Herbal power: antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticholinesterase properties of Citrullus colocynthis

Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad. is a biologically rich plant widely used in traditional medicine. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticholinesterase potential and phenolic/flavonoid contents of C. colocynthis. Antimicrobial tests using ethanol and methanol extracts revealed that it exhibited strong antimicrobial effects especially against pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, C. krusei and Acinetobacter baumannii. In addition, antioxidant activity tests showed that ethanol extract had high antioxidant capacity, while methanol extract was moderately effective. Phenolic and flavonoid content analyses showed that ethanol extract contained higher phenolic and flavonoid components. In addition, anticholinesterase activity tests showed that C. colocynthis extract exhibited a significant anticholinesterase effect, which could potentially be useful in the treatment of neurological diseases. These findings indicate that C. colocynthis is a potent natural resource with potential therapeutic benefits and its antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticholinesterase properties are of considerable importance in biomedical applications.