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10.3390/antiox15030296
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Article

Phytochemical Characterization and Biological Assessment of Geranium robertianum L. Ethanolic Extract on Human Salivary Gland Carcinoma Cells

by
Adina Feher
1,
Adina Căta
2,
Diana Haj Ali
1,3,4,
Larisa Bora
5,6,
Ioana Zinuca Magyari-Pavel
5,6,
Ana-Maria Vlase
7,
Ștefana Avram
5,6,
Laurian Vlase
8,
Diana Ungureanu (Similie)
1,6,
Ștefania Dinu
9,10,*,
Daliana Minda
5,6,
Cristina Adriana Dehelean
3,4,
Mukerrem Betul Yerer
11,
Corina Danciu
5,6,* and
Ramona Amina Popovici
12
1
Doctoral School, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
2
National Institute of Research and Development for Electrochemistry and Condensed Matter, 144 Dr. A. P. Podeanu, 300569 Timişoara, Romania
3
Department of Toxicology, Drug Industry, Management and Legislation, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
4
Research Centre for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluation, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
5
Department of Pharmacognosy-Phytotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
6
Research and Processing Center of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
7
Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 8 Victor Babeș Street, 400347 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
8
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 8 Victor Babeș Street, 400347 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
9
Department of Pedodontics, Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, No. 9, Revolutiei Bv., 300041 Timișoara, Romania
10
Pediatric Dentistry Research Center, Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, No. 9, Revolutiei Bv., 300041 Timișoara, Romania
11
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Erciyes University, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey
12
Department of Management and Communication in Dental Medicine, Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
 
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Antioxidants 2026, 15(3), 296; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15030296
Submission received: 21 January 2026 / Revised: 20 February 2026 / Accepted: 24 February 2026 / Published: 27 February 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Antioxidants in Pharmaceuticals and Dermatocosmetology)
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Abstract

Geranium robertianum L. is used in traditional medicine to treat different systemic disorders and holds great therapeutic potential but remains understudied. To this aim, an ethanolic extract obtained from the aerial parts of G. robertianum L. (GR) was investigated in terms of phytochemical composition and biological activity. GR extract exhibited high levels of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. The antioxidant activity was determined by means of three different colorimetric assays (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP), and the results obtained indicate that the ABTS assay showed the highest antioxidant capacity. Metal analysis was also performed. Fe was found to be the most abundant element in the analyzed extract, with a concentration of 363.65 ± 4.18 μg/g, followed by Zn, Mn, Ni, and Cr. Four potentially hazardous heavy metals, As, Co, Pb, and Cd, were found to be under the detection limit. The GR extract exhibited moderate antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, with inhibition zones generally comparable to those of levofloxacin. However, the extract was significantly less effective against the P. aeruginosa strain. On A253 human salivary gland carcinoma cells, GR extract elicited a dose-dependent antiproliferative effect, produced morphological changes, and increased ROS and both caspase-3/7 and caspase-9 levels.
Keywords: Geranium robertianum ethanolic extract; phytochemicals; antioxidant; metal analysis; antimicrobial; A253 human salivary gland carcinoma cell line; proliferation; apoptosis Geranium robertianum ethanolic extract; phytochemicals; antioxidant; metal analysis; antimicrobial; A253 human salivary gland carcinoma cell line; proliferation; apoptosis

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MDPI and ACS Style

Feher, A.; Căta, A.; Haj Ali, D.; Bora, L.; Magyari-Pavel, I.Z.; Vlase, A.-M.; Avram, Ș.; Vlase, L.; Ungureanu, D.; Dinu, Ș.; et al. Phytochemical Characterization and Biological Assessment of Geranium robertianum L. Ethanolic Extract on Human Salivary Gland Carcinoma Cells. Antioxidants 2026, 15, 296. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15030296

AMA Style

Feher A, Căta A, Haj Ali D, Bora L, Magyari-Pavel IZ, Vlase A-M, Avram Ș, Vlase L, Ungureanu D, Dinu Ș, et al. Phytochemical Characterization and Biological Assessment of Geranium robertianum L. Ethanolic Extract on Human Salivary Gland Carcinoma Cells. Antioxidants. 2026; 15(3):296. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15030296

Chicago/Turabian Style

Feher, Adina, Adina Căta, Diana Haj Ali, Larisa Bora, Ioana Zinuca Magyari-Pavel, Ana-Maria Vlase, Ștefana Avram, Laurian Vlase, Diana Ungureanu (Similie), Ștefania Dinu, and et al. 2026. "Phytochemical Characterization and Biological Assessment of Geranium robertianum L. Ethanolic Extract on Human Salivary Gland Carcinoma Cells" Antioxidants 15, no. 3: 296. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15030296

APA Style

Feher, A., Căta, A., Haj Ali, D., Bora, L., Magyari-Pavel, I. Z., Vlase, A.-M., Avram, Ș., Vlase, L., Ungureanu, D., Dinu, Ș., Minda, D., Dehelean, C. A., Yerer, M. B., Danciu, C., & Popovici, R. A. (2026). Phytochemical Characterization and Biological Assessment of Geranium robertianum L. Ethanolic Extract on Human Salivary Gland Carcinoma Cells. Antioxidants, 15(3), 296. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15030296

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