Phytochemical Profiling, In Vitro Antioxidant, and Anticancer Activities of Ethanolic Extract of Salicornia Europaea L. Flowers

Salicornia europaea L. is a salt-tolerant halophyte of increasing scientific interest because of its nutritional value and potential as a source of bioactive phytochemicals. This study investigated the phytochemical composition, in vitro antioxidant capacity, and anticancer activity of an ethanolic extract from S. europaea L. flowers. Dried flowers were extracted with ethanol and subjected to qualitative phytochemical screening and chromatographic profiling to identify major secondary metabolites. The antioxidant potential of the extract was evaluated using complementary in vitro radical-scavenging and reducing-power assays, including DPPH, ABTS, and ferric-reducing antioxidant power assays. Anticancer activity was assessed in cultured cancer cells using a concentration-dependent cell-viability assay, with further evaluation of cellular morphological alterations and apoptosis-associated changes where applicable. The ethanolic flower extract showed the presence of important phytochemical classes, particularly phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, glycosides, and other bioactive constituents. The extract exhibited substantial antioxidant activity, indicating its ability to neutralise free radicals and reduce oxidative stress. In addition, the extract reduced cancer-cell viability in a dose-dependent manner and induced morphological features consistent with cytotoxic and apoptotic cell death. The observed biological activity may be attributed to the synergistic effects of phenolic and flavonoid constituents and other antioxidant metabolites present in the flowers. These findings indicate that S. europaea L. flowers are a promising natural source of antioxidant and anticancer compounds. Further studies involving compound isolation, mechanistic investigations, molecular-target analysis, and in vivo validation are warranted to establish their therapeutic relevance.