Palm Fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Pollen Extract Inhibits Cancer Cell and Enzyme Activities and DNA and Protein Damage

Palm fruit pollen extract (PFPE) is a natural source of bioactive polyphenols. The primary aim of the study was to determine the antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, enzyme inhibition, bovine serum albumin (BSA), and DNA-protective properties of PFPE and identify and quantify the phenolic compounds present in PFPE. The results demonstrated that PFPE exhibited potent antioxidant activity in various radical-scavenging assays, including (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) (DPPH(•)), 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS(•)), nitric oxide (NO), ferric-reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). PFPE also displayed antimicrobial activity against several pathogenic bacteria. Similarly, PFPE reduced acetylcholinesterase, tyrosinase, and α-amylase activities. PFPE has been proven to have an anticancer effect against colon carcinoma (Caco-2), hepatoma (HepG-2), and breast carcinoma (MDA) cancer cells. Apoptosis occurred in PFPE-treated cells in a dose-dependent manner, and cell cycle arrest was observed. Furthermore, in breast cancer cells, PFPE down-regulated Bcl-2 and p21 and up-regulated p53 and Caspase-9. These results show that PFPE constitutes a potential source of polyphenols for pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and functional food applications.