Terroir-driven phenolic chemotypes and antioxidant/antimicrobial activities of Beldia (Cannabis sativa L.) seed extracts

Geographical variation in the phenolic composition and bioactivity of Moroccan Beldia (Cannabis sativa L.) seeds remains insufficiently characterized, limiting their rational valorization as bioactive resources. This study investigated aqueous extracts from defatted seeds collected in Ketama, Taounate, and Ouazzane using HPLC-DAD phenolic profiling, antioxidant and antimicrobial assays, and molecular docking. Data are reported as mean ± SD (n = 3), and regional differences were evaluated by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's test when applicable. Clear regional discrimination was observed. Ouazzane gave the highest extraction yield (8.08 ± 0.24%), total phenolic content (16.13 ± 0.48 mg GAE/100 g DM), total flavonoid content (6.78 ± 0.20 mg QE/100 g DM), and total antioxidant capacity (565.80 ± 5.90 mg AAE/g), whereas Ketama showed the strongest DPPH scavenging activity (IC₅₀ = 10.25 ± 0.03 µg/mL). HPLC-DAD revealed distinct chemotypes dominated by 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (33.26-36.63%), with Taounate enriched in vanillic acid (35.00%) and caffeic acid (20.44%). Antimicrobial assays showed the best MIC values against Micrococcus luteus (0.50 ± 0.01 mg/mL) and Geotrichum candidum (0.12 ± 0.00 mg/mL). Docking highlighted flavonoid-type constituents as the most plausible active contributors, with catechin hydrate and rutin showing the strongest affinity toward CYP51 (-9.6 kcal/mol). Moroccan terroir strongly shapes the functional profile of Beldia seed extracts and supports region-guided sourcing for future bioactive applications.