Effects of nitrogen application on phytochemical component levels and anticancer and antioxidant activities of <i>Allium fistulosum</i>

Abstract

The results suggested that nitrogen fertilizers have a significant effect on the level of total phenols and flavonoids. The analysis of the antioxidant capacity revealed that the lowest IC₅₀ values corresponded to plants treated with the highest nitrogen concentration. Anticancer activity was investigated against cancer cell lines (HeLa and HepG2), and the extracts of <i>A. fistulosum</i> treated with a high nitrogen level showed the highest antiproliferative effect. Collectively, our results suggest that nitrogen fertilizer application enhanced the quality of <i>A. fistulosum</i>, particularly its health benefits.