Evaluating bioactive contents from ethanolic extract of red cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata): In vitro and in silico approaches

Vegetables have received much consideration among the commonalities to lessen dysfunctions due to their safe nature and functional properties. The present study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the bioactive constituents, and biological potential of ethanolic extract from locally cultivated Brassica oleracea var. capitata (red cabbage) using integrated in vitro and in silico approaches. Proximate analysis revealed that red cabbage is rich in carbohydrates (51.88 %) and proteins (22.68 %), with moderate levels of crude fiber (2.89 %) and low-fat content (1.98 %), contributing to a total energy of 316.08 Kcal/100 g on a dry weight basis. Mineral profiling indicated potassium (1923.09 ± 5.88 mg) as the predominant mineral in 100 g of fresh red cabbage, followed by magnesium (169.12 ± 1.25 mg), sodium (75.25 ± 0.02 mg), and calcium (75.25 ± 0.02 mg), along with considerable levels of other trace elements. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis identified a diverse range of bioactive compounds in red cabbage extract, including phenolics, flavonoids, and fatty acid derivatives, where 2-deoxy-D‑erythro-pentose (18.3901 ± 0.8754 %), and 3-acetoxy-3-hydroxypropionic acid, methyl ester (17.9127 ± 1.4014 %) are the most prominent. The extract demonstrated notable antioxidant activity, IC 50 value of 68.26 ± 1.24 ppm in the DPPH radical scavenging assay. Antimicrobial efficacy is assessed by measuring the zone of inhibition and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), indicating that the extract exhibits good activity against the microorganisms Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae , and Candida albicans. In silico molecular docking further supported the biological relevance of key phytochemicals by predicting strong interactions with microbial target proteins. Overall, this study emphasizes red cabbage as a nutritionally valuable and bioactive-rich vegetable.