Selective anticancer activity of Vachellia nilotica fruit extract: integrated phytochemistry with antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cancer cell targeting

Introduction: anticancer activity of its methanolic fruit extract, thereby validating its ethnopharmacological significance. Methods: The methanolic extract was subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening for key secondary metabolites. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were quantified using Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride colorimetric methods, respectively. The antioxidant capacity was evaluated through the DPPH free radical scavenging assay. Antibacterial and antifungal activities were determined by the agar well diffusion method against pathogenic strains. The cytotoxic and selectivity profiles were assessed using MTT assays on human cancer cell lines (MCF-7, PC-3, Caco-2) and normal Vero cells, with doxorubicin serving as a positive control. Results: , while maintaining significantly higher viability in normal Vero cells compared with doxorubicin. Discussion: and mechanistic studies are warranted to elucidate its pharmacological potential and clinical relevance.