Potential Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activity of Caralluma indica Seed Extract

Background: Plant-derived phytochemicals are crucial in fighting bacterial infections and in cancer therapy. Objective: This study investigates the phytochemical composition of the ethanolic extract obtained from Caralluma indica (C. indica) seeds and assesses its antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant activities. Results: GC-MS analysis found 30 phytochemicals in C. indica seeds, including 5 bioactive compounds that have been shown to have antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxicity properties, through in silico evaluation. Phytochemical screening of C. indica identified and measured the phenolic compounds, providing insight into its bioactive potential and therapeutic properties. C. indica exhibited robust antioxidant capacity (DPPH, ABTS, nitric oxide, and H₂O₂ radical scavenging) alongside potent antimicrobial activity against oral pathogen and cytotoxicity activity on a human oral squamous carcinoma cell line (OECM-1) (EC₅₀ of 169.35 µg/mL) and yeast cell Saccharomyces cerevisiae (215.82 µg/mL), with a selective index of 1.27. The subminimum % MBC/MFC of C. indica significantly reduced biofilm formation against oral pathogens (p < 0.05). Molecular docking studies showed a strong correlation (r = 0.862) between antifungal and anticancer targets, suggesting that the antimicrobial agents in C. indica contribute to cancer prevention mechanisms. Conclusions: These findings propose C. indica seeds as promising candidates for combating oral pathogens, inhibiting biofilm formation, and reducing the risk of oral cancer progression.