A novel benzimidazole and other constituents with antiproliferative and antioxidant properties from <i>Thymelaea microphylla</i> Coss. et Dur

<p>A new compound (microphybenzimidazole, <b>7</b>) along with the six known compounds matairesinol (<b>1</b>), prestegane B (<b>2</b>), umbelliferone (<b>3</b>), daphnoretin (<b>4</b>), microphynolide A (<b>5</b>) and microphynolide B (<b>6</b>) were isolated from <i>Thymelaea microphylla.</i> The structures of the pure compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic and mass-spectrometric analyses, including 1D-, 2D-NMR, and HPLC-TOF/MS. Compounds <b>2</b> and <b>4</b>, as well as three fractions (<b>F6</b>, <b>F6-C5</b>, and <b>F6-W42</b>) obtained from a 50% (v:v) CH₂Cl₂:MeOH extract exhibited a selective activity against rat brain glioma cells (C6). Moreover, compound <b>1</b> and other fractions obtained from 50% (v:v) CH₂Cl₂:MeOH and 70% (v:v) MeOH:H₂O extracts exhibited dose- and time-dependent effects on human cervical cancer cell (HeLa), as measured by xCELLigence assay. Compound <b>2</b> (IC₅₀ = 14.0 ± 0.2 μg/mL) and fraction <b>F5</b> (IC₅₀ = 12.4 ± 0.1 μg/mL) showed higher radical scavenging ability than the synthetic agent butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT, IC₅₀ = 22.7 ± 0.6 μg/mL<b>)</b>