present study is to investigate the chemical composition and to determine the anticancer activity of Salicornia fruticosa (Chenopodiaceae) methanolic extract. S. fruticosa proved to be a source of isorhamnetin and its glycosides and showed anticancer activities. Seven major flavonoids were isolated and identified from the cytotoxic methanolic extract. The isolated compounds were identified, as quercetin 3',4'-dimethyl ether (1), isorhamnetin (2), isorhamnetin 3-O-rhamnoside (3), isorhamnetin 3-O-glucoside (4), isorhamnetin 3-O-rutinoside (5), isorhamnetin 3-O-neohesperidoside (6), isorhamnetin 3-O-rhamnosyl(1-2)arabinoside (7), by chromatographic analysis, chemical and spectroscopic tools (acid hydrolysis, UV, 1 H and 13 C NMR). Compounds 1 and 3-7 were isolated for the first time from the plant under investigation. The evaluation of cytotoxic activity of the methanolic extract against HCT-116, HepG2, A549 and MCF-7 human cancer cells, by MTT assay, revealed the higher potency of S. Fruticosa extract with IC 50 [2.6. 10.9, 37.9, 5.4 (mg/ml)] respectively, comparable to that of doxorubicin. The obtained results suggested that the investigated plant could be used for future development of naturally occurring anticancer agent. Subclinical and clinical trials on polar fractions of S. fruticosa are mandatory to pave the way for its use in treatment of cancer diseases (HCT-116, HepG2, A549 and MCF-7).

Asphodelus species are among many plants used in traditional medicine, they are used by native peoples for various pathologies. Asphodelus aestivus Brot. is one of Asphodelus species which is considered an important wild medicinal plant growing mainly at Mediterranean region. The present study aims to investigate the chemical constituents and cytotoxic evaluation of A. aestivus flowers. Petroleum ether extract was analyzed by GC/MS assay which revealed the characterization of twenty nine compounds, representing 93.13% of total extract. Also, the chromatographic investigation of the hydromethanolic extract led to the isolation of ten phenolics. They were identified as kaempferol (1), kaempferol 3-Oglucoside (2), kaempferol 3,7-di-O-glucoside (3), luteolin 7-O-glucoside ) 4), isoorientin (5), isoorientin 7-O-glucoside (lutonarin) (6), caffeic acid ( 7) emodin ( 8), apigenin 7-O-glucoside (9) and isovitexin-7-O-glucoside (saponarin) (10), from which, five compounds ((2, 3, 6-8) have been isolated for the first time from A. aestivus. Furthermore, LC-ESI-MS chemical profiling managed to detect the minor contents and led to the annotation of thirteen additional metabolites. In addition, the petroleum ether and the hydromethanolic extracts were investigated against four human carcinoma cell lines; HepG2, HCT-116, MCF-7 and A549 at concentration of 100 mg/mL. The results showed moderate % of inhibition against MCF-7 (63.8 and 68.4) followed by HepG2 (52.3 and 65.7), respectively. Both extracts showed weak inhibition (5.7-14.3%) on HCT-116 and A549. To the best of our knowledge, this is considered the first report of the chemical analysis and biological evaluation of A. aestivus flowers.

In line with the global interest and demand in finding sustainable ways to counteract the emerging viral pandemics, our study highlights the unique composition and anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of a barely used and studied part of the famous medicinal plant Silybum marianum (L.)Gaertn.Various chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques used in the process of isolation and structure elucidation led to the identification of nine flavonoids for the first time from the methanolic leaves extract.Among them,the aglyconeacacetin (2)was isolated for the first time from the genus. The antiviral activity of the extract against SARS-CoV-2 main protease showed considerable activity with half-maximal inhibitory and cytotoxic concentrations; IC50=80.5 µg/ml and CC50=576.5 µg/ml, respectively indicating a relatively high selectivity; SI = 7.1..