Comprehensive assessment of phytochemical profile and biological activity of local endemic species Kalidium wagenitzii extracts

Plant bioactive compounds are promising natural alternatives to synthetic drugs due to their important biological activities. These phytochemicals are involved in plant metabolism and serve as adaptive responses to environmental changes. Especially, plants that grow under extreme environmental conditions often have unique phytochemical profiles and strong biological effects. This study focused on the biological activities of different extracts from Kalidium wagenitzii, a rare species of the Amaranthaceae family endemic to the Salt Lake basin in Aksaray, Turkey. Due to its limited habitat, the plant is thought to possess a distinctive phytochemical composition. Antioxidant activities were assessed using DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, FRAP, PBD, and MCA assays, along with total phenolic and flavonoid content analysis. Enzyme inhibitory activities were evaluated for cholinesterases, α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and tyrosinase. Aqueous extract showed strong acetylcholinesterase (0.31 ± 0.02 mg GALAE/g) and tyrosinase (29.82 ± 0.92 mg KAE/g) inhibition. Methanolic extract was most effective against butyrylcholinesterase (1.93 ± 0.16 mg GALAE/g), while ethyl acetate extract had the highest α-amylase (308.51 ± 0.58 mg ACAE/g) and α-glucosidase (498.30 ± 3.07 mg ACAE/g) inhibition. HPLC analysis revealed epicatechin in ethyl acetate, catechin in methanol, and both in aqueous extract. These results suggest that K. wagenitzii has strong therapeutic potential, especially in managing diabetes.