Chemical Characterization of Pollen Grains Ethanolic Extract (PGE) with Evaluation of its Potent Antioxidant, Antibacterial and Anti-Cancer Activities against Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HepG2)

Background: Pollen grains (PGE) contain a mixture of essential nutrients. Many studies have indicated that polyphenol compounds and, especially, flavonoids are among the 2ry metabolites that have many biological activities, such as antioxidant, anticancer and antibacterial activities. Methods: The main aim of the study is to evaluate the potent and high antioxidant regarding its capability of free radical scavenging activities via ABTS, ORAC and metal chelation assays; anticancer [anti-hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG-2)] and antibacterial activities against the two bacterial strains (Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli) of the pollen grain extract (PGE). Methods: Pollen grain extract (PGE) was chemically characterized using GC-MS, SEM and TEM and antioxidant capacities were determined via three assays (ORAC, ABTS and metal chelation) for the estimation of free radical scavenging capacities. antibacterial screening against two bacterial strains (B. subtilis and E. coli), in vitro estimation of cytotoxicity against proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG-2). Result: GC-MS indicated the chemical structure of the pollen grains that contain a lot of phenolics and flavonoids. SEM examination, which revealed the external surface of the used PGE, showed a branched chain appearance with an amorphous structure in a small size. TEM examination, which revealed the internal structure of the used PGE, which appeared as spherical black spots inside a large line-dashed sphere, also clarified that the PGE was found to possess a high potency against the hepatic cancer cells, as evidenced by the inhibition of HepG-2 proliferation growth of cancer cells, which was measured at 84.09 µg/ml at 100 µg/ml. Strong antibacterial capacities of PGE are shown against two strains (B. subtilis and E. coli), at nearly low concentrations recording growth concentration at 0.625 mg/ml. PGE exhibited a potent antioxidant capacity via recording ABTS and ORAC activities at 1028.76 and 406.87 (µM Trolox eq/ml), in addition to the metal chelation activity by 35.68 (µM EDTA eq/mg extract). Therefore, it can be concluded that the PGE is effective with novel potent antioxidant, antibacterial and anticancer capacities.