Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
Phytochemical analysis and pharmacological properties of Solanum melongena (L.) peel extracts: a potential source of natural therapeutic agents
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Research Articles | Published: 22 July, 2025
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Keywords: n Solanum melongenan , MCF-7, Antioxidant activity, Apoptosis, Breast cancer, Cytotoxicity
Abstract
The present study investigates the phytochemical profile, antioxidant activity, and anticancer potential of Solanum melongena (eggplant) peel extracts, with a particular focus on the ethyl acetate fraction. Four solvents hexane, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and water were used for extraction, with the aqueous extract yielding the highest at 1.4% w/w and hexane the lowest at 0.23% w/w. Qualitative phytochemical screening revealed that the ethyl acetate extract contained alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and saponins. Quantitative assays demonstrated a concentration-dependent increase in total flavonoid content (from 0.054 to 0.422 mg QE/g) and phenolic content (from 0.001 to 0.222 mg GAE/g). Antioxidant activity, evaluated using the phosphomolybdenum and DPPH assays, showed that the ethyl acetate extract outperformed standards such as ascorbic acid and gallic acid, with maximum absorbance values of 1.09 and 8.95% inhibition, respectively, at 500 µg/mL and 50 µg/mL. Molecular docking studies indicated strong binding affinity of kaempferol (− 6.8 kcal/mol) with the cancer embryonic antigen (CEA), suggesting potential anticancer application. The MTT assay revealed dose-dependent cytotoxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells, with an IC₅₀ of 78.69 µg/mL, while morphological changes, AO/EtBr staining, and DNA fragmentation confirmed apoptotic cell death. Compared to doxorubicin (IC₅₀ = 5.31 µg/mL), the extract showed moderate but promising cytotoxic potential. These findings support the use of S. melongena peel, particularly its ethyl acetate fraction, as a natural source of antioxidant and anticancer compounds.
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Author Information
Department of Biotechnology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India