# _Beta vulgaris_ subsp. _maritima_: A Valuable Food with High Added Health Benefits
###### Abstract  
The present study was conducted to evaluate a natural extract, obtained from the _Beta vulgaris_ plant, for its phytochemical composition and its beneficial health effects. Therefore, total phenolic and flavonoid contents, as well as identification and quantification of phenolic compounds by HPLC, were assessed in leaves' extract. Moreover, antioxidant activities were investigated using free radical scavenging tests, (ABTS\({}^{+}\) and DPPH\({}^{+}\)) and reducing power assay (FRAP) as well as ferrous ions' (Fe\({}^{2+}\)) chelating activity. The Antiglycation effect was also evaluated, using the BSA-fructose model, and the antidiabetic effect was determined by inhibition of \(\alpha\)-amylase and \(\alpha\)-glucosidase enzymes. Additionally, the in vitro antitumor effect was quantified using the MTT assay, and the antibacterial activity was evaluated using the agar disc diffusion and broth microdilution methods. Both aqueous and methanolic extracts exhibited potential antioxidant capacity with a higher effect for the methanolic extract. Furthermore, the in vitro antitumor activity of the methanolic extracts exhibited potent cytotoxic effects against two breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-468 and MCF-7. Moreover, _Beta vulgaris_ extracts inhibit not only \(\alpha\)-amylase and \(\alpha\)-glucosidase, but also advanced glycation end-products' (AGEs) formation, which would prevent diabetes' complications. _Beta vulgaris_ methanolic extract revealed also a high antibacterial effect against _Proteins mirabilis_ and _Bacillus subtilis_. Taken together, these results revealed that _Beta vulgaris_ leaves' extracts constitute a valuable food and natural source of bioactive molecules that could be used for the development of new, natural drugs against cancer and diabetes. Beta vulgaris 202  
Currently, BC treatments face several problems, especially the development of therapy resistance and malignant progression. Therefore, new chemical drugs are permanently sought, causing a huge economic burden worldwide [2; 3]. Diabetes, as with several other chronic diseases, has harmful impacts on people's health and can lead to a variety of complications. The different complications associated to diabetes could be linked to a common feature, which is protein glycation. This process could cover a wide range of protein and may, therefore, cause several other pathologies, such as nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy, etc. [4]. (Diabetes' complications are mediated by several factors, among them, the non-enzymatic glycation and oxidative stress are the most known; thus, antiglycation and antioxidant activities are the most known determinants in plants' extracts to be assessed to explore new natural compounds to treat diabetes and its complications [4; 5].) For centuries, natural products (NP) represented an invaluable source of inspiration in the search for new drug candidates. Therefore, NP have been suggested as alternative therapy due to rich sources, multiple targets, and low toxicity with fewer side effects, as well as being considered as a new safe source of effective antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and anticancer bioactive compounds [6; 7; 8]. _Beta vulgaris_ subsp. _maritima_ (_B. vulgaris_) is a plant species that belongs to the Chenopo-diaceae family and that is widely distributed throughout the world. Additionally, _Beta vulgaris_ L. genus has been proven to possess a wide array of pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, hypergly, and anticancer [9; 10; 11; 12]. Moreover, a few previous studies proved that the _Beta vulgaris_ L. possesses antitumor activities against tumors cells, in particular, breast cancer. _B. vulgaris_ subsp. _maritima_ is used as an old medicinal plant and traditional food. It is employed in folk medicine to treat different diseases, in particular, different cancers such as leukemia, esophagus, glands, prostate, and breast tumors [13]. However, presently, no previous investigation pertaining to the Cytotoxicity of Beta vulgaris subsp.