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eISSN: 2083-5906
ISSN: 1230-1485
ISSN: 1230-1485
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The Antioxidant, Anticancer, and Antimicrobial
Properties of Bioactive Compounds in Bitter
Apple Seed Extract and Their Application
in Preserving Minced Beef
1
Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, 31982, Saudi Arabia
2
Agricultural Biotechnology Department, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University,
Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
3
Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt
4
Food Science and Nutrition Department, College of Agricultural and Food Science, King Faisal University,
Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
5
Chemistry Department, Al-Leith University College, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah,
P.O. Box 6725-21955, Saudi Arabia
6
Department of Arid Land Agriculture, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University,
Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
7
Pests and Plant Diseases Unit, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
Submission date: 2025-03-22
Final revision date: 2025-06-25
Acceptance date: 2025-07-14
Online publication date: 2025-08-22
Corresponding author
Hossam S. El-Beltagi
Agricultural Biotechnology Department, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, 31982, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
Agricultural Biotechnology Department, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, 31982, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
Ali O. Osman
Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt
Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
The current study prepared, characterized, and evaluated a bitter apple seed ethanolic extract
(BASEE) for its antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, as well as its use
in preserving minced beef. The bitter apple seed ethanolic extract had a total phenolic content
of 32 mg GAE g-1 extract. BASEE contains dominant compounds, including ellagic (0.9 mg g-1),
cinnamic (0.8 mg g-1), or gallic (0.6 mg g-1) acids. The bitter apple seed ethanolic extract exhibited
antioxidant activity by inhibiting DPPH free radicals. It exhibited activity towards Staphylococcus
aureus and Escherichia coli, with effectiveness depending on the concentration. BASEE (400 μg mL-1)
significantly inhibited F. oxysporum mycelial growth, resulting in a 94% reduction in development.
HCT116 cells treated with BASEE for 48 h stopped their growth, with IC50 values of 55 μg mL-1
for HCT116 cells and 100 μg mL-1 for A549 cells. However, IC50 values were significantly higher
than those of Vero normal cells (1000 μg mL-1). Results indicate that HCT116 cells showed greater sensitivity to the bitter apple seed ethanolic extract compared to the A549 cells and normal cells (Vero).
The findings indicate that BASEE may function as an alternative antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal,
and anticancer agent. Bitter apple seed ethanolic extract can be effectively used as a natural preservative
and a better alternative to synthetic compounds.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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