Demonstrating the antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer properties of the Achillea fragrantissima shrub growing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Achillea fragrantissima is a known medicinal plant in traditional Saudi culture. The current study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition of A. fragrantissima and its biological activity as a possible antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer agent. The phenolic content of A. fragrantissima was studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The antibacterial activity was investigated using the well-diffusion method. The anticancer was investigated against A594 lung cancer cells by MTT, annexin V/Propidium iodide assay, Cell cycle analysis, and Western blotting. The chemical analysis showed that A. fragrantissima includes volatile oils, fatty acids, and other aromatic chemicals. A. fragrantissima ethanolic extract (AFEE) had a 38% scavenging of free radicals at 12 µg/ml and 48% at 100 µg/ml ( p  < 0.001). Using a 40% dose, the antibacterial test revealed substantial efficacy against all species, particularly S. aureus . The cytotoxic effect showed dose-dependent growth inhibition of A594 cells with an IC ₅₀ of 14.01 µg/ml. At 20 µg/ml, AFEE caused 33.27% of cellular apoptosis. At 40 µg/ml, G2/M phase arrest increased to 36.77% ( p  < 0.001). Mechanistically, AFEE reduced the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 by 56.14% and increased caspase-3 by 66.27% while boosting Cyclin B levels by 74.35%. These findings emphasize AFEE's potential as an antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer agent.