Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) fruits contain high concentrations of phenolic compounds, particularly flavonoids and other micronutrients, which impact human health due to their potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer characteristics. In the present study, the effect of ethyl acetate, hydroethanol, hydromethanol, and aqueous extract from three date palm varieties (i.e., Ajwa, Siwi, and Sukkari) on phytochemical profiles and antioxidant and anticancer activities was investigated. Fruit extracts were screened for their antioxidant activity using the DPPH· method. Phenolic constituents were quantified and identified using HPLC-DAD. Extracts (ethyl acetate, hydroethanol, and hydromethanol) were assessed for cytotoxicity on nine human cancer cell lines, i.e., MG-63, HCT116, MCF7, MDA-MB-231, HEPG2, HUH7, A549, H460, and HFB4, using the sulphorhodamine-B (SRB) assay. Results showed that the ethyl acetate extract of the Sukkari fruits has the greatest antioxidant potential with an IC₅₀ value of 132.4 ± 0.3 μg·mL⁻¹, while the aqueous extract of Ajwa date fruits exhibited the lowest antioxidant effect with an IC₅₀ value of 867.1 ± 0.3 μg·mL⁻¹. The extracts exhibited potent to moderate anticancer activities against the investigated cancer cell line in a source-dependent manner. Methanol extract of Siwi fruits exhibited the most potent anticancer activity (IC₅₀ = 99 ± 1.6 µg·mL⁻¹), followed by the same extract of Sukkari fruits with an IC₅₀ value of 119 ± 3.5 µg·mL⁻¹ against the cell line of human breast cancer (MDA-MB-231). Additionally, principal component analysis (PCA) was investigated to determine the relationship among the investigated traits and treatments. Our findings reveal that date palm fruit-derived extracts are excellent sources of biologically active constituents and substantiate their potential use in new anticancer strategies from natural resources.

Background/Aim: Cigarette inhalation is dangerous for the health of both nonsmokers and smokers. It is the most important cause of death. The current study is important for studying the protective role of lobelia (Lobelia inflata) and hops (Humulus lupulus) against the toxic effects of smoking inhalation in adult female rats. Materials and methods: This study was performed on 24 female rats divided into four groups (six each) including control group (G1), cigarettes inhalation group (G2), mixture of lobelia and hops inhalation group (G3), and mixture of herbal plants plus cigarettes inhalation group (G4). Female rats were exposed to inhalation of a mixture of lobelia and hops or cigarettes separately or mixed for 4 weeks with a concentration of 4.4 mg/kg for each dose. At the end of the experiment, serum samples and whole blood were used for biochemical and hematological investigation as well as histological examination on liver, kidney, lung, and cardiac tissue. Results: The cigarette-treated rats showed significant increases (P<0.05) in levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, protein, urea, and creatinine, whereas a significant decrease (P<0.05) in albumin level was estimated. The exposure to the mixture of herbal plants only showed normal levels of liver and kidney biomarkers in comparison with the control group. However, the combination of cigarette plus mixture of herbal plants inhalations revealed normal levels of liver and kidney parameters after 4 weeks of inhalation. Histological studies showed morphological alterations in all vital organs of rats in cigarette inhalation-treated group, whereas normal histological examination in group of rats treated with cigarette plus mixture of herbal plants inhalations. Conclusion: These findings concluded that exposure to cigarette inhalation in female rats activated harmful effects to the vital organs; this toxicity can be improved by exposure to mixtures of herbal plants from lobelia (L. inflata) and hops (H. lupulus).