Tissue-Specific Phytochemical Profiling and Bioactivity of Ricinus communis L. Under Varying Agronomic Conditions

Natural bioactive compounds have emerged as essential candidates for pharmaceutical development due to their high efficacy and low toxicity. Hence, this study was designed to evaluate how varying sowing dates and nitrogen treatments influence the phytochemical profile and biological activity of Ricinus communis L. Quantitative LC-MS/MS profiling of the aerial parts established quinic acid (94.789 mg/g), ellagic acid (39.955 mg/g), and gallic acid (35.732 mg/g) as the major phenolic-flavonoid compounds in the extract. The extracts exhibited strong antioxidant potential, with determined values of 37.35 ± 0.32 µg/mL (DPPH IC₅₀), 13.05 ± 0.08 µg/mL (ABTS IC₅₀), and 30.93 ± 0.56 µg/mL (CUPRAC A₀.₅). Enzymatic assays revealed tissue-specific inhibition, with the aerial parts targeting urease (66.44% ± 0.67%) and collagenase (47.61% ± 0.82%), and the seeds predominantly affecting α-glucosidase (97.12% ± 1.69%) and AChE (55.37% ± 0.89%). In conclusion, this study bridges agronomy and pharmacology by demonstrating that sowing dates and nitrogen treatments determine phytochemical yield. Furthermore, it reveals a novel, tissue-specific divergence, as the aerial parts and seeds of R. communis target completely distinct enzymatic pathways.