The Antioxidant and Anticancer Properties of Khastawi Date Seeds Extracts

Objective(s): To characterize the major chemical constituents of Khastawi date seed extract and evaluate its antioxidant activity and selective cytotoxicity against FTC-133 human thyroid cancer cells. Design: In vitro experimental study combining GC-MS chemical profiling, DPPH radical-scavenging testing, MTT cell-viability assays, and high-content screening (HCS). Intervention(s): Khastawi date seeds were extracted by Soxhlet extraction using the reported mixed-solvent system. FTC-133 cells and normal human dermal fibroblasts (HdFn) were exposed to the crude extract at 25-400 µg/mL for 24, 48, and 72 h. Main outcome measure(s): GC-MS library-matched constituents, DPPH inhibition and IC₅₀, MTT cell viability and IC₅₀, and multiparametric HCS cellular responses. Results: GC-MS revealed several bioactive constituents, including fatty-acid-related compounds. DPPH scavenging increased with concentration, and the extract showed an IC₅₀ of 294.02 ppm compared with 34.22 ppm for ascorbic acid. FTC-133 cells were more sensitive to the extract than HdFn cells. The FTC-133 IC₅₀ values were 111.5, 90.79, and 83.12 µg/mL at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively, compared with 265.4, 201.8, and 145.2 µg/mL for HdFn cells. HCS documented changes in multiple cellular-health parameters after extract exposure. Conclusion: Khastawi date seed extract demonstrated moderate antioxidant activity and selective in vitro cytotoxicity toward FTC-133 thyroid cancer cells, supporting further investigation of its bioactive constituents. Keywords: Khastawi date seed; GC-MS; DPPH; MTT; high-content screening; antioxidant; anticancer activity.