Molecular and bioactive insights into Arceuthobium oxycedri and its host Juniperus oxycedrus: a comparative Phytochemical and docking-based study

This study compared the methanolic extracts obtained from the branches, leaves, and fruits of Juniperus oxycedrus—a plant traditionally used for antidiabetic, antihypertensive, antiasthmatic, and digestive purposes—and its parasitic species Arceuthobium oxycedri. Total phenolic content ranged from 87.32 to 142.45 mg GAE/g extract, and total flavonoid content ranged from 34.12 to 76.84 mg QE/g extract. The highest antioxidant activity was observed in J. oxycedrus fruit extract, with DPPH and ABTS scavenging activities of 89.56% and 91.24%, respectively, at 1 mg/mL. In contrast, A. oxycedri extracts showed moderate activity (DPPH: 54.67%; ABTS: 63.88%). All extracts demonstrated strong antidiabetic potential, with α-glucosidase inhibition reaching up to 89.73% and α-amylase inhibition up to 85.15%, exceeding the standard acarbose in several cases. LC-MS/MS analysis of A. oxycedri revealed quinic acid (21,832.28 ng/mL), caffeic acid (2,346.00 ng/mL), and quercetin (2,168.17 ng/mL) as the dominant compounds. Molecular docking and in silico ADME profiling confirmed favourable interactions with key metabolic and neurological enzymes. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of both species and suggest their value for future product development.