Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Activity of Randia spp. Fruit Extracts Obtained by Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction

Randia spp. is a medicinal plant traditionally used to treat various diseases. In this study, the phytochemical composition and the antioxidant, antiproliferative, and cytotoxic activities of hydroalcoholic extracts from fresh and dried Randia spp. fruits were evaluated. The phytochemical profile was determined through qualitative assays and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Antioxidant activity was assessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays. The antiproliferative effect was tested against CaCo-2 cells (human colon adenocarcinoma), the cytotoxicity was evaluated using J774.2 murine macrophages, and the selectivity index (SI) was calculated. The fresh and dried fruit extracts contained 50.27 and 47.22 mg QE/g extract of total phenols (TPC) and 27.08 and 35.53 mg QE/g extract of total flavonoids (TFC), respectively. In the fresh fruit extracts, four phenolic acids (caffeic, hydroxybenzoic, ferulic, and coumaric) and one flavonoid (kaempferol) were identified, and the dried fruit extracts contained ferulic acid, vanillic acid, and kaempferol. Kaempferol was the predominant compound in both extracts (137.55 and 42.10 mg/g dry sample in fresh and dried fruits, respectively). Both extracts displayed antioxidant activity, with IC50 values of 18.29 mg/mL (DPPH) and 8.70 mg/mL (ABTS). Among the tested samples, the dried fruit extract demonstrated the highest antiproliferative activity. Furthermore, the extract showed moderate antiproliferative effects against CaCo-2 cells (IC50 25.44 ± 0.16 µg/mL) and low cytotoxicity toward J774.2 cells (CC50 > 100 µg/mL), resulting in an SI = 3.92. Overall, the antioxidant and antiproliferative activities can be attributed mainly to kaempferol, given its high abundance in both extracts. The favorable selectivity index suggests that hydroalcoholic extracts of Randia spp. are safe and effective, highlighting their potential as candidates for further preclinical and clinical evaluation.