Search

The ethyl acetate, ethanol, methanol, and water extracts of cypress from three Tunisian regions (Bizerte, Ben Arous, and Nabeul) were reported for their phenolic content, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities. Cypress extract had an important antiradical and antibacterial potential which was strongly related to the organoleptic quality of the extract which appeared strongly region dependent. The highest contents of polyphenols were obtained in the methanol extract at the region of Bizerte (315.75 mg GAE/g DW). Cupressuflavone was the major compound with high proportions in methanol extract of Bizerte (68%). Amentoflavone also constituted an important flavonoid compound presented in higher proportion in the ethyl acetate extract of Ben Arous (21.2%). For Gram-positive bacteria strains, Staphylococcus aureus was sensitive to the ethanol extract of Nabeul with IZ = 40 mm. This study suggests cypress as potential natural source of antioxidants and antibacterial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study endeavoured to capitalize on prickly pear by-products for the optimization of molasses formulation, targeting elevated antioxidant capacities and superior sugar contents. Through robust statistical modelling, the optimal cooking parameters—temperature (70-80 °C) and duration (60–90 min)—were determined, guided by responses of antioxidant activity and Brix value. A D-Optimal mixture design further delineated the ideal proportions of molasses components (pulp, peel, and seeds). Characterization revealed that peel harboured the highest concentrations of total polyphenols (396.41 mg GAE/100g FW) and flavonoids (234.26 mg CE/100g FW), emphasizing its antioxidant potential (DPPH inhibition IC50: 12.72 µg/ml). The optimal cooking conditions were established at 78.35 °C for 79.70 min, with predictive equations guiding ingredient proportions (0.265 g pulp, 0.710 g peel, 0.025 g seed). Intriguingly, while peel inclusion enhanced total sugar content and antioxidant activity, seed incorporation exerted a contrasting effect by reducing total sugar content and limiting antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The young and old leaves of bitter orange (Citrus aurantium) were examined for their essential oil (EO) compositions, anticancer, antimicrobial, and antiviral activities. The EO yields were 0.77% in young leaves and 0.26% in old leaves. The EO composition showed the predominance of sabinene (37.17%), E-β-ocimene (8.21%), δ-3-carene (7.71%), linalool (7.35%), and limonene (5.43%) in young leaves while of sabinene (47.47%), β-sinensal (5.71%), E-β-ocimene (4.98%), δ-3-carene (4.11%), and β-caryophyllene (4.06%) in old leaves. The EOs of both young and old leaves showed potent cytotoxic activities against human lung carcinoma (A549) and colon adenocarcinoma (DLD-1) cells with IC50 < 0.1 µg/mL. The young leaf EO had higher antibacterial activity than the old leaf EO for all bacterial strains with inhibition zones (IZ) varying from 17 to 45 and 8 to 36 mm, respectively. The EOs of both young and old leaves had strong antifungal activity against all fungal strains with IZ = 90 mm. The young leaf EO was found to be the most active in protecting cells against Herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) infection during the protection, absorption, and direct periods as compared to the untreated and treated Vero cells except the replication phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this work was to investigate the chemical composition of Aloysia citriodora essential oil and its biological activities as antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory potentials depending on the collection region. The highest essential oil yields were in Gabes and Kairouan at the Arid bioclimatic zone. Sixty volatile compounds were identified by GC-FID-MS. The major compounds were limonene and spathulenol in Gabes at the Middle Arid. However, (E)-citral (known as geranial) was the major compound of Belli and Kairouan belonging to the Upper Semi-Arid and Upper Arid areas, respectively. The essential oil extracted from the inferior sub-humid bioclimatic zone (Boussalem) had spathulenol and caryophyllene oxide as predominant components. Inversely to DPPH and ABTS, the antioxidant activities using reducing power assay of A. citriodora essential oils significantly increased from the inferior sub-humid (Boussalem) to the Upper Arid (Kairouan) bioclimatic areas. Independently of region, A. citriodora essential oil exhibited an interesting antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the antioxidant, anticancer and antiviral properties of the methanolic extracts from bigarade (Citrus aurantium L.) leaves at two development stages. Ferulic acid, naringin and naringenin were the principal phenolic components of young and old leaves. The highest total antioxidant capacity was obtained in young leaf extracts (YLE). These latter also exhibited the highest antiradical DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) activities, while the highest iron chelating and reducing power activities were observed in old leaf extracts (OLE). The potent anticancer activity was observed in YLE for human lung carcinoma (A-549) and in OLE for colon adenocarcinoma (DLD-1) cells. YLE showed the highest virucidal effects as compared to OLE and the positive control acyclovir against herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) propagation in Vero cells during the absorption and replication periods. The young and old leaves might be a source of natural antioxidants and protective agents against oxidative damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aerial parts of cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.) of three collect regions (Bizerte, Ben-Arous and Nabeul) were reported for their essential oil (EO) compositions, antioxidant, antimicrobial and insecticidal activities. Results showed that the higher EO yields were observed in Bizerte and Ben Arous (0.56%), followed by Nabeul (0.49%). The EO composition showed the predominance of α-pinene with 36.72% in Bizerte, 30.22% in Nabeul and 30% in Ben-Arous. Cypress EO of Bizerte showed higher antiradical capacity (IC50 = 55 µg/mL) than Ben-Arous (IC50 = 97.50 µg/mL) and Nabeul (IC50 = 155 µg/mL). E. faecalis was the most sensitive strain to cypress EO of Bizerte with the largest inhibition zone (IZ = 65 mm). Regarding the insecticidal activity, cypress EO of Bizerte had the highest mortality of Tribolium castaneum with a lethal concentration of LC50 = 164.3 µL/L air after 24 h exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organic solvent extracts (hexane, chloroform, acetone, methanol and water) of coriander fruits were reported for their antioxidant and repellent activities. The methanol and acetone extracts revealed the highest antiradical activity as compared to the other solvent extracts. HPLC analysis revealed that phenolic acids were the major compounds in chloroform and acetone extracts, whereas flavonoids in methanol and water extracts. The methanol extract of coriander fruits exhibited the highest repellent effect against coleopteran insects. Additionally, the hexane extract of coriander fruits also exhibited potent repellent and toxic activities against rice weevil. It appeared that coriander fruit extract obtained with the apolar solvent had more repellent potential against Sitophilus oryzae as compared to Tribolium castaneum. For Lasioderma serricorne, the methanol extract of coriander fruits reduced in a very significant way the adults followed by the chloroform and hexane extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The methanolic extracts of cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.) collected at three phenological stages were evaluated for their cytotoxicity on Vero cells by MTT test as well as on Herpes simplex (HSV-2) and coxsackie (CVB-3) viruses by plaque reduction assay. The methanolic extract exhibited the highest cytotoxicity against HSV-2 (IC50 = 20.40 µg/mL) and CVB-3 (IC50 = 47.50 µg/mL) at the flowering stage. This extract also exhibited a virucidal action both during the entry of viruses and the release of newly formed virions. The methanolic extract bioguided purification showed that the ethyl-acetate fraction was responsible for virucidal activity. This fraction was endowed with more important selectivity index of 8.15 for HSV-2 and 4.40 for CVB-3. The ethyl acetate fraction was subjected to thin layer chromatography fractionation and identification by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn. Results showed that the condensed tannin procyanidin B2 was identified for the first time responsible of the antiviral activity of cypress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lycium europaeum is used as a medicinal herb in many countries. In this study, cyclohexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, methanol and water were used as solvents in the extraction of L. europaeum fruits. The contents of total phenolics, total flavonoids, total tannins and condensed tannins as well as the biological activities of these extracts were investigated using various in vitro and ex vivo assays. Results showed that all solvent extracts of L. europaeum had no anticancer activity against cancerous (A-549 and DLD-1) and non-cancerous (WS-1) human cells. Methanol and ethyl acetate were the most effective solvent for extraction of phenolic compounds and also exhibited the highest antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The methanol extract of L. europaeum fruits was the richest in phenolic compounds with the predominance of ferulic acid, catechin and narengin. These results supported the use of L. europaeum fruit as natural source of bioactive compound for pharmaceutical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the qualitative and quantitative performance of five green solvents, namely 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (MeTHF), cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME), p-cymene, d-limonene and ethanol to substitute n-hexane, for sesame seed oil extraction. In fact, both CPME and MeTHF gave higher crude yields than n-hexane (58.82, 54.91 and 50.84%, respectively). The fatty acid profile of the sesame seed oils remained constant across all the solvent systems, with a predominance of oleic acid (39.27–44.35%) and linoleic acid (38.88–43.99%). The total sterols gained the upmost amount with CPME (785 mg/100 g oil) and MeTHF (641 mg/100 g oil). CPME and MeTHF were also characterized by the optimum content of tocopherols (52.3 and 50.6 mg/100 g oil, respectively). The highest contents of total phenols in the sesame seed oils were extracted by CPME (23.51 mg GAE/g) and MeTHF (22.53 mg GAE/g) as compared to the other solvents, especially n-hexane (8 mg GAE/g). Additionally, sesame seed oils extracted by MeTHF and CPME also had the highest antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as compared to the other green solvents and n-hexane, encouraging their manufacturing use for sesame seed oil extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the antibacterial, antifungal and allelopathic activities of Pistacia lentiscus essential oils (EOs) isolated at the vegetative, flowering and fructification stages. The chemical composition of EOs varied according to both the phenological stages and the used mix plant parts. The main chemical class was sesquiterpene hydrocarbons with the predominance of germacrene D, δ-cadinene and β-caryophyllene. The antibacterial activity was evaluated against five collection strains. At the vegetative stage, P. lentiscus EO was the most effective against Listeria monocytogenes and Echerchia coli as compared to the other stages. P. lentiscus EO also exhibited significant antifungal activity against the phytopathogenic strain Botrytis cinerea. Microscopic observation showed that EO induced swelling and crumbling of B. cinerea conidia. Moreover, P. lentiscus EO at the vegetative stage possessed significant allelopathic activity by inhibiting low concentration the germination and radical elongation of Raphanus sativus and radical elongation of Lepidium sativum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antifungal effects of laurel, myrtle and peppermint essential oils and their combinations were investigated in vitro on two strains of Alternaria alternata mycelial growth and in vivo on detached Citrus leaf disease incidence. Myrtle essential oil was rich in α-pinene and 1,8-cineole while peppermint essential oil in menthol and menthone. 1,8-Cineole was the main component of the essential oils from laurel, laurel + myrtle and peppermint + laurel. The combined peppermint and myrtle essential oil was characterized by the predominance of menthol and 1,8-cineole. All tested essential oils, incorporated in potato-dextrose agar, inhibited A. alternata mycelial growth and had a fungistatic effect at concentration 3 mg/mL of medium. A great synergism was detected between peppermint and laurel essential oils against the two strains of A. alternata. The combined laurel and peppermint essential oil reduced mycelial growth rates of inoculated detached leaves at concentration above 1.5 mg/mL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Essential toils are important natural products of aromatic plants, which are mostly biosynthesized and accumulated in secretory cavities. In this study, the impact of leaf developmental stages was investigated on secretory structure, chemical composition and antioxidant activity of Citrus aurantium essential oil. The secretory cavity of young leaf had more essential oil droplets than that of mature leaf which indicated that the young leaf constitutes a mass production of essential oil in Citrus aurantium leaf. In fact, the young leaves exhibited the highest essential oil yield (0.77%), followed by intermediate (0.50%) and mature (0.25%) leaves. The major constituent of the leaf essential oil composition was sabinene (33.17–44.83%), followed by E-β-ocimene (7.57–8.21%) in young and intermediate leaves but by δ-3-Carene (12.81%) in mature leaves. The antioxidant activities of Citrus aurantium essential oil at different leaf stages were evaluated by using DPPH radical scavenging, reducing power and β-carotene-linoleic acid bleaching assays. Independently of leaf development, Citrus aurantium essential oil showed a strong capacity to reduce iron while it had a low ability to scavenge DPPH radicals and to bleach β-carotene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the antioxidant, anthelmintic and antibacterial activities of essential oil obtained from red juniper (Juniperus phoenicea) leaves. Red juniper essential oil yield was 0.80%. The GC-MS analysis of this essential oil showed that α -pinene (74.14%) was the predominant component. The anthelmintic activity assay of red juniper essential oil was performed on Haemonchus contortus using egg hatch assay (EHA) and adult worm's motility assay (AWMA). In the AWMA, essential oil induced inhibition of 76.18% at 1 mg/mL. The antibacterial activity of red juniper essential oil was effective against six human pathogenic bacteria including Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli). These results suggested that red juniper essential oil could also be employed for developing new anthelmintic, antimicrobial and antioxidant agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) is a plant with needle-shaped leaves. It is mainly found in Mediterranean regions (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia). Rosemary essential oil (EO) has several therapeutic virtues that were widely studied. However, the use of this EO is restricted due to its sensitivity to oxidation. Nanoencapsulation based on EO and polymers has been developed as one of the promising techniques to overcome this limitation. In this study, the emphasis was on optimizing the extraction and formulation of a food additive based on rosemary EO. In fact, the results showed that rosemary EO extraction depended on the parameters of the extraction process, and the optimum heating temperature and extraction time were determined using an experimental design methodology. The parameters for extraction were chosen as follows: heating temperature of 250 °C and a hydrodistillation time of 180 min. This optimization revealed that the maximum oil yield can be obtained. Rosemary EO was characterized by a dominance of 1,8-cineole, camphor, α-pinene, borneol and camphene as well as by high antioxidant and antibacterial capacities with low acute toxicity. The obtained formulation of a stable rosemary EO powder can be used as a food additive in several industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study highlighted the chemical composition of Tunisian Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) essential oil and its biological activities as allelopathic, antioxidant and antibacterial capacities depending on the collection region. The highest essential oil yield was obtained in Boukornine (0.67%) followed by Bizerte (0.50%) and Djerissa (0.25%). The analysis of the chemical composition of Aleppo pine essential oils showed considerable qualitative variability of major components, namely β-caryophyllene (12.27-14.26%), myrcene (11.51-14.26%), p-cymene (8.07-10.57%) and α-pinene (6.57-9.37%). The essential oil of Djerissa had stronger allelopathic effect against Triticum aestivum than Bizerte and Boukornine owing to its richness in monoterpenes, especially myrcene. However, the essential oils of Bizerte and Boukornine had higher antioxidant and antibacterial capacities than Djerissa which could be related to the synergistic property associated with the high level of the sesquiterpene β-caryophyllene with the other essential oil constituents. These results suggested that Aleppo pine essential oil could give a hope toward production of eco-friendly bio-herbicides at least against Triticum aestivum and also as a source of natural antioxidant and antibacterial agents that could be used as food additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to determine the phenolic content and the antioxidant activity of rosemary collected from three different bioclimatic stages of Tunisia during four seasons. Ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts of rosemary leaves were isolated by Soxhlet and the contents of total polyphenols, total flavonoids and total condensed tannins of rosemary extracts were determined by spectrophotometric method. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis allowed the quantification of the main phenolic compounds, namely rosmarinic acid and carnosic acid. Antioxidant assays were evaluated by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging, 2,2ʹ-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid, β-carotene bleaching, iron reducing power and ferric reducing antioxidant power assays. There was a strong correlation between antioxidant activity and phenolic content depending on bioclimatic and season effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Effect of ripening stage on seed oil yield and composition. • Ripening stage effect on antioxidant activity. • Effect of ripening stage on phenolic composition. Abstract Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of four aniseed populations (Egyptian, Serbian, Tunisian and Turkish) were investigated during three developmental stages. The highest oil yield was achieved at full maturity in all aniseed accessions ranged from 11.93% (Serbia) to 13.80% (Tunisia). Fatty acid profile of aniseed oil was characterized by high proportions of palmitic (4.90–57.18%) and petroselinic (10.48–46.60%) acids which had an antagonist evolution during maturation. The essential oil yield reached its maximum at the beginning of ripening process in all aniseed accessions ranged from 1.94% (Serbia) to 3.09% (Tunisia). The main essential oil compound was trans -anethole (66.34–93.05%) during aniseed ripening in all accessions. Phenolic content patronized its maximum at the last stage of aniseed ripening ranged from 17.11 mg GAE/g DW (Serbia) to 25.16 mg GAE/g DW (Tunisia). The main phenolic compound of aniseed was naringin (17.55–32.49%) and its accumulation was followed by the reduction of gallic, rosmarinic, ellargic and syringic acids during aniseed ripening in all accessions. Concerning antioxidant activity, DPPH scavenging activity, chelating ability and reducing power were maximal at full maturity in all aniseed accessions. Our findings indicate that the determination of optimal periods and provenances for antioxidant accumulation can be used to evaluate the quality of aniseeds and could be important for industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to investigate potentially protective and curative effects of Curcuma longa root (turmeric) powder on CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Turmeric was administered before (preventive effect) or after (curative effect) treatment with CCl4. Total phenolic and flavonoid levels were 26.35 mg GAE/g and 12.35 mg CE/g, respectively. Using HPLC analysis, turmeric powder was rich in curcumin (62.97%), demethoxycurcumin (20.86%) and bisdemethoxycurcumin (16.17%). Curcuma longa powder showed important in vitro antioxidant activities. Results showed that the activities of aspartate aminotransaminase and alanine aminotransaminase, and the levels of bilirubin and serum lipids were increased in CCl4-treated animals. However, total protein and albumin levels and antioxidant enzyme activities were decreased. Turmeric administration, before or after CCl4 treatment, significantly decreased the activities of marker enzymes and lipid levels in serum. Moreover, total protein and albumin contents were restored to nearly normal levels after turmeric administration accompanied with increase of antioxidant enzymes activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was designed to investigate the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of essential oils from Rosmarinus officinalis L. collected from different Tunisian bioclimatic areas belonging to upper semi-arid, middle semi-arid and upper-arid stages. The essential oil yield of rosemary samples was in the range of 1.46-2.17 % and a total of 52 volatile compounds with the predominance of 1,8-cineole (29.11-60.44 %), camphor (5.88-27.95 %), α-pinene (6.76-12.60 %), camphene (1.61-12.87 %) and borneol (2.63-12.61 %). Hierarchical clustering performed on essential oil constituents of all these samples exhibited first distinction of two population groups in accordance to the varietal subdivision (var. typicus and var. troglodytorum). Each cluster divided into other subclusters according to the soil nature. The biplot principal compound analysis showed high interaction between calcarious soil character (high amout of calcium carbonate) and R. officinalis L. chemotype. var. typicus which present a high amount of 1,8-cineole, contrariwise var. troglodytorum where the camphor concurs 1,8-cineole in term of presence, coming with the lowest calcium carbonate bulk. Pearson correlation matrix between essential oil chemical classes and oil’s antioxidant capacity indicated that samples rich in oxygenated sesquiterpenes had an important antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of hot aqueous extract from Asparagus albus (A. albus) leaf against CCl4‐induced liver damage in rats were investigated. The total phenolic, flavonoid, and condensed tannin contents of hot aqueous extract from A. albus leaf were determined. The antioxidant activity of hot aqueous extract from A. albus leaf was evaluated using the antioxidant capacity, DPPH free radical‐scavenging ability and reducing power assays. Different polyphenolic compounds, namely gallic acid, vanillic acid, 3,4 dimethoxybenzoic acid, catechin, rutin, and quercetin were identified. Oral administration of hot aqueous extract from A. albus leaf to male Wistar, intoxicated with CCl4, demonstrated a significant protective effect by lowering the levels of hepatic marker enzymes (aspartate and lactate transaminases) and by improving the histological architecture of the rat liver. The hot aqueous extract from A. albus leaf attenuated oxidative stress by restoring the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. This study demonstrated that the hot aqueous extract from A. albus leaf protects rat liver from CCl4‐induced injury and suggests a potential therapeutic use for A. albus plant. Practical applications: The hepatoprotective effects of plant extracts are mainly related to their richness in phenolic compounds. Phenolic compounds are secondary metabolites widely found in plants, mostly represented by phenolic acids and flavonoids. The growing interest in these bioactive antioxidant components is principally due to their antioxidant potential and the association between their consumption and the prevention of some diseases. In this study, a remarkable hepatoprotective effect of the hot aqueous leaf extract obtained from Asparagus albus was detected against CCl4‐induced liver injury in rat and its mechanism was related, at least in part, to its free radical scavenging and antioxidant activity on account of the presence of polyphenols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work was to characterize Tunisian cactus pear ( Opuntia ficus indica L.) flower through its lipids, essential oils, phenolics, and antioxidant activity. The total lipid content of cactus pear flower was about 2% with the neutral lipid amount, especially monoacylglycerols, being the highest. The lipids were rich in linoleic, oleic, and palmitic acids. The essential oil yield was 0.01% with the presence of 29 components in a complex mixture of monoterpenes. The main components of the essential oil were benzenacetatealdehyde, D-3-carene, hexanol, and α-pinene. Solvents with different polarities had significant effect on polyphenol contents and antioxidant activity of cactus pear flower. RP-HPLC analysis allowed characterization of 20 phenolic compounds mainly belonging to phenolic acid and flavonoid classes. Based on its phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity, cactus pear flower could be used in food, industrial, and biomedical applications. Practical applications The interest in naturally occurring antioxidants has recently increased for use in food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical products to replace synthetic antioxidants, which are being restricted because of their carcinogenicity. The cactus pear flower constitutes one of the by-products in cactus industry and generally discarded by separation from the fruit. This study aimed to valorize cactus pear flower through its lipids, essential oils, phenolics, and antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation focuses on the methanolic extract obtained from Geranium robertianum L. (Geraniaceae) (Herb Robert), a herbal plant used in traditional medicine for the treatment of human and animal diseases. The antioxidant capacities of the extract were evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical, β-carotene/linoleic acid and reducing power and metal chelating activity assays. The amount of total phenolic content, flavonoids and condensed tannins was very high, and the correlation between the antioxidant activity potential and total phenolic level of the extract was pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work aimed to study the phenolics and antioxidant activity of the methanol extracts of Myrtus communis var. italica whole fruit, seed and pericarp. The total phenol contents varied between different fruit parts; seed extract had higher total phenol content (23.87 mg GAE/g DW) than whole fruit (13.73 mg GAE/g DW) and pericarp (2.76 mg GAE/g DW) extracts. Significant differences were also found in total tannin contents among different myrtle parts, representing 18.01 mg GAE/g DW in seed, 9.11 mg GAE/g DW in whole fruit and 0.79 mg GAE/g DW in pericarp. Concerning total flavonoid contents, the highest values were observed in pericarp (1.33 mg GAE/g DW) and whole fruit (1.21 mg CE/g DW) extracts. The condensed tannin content was relatively low in all samples tested, the highest value being found in whole fruit extract (0.96 mg CE/g DW). The high-performance liquid chromatography analysis indicated that the main phenolic class was hydrolysable tannins (gallotannins) in seed (80.20%, 8.99 mg/g MS) while the pericarp was characterized by a predominance of anthocyanins (75.40%, 3.74 mg/g DW). The whole fruit contained both hydrolysable tannins 40 (10.31%, 0.69 mg/g DW) originated from seed and anthocyanins (69.36%, 4.64 mg/g DW) originated from pericarp. Antioxidant activities of the methanolic extract from different fruit parts were evaluated by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging, β-carotene-linoleic acid bleaching and reducing power assays. In all tests, the seed was the part with highest antioxidant potential. Practical Applications Nowadays, the interest in naturally occurring antioxidants has considerably increased for use in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products to replace synthetic antioxidants, which are being restricted because of their carcinogenicity. In this study, total phenolic contents and antioxidant properties of myrtle fruit parts ( Myrtus communis var. italica) were researched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study was designed to examine the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the essential oils and methanol extracts of Myrtus communis var. italica L. leaf, stem and flower. Myrtle leaf and flower were the valuable organs for the essential oil production representing a yield of 0.61% and 0.30% (w/w), respectively. The essential oil composition of myrtle leaf and flower was characterized by high proportions of α-pinene, the main compound of monoterpene hydrocarbon class, with 58.05% for leaf and 17.53% for flower. Stem was rich in oxygenated monoterpenes, largely due to 1,8-cineole with 32.84%. The total phenol contents varied between different myrtle parts; leaf extract had higher total phenol content (33.67mg GAE/g) than flower (15.70mg GAE/g) and stem (11.11mg GAE/g) extracts. Significant differences were also found in total tannin contents among different myrtle parts, representing 26.55mg GAE/g in leaf, 11.95mg GAE/g in flower, 3.33mg GAE/g in stem. The highest contents of total flavonoids and condensed tannins were observed in stem (5.17 and 1.99mg CE/g, respectively) and leaf (3 and 1.22mg CE/g, respectively) extracts. The HPLC analysis indicated that the main phenolic class was hydrolysable tannins (gallotannins) in leaf (79.39%, 8.90mg/g) and flower (60.00%, 3.50mg/g) while the stem was characterized by the predominance of flavonoid class (61.38%, 1.86mg/g) due to the high presence of catechin (36.91%, 1.12mg/g). Antioxidant activities of the essential oil and the methanolic extract from different myrtle parts were evaluated by using DPPH radical scavenging, β-carotene-linoleic acid bleaching, reducing power and metal chelating activity assays. In all tests, methanolic extracts of different myrtle parts showed better antioxidant activity than essential oils. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This research aimed to study the chemical composition of Aloysia citrodora methanolic extract and its biological activities as an antioxidant, and its antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory activities based on four bioclimatic collection stages. The contents of total phenols, total flavonoids and total tannins were determined. Nine phenolic compounds were identified by LC-DAD–ESI-MS/MS. The major compound was acteoside, a phenylpropanoid which represented about 80% of the methanolic fraction in the various regions. The antioxidant activities of different locations were measured by different analytical assays, such as DPPH, ABTS and iron reducing power. The results showed that phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities varied with climatic and environmental factors. Moreover, there was a significant dependency between regions and biological activities. The use of a principal component analysis showed that there was a close relationship among phenylpropanoids, phenolic compounds and the studied biological activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytical study of the biochemical composition and antioxidant activity of grape seed oil from nine Tunisian varieties (Merlot, Syrah, Sangiovese, Muscat d'Alexandrie, Razagui, Razaki, Khamri, Marsaoui and Carignan) was conducted. Seed oil yields varied from 6.31% (Khamri) to 12.70% (Merlot). All studied oils were characterized by high proportions of polyunsaturated linoleic acid ranging from 64.77 (Merlot) to 75.37% (Muscat d'Alexandrie). Grape seed oils were also rich in unsaponifiable minor components with the predominance of sterol fraction ranging from 1609.87 (Khamri) to 3814.55 (Carignan) mg/kg oil. Muscat d'Alexandrie seed oil had the highest chelating and reducing abilities while the strongest antiradical activity was obtained in Carignan variety. Antiradical ability was positively correlated with oleic acid but negatively with polyphenols and tocopherols. Multivariate analysis joined Merlot, Carignan, Syrah and Sangiovese in one group, Razagui, Razaki and Marsaoui in a second group and the third group Khamri and Muscat d'Alexandrie. Practical applications Grape seeds are generally known as by‐products coming from fruit processing industry. Grape seeds are the subject of many studies due to their richness in natural bioactive substances. The use of these natural bioactive substances has recently increased in food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical products to replace synthetic antioxidants, which are being restricted because of their harmful health effects. This study aimed to characterize grape seed oils of nine Tunisian varieties through their fatty acids, phenols, sterols, tocopherols, triterpenoids, and antioxidant properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is a major public health problem in the world. The use of the medicinal plants in cancer prevention and management is frequent in Africa, especially in Tunisia, and it is transmitted from generation to generation within cultures. Many previous studies showed that a wide range of Tunisian medicinal plants exerted cytotoxic and anticancer activity. A comprehensive review was conducted to collect information from scientific journal articles, including indigenous knowledge researches, about Tunisian medicinal plants used for the prevention and management of cancer. The aim of this review article is to provide the reader with information concerning the importance of Tunisian medicinal plants in the prevention and management of cancer and to open the door for the health professionals and scientists working in the field of pharmacology and therapeutics to produce new drug formulations to treat different types of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to optimize the mechanical and texture properties of edible film improving its antibacterial property after adding rosemary essential oil (REO) using a Doehlert matrix. Films with the highest mechanical properties were acquired using a polymer composition of 65.2% glycerol, 24.3% gelatin, 10.0% chitosan and 0.5% pectin. This composition provided the highest elongation at break, tensile strength and texture values, which were respectively 51.60 ± 6.04%, 8.53 ± 2.36 MPa and 13.67 ± 1.43. The antibacterial activity of REO enriched films against Bacillus subtilis , Staphylococcus aureus , Enterococcus aerogenes , Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli was enhanced when applying a mixture of 1.995 and 1.250 mg/g of two REO extracted from two rosemary different varieties. The structural, optical and barrier properties of the films were evaluated. To conclude, the enriched film showed potential coatings for controlling most common food borne bacteria growth during the food storage. • Optimized formulation of chitosan-gelatin-pectin films was obtained using a mixture design. • Mechanical and texture properties of the optimized formulation film were enhanced. • Antibacterial activity of the optimized film was optimized using Doehlert matrix by adding rosemary essential oil. • The antibacterial activity against the most common food born bacteria was enhanced. • Structural, optical and barrier properties of the optimized enriched films were evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to study the chemical composition of Aloysia &nbsp; citrodora methanolic extract and its biological activities as an antioxidant, and its antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory activities based on four bioclimatic collection stages. The contents of total phenols, total flavonoids and total tannins were determined. Nine phenolic compounds were identified by LC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS. The major compound was acteoside, a phenylpropanoid which represented about 80% of the methanolic fraction in the various regions. The antioxidant activities of different locations were measured by different analytical assays, such as DPPH, ABTS and iron reducing power. The results showed that phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities varied with climatic and environmental factors. Moreover, there was a significant dependency between regions and biological activities. The use of a principal component analysis showed that there was a close relationship among phenylpropanoids, phenolic compounds and the studied biological activities.

This study was conducted to investigate potentially protective and curative effects of Curcuma longa root (turmeric) powder on CCl 4 -induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Turmeric was administered before (preventive effect) or after (curative effect) treatment with CCl 4 . Total phenolic and flavonoid levels were 26.35 mg GAE/g and 12.35 mg CE/g, respectively. Using HPLC analysis, turmeric powder was rich in curcumin (62.97%), demethoxycurcumin (20.86%) and bisdemethoxycurcumin (16.17%). Curcuma longa powder showed important in vitro antioxidant activities. Results showed that the activities of aspartate aminotransaminase and alanine aminotransaminase, and the levels of bilirubin and serum lipids were increased in CCl 4 -treated animals. However, total protein and albumin levels and antioxidant enzyme activities were decreased. Turmeric administration, before or after CCl 4 treatment, significantly decreased the activities of marker enzymes and lipid levels in serum. Moreover, total protein and albumin contents were restored to nearly normal levels after turmeric administration accompanied with increase of antioxidant enzymes activities., Competing Interests: Compliance with ethical standardsThis research received no grant from any funding agency. Authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Cancer is a major public health problem in the world. The use of the medicinal plants in cancer prevention and management is frequent in Africa, especially in Tunisia, and it is transmitted from generation to generation within cultures. Many previous studies showed that a wide range of Tunisian medicinal plants exerted cytotoxic and anticancer activity. A comprehensive review was conducted to collect information from scientific journal articles, including indigenous knowledge researches, about Tunisian medicinal plants used for the prevention and management of cancer. The aim of this review article is to provide the reader with information concerning the importance of Tunisian medicinal plants in the prevention and management of cancer and to open the door for the health professionals and scientists working in the field of pharmacology and therapeutics to produce new drug formulations to treat different types of cancer.

Borago officinalis rosette leaves were sampled in the region of Amdoun (Tunisia) during different stages of their development. Essential oil contents varied from 0.01% to 0.13% respectively in young and adult leaves. Twenty three volatile compounds were identified. Hydrocarbons, mainly represented by nonadecane (29.8%), tetracosane (11.3%) and heptacosane (4.7%), constituted the major class in the young leaves (45.8%), followed by aldehydes (22.4%). The percentages of these two classes decreased to reach respectively 15% and 8.1% in adult leaves in favour of alcohols (57.9%) where cis-3-hexenol (29.6%) and hexanol (14.5%) were the main compounds. Total fatty acids amounts increased from 5.03 mg/g DW in young leaves to 32.23 mg/g DW in adult ones. The predominant fatty acids were alpha-linolenic (C18:3 n-3), stearidonic (C18:4 n-3), gamma-linolenic (C18:3 n-6), palmitic (C16: 0) and linoleic (C18:2 n-6) acids.

Two Myrtus communis varieties (var. italica and baetica) were studied in order to investigate their essential oil yield and composition. Essential oil yield varied in leaves, fruits and stems. So, in leaves, it was 0.5% for italica and 0.3% for baetica and was higher than in fruits and stems with respectively 0.1% and 0.04% for italica and 0.07% and 0.03% for baetica. The essential oil analysis performed by GC and GC/MS showed a composition characterized by a high percentage of monoterpene hydrocarbons in leaves, largely due to alpha-pinene with 51.3% for italica and 27.7% for baetica; 1,8-cineole, the alone compound of ether class, was predominant in fruits and stems with respectively 31.6% and 34.7% for italica and 19.8% and 25.8% for baetica.