Antioxidant, antibacterial, and cytotoxic properties <i>Cousinia Umbrosa</i> Bunge for sustainable applications

This study explores the potential of Cousinia Umbrosa Bunge, a plant native to southern Kazakhstan, as a renewable source for bioactive polymers with applications in sustainable materials and biomedicine. The plant’s extract was analyzed for its phytochemical composition, focusing on polymer-relevant compounds such as polysaccharides and other bioactive constituents. Key findings demonstrated promising antioxidant properties through DPPH and ABTS assays, with the ethanol extract achieving fifty percent inhibition in the DPPH assay compared to Trolox, though moderate activity was observed in the ABTS assay. Ethanol extract umbrosa Bunge , particularly those prepared with 96% ethanol, exhibited negligible activity against DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radicals (radical inhibition, quantified at 74.15 ± 0.21%), whereas 50% ethanol extract displayed a significant ability to scavenge DPPH radicals, demonstrating its enhanced antioxidant capacity. Cytotoxicity assessments on human dermal fibroblast (HDF) and human keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells indicated a low toxicity level, supporting the extract’s potential use in biocompatible, polymer-based antimicrobial agents. This study highlights Cousinia umbrosa Bunge as a promising source for developing bioactive, renewable polymers with applications in sustainable and biodegradable materials.