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This study evaluates the antibacterial effectiveness of Origanum vulgare hydroethanolic extract, both independently and in combination with antibiotics, against Escherichia coli strains associated with avian colibacillosis-a significant concern for the poultry industry due to the rise of antibiotic-resistant E. coli. The urgent demand for new treatments is addressed by analyzing the extract's phytochemical makeup via High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), which identified sixteen phenolic compounds. Antibacterial activity was determined through agar diffusion and the measurement of minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MIC and MBC), showing moderate efficacy (MIC: 3.9 to 7.8 mg/mL, MBC: 31.2 to 62.4 mg/mL). Combining the extract with antibiotics like ampicillin and tetracycline amplified antibacterial activity, indicating a synergistic effect and highlighting the importance of combinatory treatments against resistant strains. Further analysis revealed the extract's mechanisms of action include disrupting bacterial cell membrane integrity and inhibiting ATPase/H+ proton pumps, essential for bacterial survival. Moreover, the extract effectively inhibited and eradicated biofilms, crucial for preventing bacterial colonization. Regarding cytotoxicity, the extract showed no hemolytic effect at 1 to 9 mg/mL concentrations. These results suggest Origanum vulgare extract, particularly when used with antibiotics, offers a promising strategy for managing avian colibacillosis, providing both direct antibacterial benefits and moderating antibiotic resistance, thus potentially reducing the economic impact of the disease on the poultry industry., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Lake Ichkeul is considered one of the most significant wetlands in the Mediterranean basin. It serves as a crucial wintering area for numerous western Palearctic birds. A notable decline in species diversity has been observed in the past decade, attributed to excessive water usage for irrigation and the effects of climate change. This study aimed to assess the status of Ichkeul Lake and its catchment through identifying potentially toxic cyanobacteria, and sediment quality. Our first striking finding was that Lyngbya majuscula the dominant potentially toxic cyanobacterium in the lake originated from the Tinja channel. Trace element concentrations in lake sediments exceeded SQG standards which is indicative of rare detrimental effects to biological life. However, the sediment in front of the Tinja channel exhibited high contamination levels of Zn and Cd. These findings call for an urgent need to ensure the ongoing management and conservation of this world heritage site., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Lamia Trabelsi reports financial support was provided by National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies and by the Ministry of Education and King Abdulaziz University, DSR, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To assess potential impacts of industrial activities on the pollution status of Gulf of Gabes, twenty sediment and water samples along with phytoplankton enumeration were achieved at different stations with specific features. Comparing trace element concentrations in sediment to applicable SQG standards, we were intrigued by an accumulation of Zn, Cr, Ni, and especially Cd, which exhibited relatively high content compared to these standards. Moreover, trace metal bioavailability was high in front of industrial discharge areas. The chemical speciation pointed out a high affinity of Pb, Zn, Cr, Mn, Ni, Co, and Fe for the residual fraction of the sediment. Bioavailability of trace elements was confirmed in surface sediment by the presence of a potential toxic fraction especially in front of industrial discharge areas. Toxicity assessment performed for the first time in the Gulf of Gabes through SEM and AVS models pointed to a high potential risk near both Ghannouch and Gabes Ports. Finally, the correlations between phytoplankton species and the labile fraction inferred potential phytoplankton bioaccumulation of Zn, Cu, and Cd both in the seawater and in the labile fraction., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease that is often fatal in affected patients and represents a major public health problem. At present, no vaccine is available, and the drug treatments used are costly, long, and have numerous side effects, they also present variable effectiveness, frequent relapses, and a more and more marked resistance towards the parasites. Thus, new therapeutic strategies are urgently needed, and they are mainly based on the research of active natural products. The objective of our study is the chemical characterization and the quantification of the polyphenol contents contained in the EAF and EAT extracts of the Laperrine olive tree and the evaluation of their antileishmania effect against Leishmania infantum. The quantification of polyphenols, flavonoids and total tannins shows a higher content in the leaf extract. We find respectively 776.76±30.64 mg gallic acid equivalent/g DR; 114.35±14.12 mg quercetin equivalent/g DR and 214.89±.17 mg tannic acid equivalent/g DR.The chemical characterization of Olea europaea subsp. laperrinei extracts show the presence of numerous antileishmanial biomolecules such as oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, rutin, gallic acid, cafeic acid, rosmarinic acid, and quercetin.In this context, we are testing the in vitro leishmanicidal effect of Laperrine olive tree extracts. The results obtained are promising and highlight the effectiveness of the tested extracts against the promastigote form of Leishmania infantum. Indeed, the LD50 is obtained with the leaf extract at a concentration of 7.52±2.71 µl/ml.

Klebsiella pneumoniae producing extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) continues to pose huge therapeutic challenges in the treatment of infections, primarily urinary infections, due to its multidrug resistance to antibiotics. Therefore, there is a need for research on this topic to investigate ways to reduce the spread of antibiotic resistance, identify novel therapeutic approaches to treat these infections and gain a better understanding of the mechanisms of resistance. In this context, this study aimed to analyze the chemical composition of essential oils (EOs) of Thymus algeriensis, Syzygium aromaticum, and Eucalyptus globulus and assess their activity against K. pneumoniae ESBL strains, as well as the interaction type between these EOs and antibiotics used for the treatment of K. pneumoniae ESBL infections. The composition of the EOs was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The activity of EOs was tested using the disc diffusion and liquid microdilution methods. The type of interaction between EOs and antibiotics was studied using the agar disk diffusion and chessboard methods. The analysis of the EO of T. algeriensis showed that the main compounds were thymol (23.14%), linalool (18.44%), and p-cymene (16.17%). The main constituents of EO of E. globulus were eucalyptol (54.29%), α-pinene (17.32%), aromadendrene (7.02%), and pinocarveol (6.32%). As for the EO of S. aromaticum, the major constituents were eugenol (80.46%) and eugenol acetate (16.23%). Results of the activity tests showed that all three EOs were active against the tested strains, with inhibition diameters ranging from 7.39±0.44mm to 32.4±1.05mm and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) varying from 2 to 441.5±5.66 mg/ml. A synergistic interaction was obtained between amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and T. algeriensis EO against two strains of K. pneumoniae ESBL. These results demonstrate the potential of our EOs to inhibit multi-resistant pathogenic ESBL strains, as well as their synergistic interaction with antibiotics used in therapy, which could be an alternative to the use of antibiotics alone in treatment to fight against these multi-resistant pathogenic bacteria.

In this study, we examined the toxicity potential of the epiplastic microalgal community that developed on low-density polyethylene (LD-PE) plastic debris found in two distinct regions of the Monastir Bay (Tunisia): the coast exposed to anthropogenic discharges and the open sea in front of the Kuriat Islands. Concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) accumulated in sediments and plastisphere were compared in order to determine their toxicity potential to biological life. The collected plastispheres were predominantly composed of cyanobacteria, chlorophytes, and diatoms. Diatoms display a relatively high diversity (25 species). At all stations, potentially harmful microalgae (PHM) were more abundant in the plastisphere than in seawater and the coastal zone seems to harbour increased number of potentially harmful cyanobacteria within the plastisphere. At the offshore station S1, the PHM community was dominated by the potentially harmful diatoms belonging to the genus Pseudo-nitzschia. Phormidium sp. was the main potentially harmful cyanobacterium identified in the plastisphere of S1. PTEs concentration in the plastisphere was higher than in sediment and ranking with very high contamination factors at all sites according to the sequence Pb > Cu > Cd > Ni > Zn. The highest accumulation of PTEs in the plastisphere was recorded near harbors and industrial zones with important human interference. This work shows that plastisphere can be a threat to vulnerable species not only because it can contain PHM but also because it can accumulate PTEs., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: In Tunisia, the use of hot spring waters for both health and recreation is a tradition dating back to Roman times. In fact, thermal baths, usually called "Hammam" are recommended as a therapeutic and prophylactic measure against many types of illness and toxicity. While the chemical concentration of thermal water is admittedly associated with its therapeutic effects, the inclusion in spa waters of efficient bioproduct additives produced by photosynthetic microorganisms and that act against oxidative stress may comprise a significant supplementary value for thermal centers. The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant potential of the Tunisian thermophilic cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp. and to determine its phytochemical constituents and phenolic profile., Methods: BME (Biomass Methanolic Extract), CME (Capsular polysaccharides Methanolic Extract) and RME (Releasing polysaccharides Methanolic Extract) of Leptolyngbya sp. were examined for their antioxidant activities by means of DPPH, hydroxyl radical scavenging and ferrous ion chelating assays. Their total phenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) and vitamin C contents, as well as their phenolic profiles were also determined., Results: BME has the highest content of phenols (139 ± 1.2 mg/g), flavonoids (34.9 ± 0.32 mg CEQ/g), carotenoids (2.03 ± 0.56 mg/g) and vitamin C (15.7 ± 1.55 mg/g), while the highest MAAs content (0.42 ± 0.03 mg/g) was observed in CME. BME presented both the highest DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging ability with an IC 50 of 0.07 and 0.38 mg/ml, respectively. The highest ferrous chelating capacity was detected in CME with an IC 50  = 0.59 mg/ml. Phenolic profiles revealed the presence of 25 phenolic compounds with the existence of hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, resveratrol and pinoresinol., Conclusion: The study demonstrated that the cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp. possesses abundant natural antioxidant products which may have prophylactic and therapeutic effects on many types of illness and toxicity. The present findings not only explain and reinforce the rationale behind traditional therapeutic practices in Tunisia in the exploitation of the country's hot springs, but support the addition of Leptolyngbya to thermal waters as a means to enhance the value and reputation of the curative nature of Tunisian thermal waters.

Background: For thousands of years, Tunisian geothermal water has been used in bathing. Indeed, thermal baths "Hammam" were recommended in the treatment of different type of illnesses as, for instance, for relaxing joints and soothing. The ability of microalgae to sustain at the high temperature makes them potential producers of high value thermostable bio-products. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of the aqueous extracellular polysaccharides (AEPS) of the Tunisian thermophilic microalgae Graesiella sp. and to evaluate its physico-chemical characteristics., Methods: Different parameters were used to characterize the AEPS. The dry weight, volatile dry weight, elemental analysis, monosaccharide composition and IR-spectroscopy analysis. Carbohydrate, uronic acid, ester sulfate and protein concentrations were also determined using colorimetric assay. AEPS was analyzed for its antioxidant propriety by means of total antioxidant capacity, DPPH radicals scavenging assay, ferrous chelating ability and hydroxyl and superoxide radical scavenging activity. The antiproliferative activity of AEPS was evaluated for HepG2 and Caco-2 cells using the MTT assay., Results: The Graesiella sp. AEPS is found to be a hetero-sulfated-anionic polysaccharides that contain carbohydrate (52 %), uronic acids (23 %), ester sulfate (11 %) and protein (12 %). The carbohydrate fraction was formed by eight neutral sugars glucose, galactose, mannose, fucose, rhamnose, xylose, arabinose and ribose. The FT-IR revealed the presence of carboxyl, hydroxyl, amine and sulfate groups. AEPS showed high activity as reducing agent, high ferrous chelating capacity and caused a significant decrease in a concentration-dependent manner of hydroxyl radical. A moderate DPPH scavenging activity and a poor superoxide radical scavenging ability were also observed. AEPS treatment (from 0.01 to 2.5 mg/ml) caused also a clear decrease of cell viabilities in a dose-dependent manner. The IC50 values obtained in HepG2 and Caco-2 cells were 1.06 mg/ml and 0.3 mg/ml respectively., Conclusions: This study evidenced that the Graesiella sp. AEPS exhibits antioxidant and antiproliferative activities. The biological activities of this extract depend on its fine structural features. Further work will identify and purify the active polysaccharides to enhance our understanding of their complete structure and relationships with its function.

The kinetic study of Arthrospira platensis extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production under different trophic modes-photoautotrophy (100 μmol photons m(-2) s(-1)), heterotrophy (1.5 g/L glucose), and mixotrophy (100 μmol photons m(-2) s(-1) and 1.5 g/L glucose)-was investigated. Under photoautotrophic and heterotrophic conditions, the maximum EPS production 219.61 ± 4.73 and 30.30 ± 1.97 mg/L, respectively, occurred during the stationary phase. Under a mixotrophic condition, the maximum EPS production (290.50 ± 2.21 mg/L) was observed during the early stationary phase. The highest specific EPS productivity (433.62 mg/g per day) was obtained under a photoautotrophic culture. The lowest specific EPS productivity (38.33 mg/g per day) was observed for the heterotrophic culture. The effects of glucose concentration, light intensity, and their interaction in mixotrophic culture on A. platensis EPS production were evaluated by means of 32 factorial design and response surface methodology. This design was carried out with a glucose concentration of 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 g/L and at light levels of 50, 100, and 150 μmol photons m(-2) s(-1). Statistical analysis of the model demonstrated that EPS concentration and EPS yield were mainly influenced by glucose concentration and that conditions optimizing EPS concentration were dissimilar from those optimizing EPS yield. The highest maximum predicted EPS concentration (369.3 mg/L) was found at 150 μmol photons m(-2) s(-1) light intensity and 2.4 g/L glucose concentration, while the highest maximum predicted EPS yield (364.3 mg/g) was recorded at 115 μmol photons m(-2) s(-1) light intensity and 1.8 g/L glucose concentration.