Abstract

Coniferous species represent a valuable source of bioactive phytochemicals, including polyphenols, terpenoids, and alkaloids, with growing interest in their pharmacological potential. Algeria’s unique geography fosters exceptional biodiversity; however, knowledge about its endemic conifers remains limited. This study investigated the phytochemical composition and biological activity of leaf and cone extracts of Abies numidica. High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS) confirmed the presence of multiple phenolic constituents. Antioxidant assays demonstrated moderate activity in both extracts, as evidenced by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) values. Cytotoxicity experiments revealed selective cytotoxic potential: Cone extracts significantly reduced the viability of MCF-7 breast cancer cells but showed lower selectivity toward normal cells, whereas leaf extracts were more effective against the triple-negative cell line MDA-MB-231 at lower concentrations. In silico analyses indicated that the lead compounds complied with Lipinski’s rules, suggesting favorable pharmacological properties. Notably, ellagic acid presented a distinctive metabolic and toxicity profile. Computational predictions revealed its ability to increase the expression of genes related to cell adhesion, genomic stability, and tumor progression, while decreasing the expression of those associated with energy metabolism and inflammatory signaling. Overall, the findings highlight the pharmacological potential of A. numidica and underline the need for further preclinical evaluation of its bioactive compounds.

Key words: Abies numidica; anticancer; ADMET properties; phenolic compounds, in silico.