Citrullus colocynthis Seed Oil: A Promising Natural Agent for Dual Anticancer and Antimicrobial Intervention

The persistent burden of cancer demands next-generation therapeutics to overcome the selectivity, toxicity, and resistance limitations of current conventional drugs. Plant-derived secondary metabolites offer a promising alternative, often acting by inducing apoptosis or disrupting malignant cell metabolism. This study investigated the phytochemical profile and in vitro bioactivity of the hexane extract (oil) from Citrullus colocynthis seeds. Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the fatty acids fraction revealed that the oil consists of 10 fatty acids, six are unsaturated and four are saturated. Key components identified were linoleic acid at 67.58%, oleic acid at 14.53% (unsaturated fatty acids), and stearic acid at 8.89% and palmitic acid at 6.76% (saturated fatty acids). This profile correlated with potent biological activity: the oil exhibited high anticancer activity against the human colorectal cancer line Caco-2 (IC50 = 100.5 µg/ml). Furthermore, it demonstrated superior broad-spectrum antibacterial efficacy against all five tested strains (B. subtilis, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, S. typhi, and E. coli), with zones of inhibition ranging from 19.0 mm (Staph. aureus) to 31.0 mm (Bacillus subtilis), highlighting its superior broad-spectrum potential. These multi-target results strongly support the use of C. colocynthis seed oil in the development of novel therapeutic agents.