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Background and aim In the present study, we investigate the phytochemical composition and the nephroprotective effects as well as the antioxidant properties of Artemisia herba alba aqueous extract in alloxan-induced experimental diabetes in rats. Experimental procedure Wistar rats were divided into four groups of seven rats each: Group I: Normal control (NC) received saline solution at 9‰ given by intraperitoneal way; Group II: Diabetic control (DC) received alloxan (150 mg/kg b.w) intraperitoneally; Group III: Normal control (NC + AHA) received saline solution at 9‰ and treated orally by AHA aqueous extract (400 mg/kg/b.w); Group IV: Diabetic control (DC + AHA) received alloxan solution (150 mg/kg b.w) intraperitoneally and treated by aqueous extract of AHA (400 mg/kg/b.w/day) orally after one week of alloxan administration. After 30 days, blood and tissue samples were collected for biochemical and histopathological analysis, respectively. Glomerular damage markers, including creatinine, serum urea, urine creatinine and urine urea levels were estimated. Creatinine clearance was also assessed. Oxidative stress parameters were assessed in the kidney homogenate. Results and conclusion Alloxan-exposure resulted in significant increase in blood glucose and serum level of glomerular damage markers. The antioxidant enzyme activities were significantly downregulated associated with an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) level over the baseline values. Artemisia herba alba aqueous extract supplementation significantly improved the studied parameters. In concluding, the results obtained suggests that Artemisia herbs-alba aqueous extract supplementation reduces alloxan-induced free radical generation, potentiates the antioxidant defense system and alleviates renal sensitivity to oxidative stress.

Artemisia herba–alba Asso (known in Arabic as Shih) is an evergreen aromatic shrub endemic in North African rangelands with high pastoral and medicinal relevance. The present work was designed to determine the effect of four soluble salts (NaCl, Na2SO4, MgCl2, and CaCl2) on germination of A. herba–alba seeds. Four concentrations (0, 50, 10, and 150 mM) of each salt were used to test the influence of salinities on germination percentage (GP), rate of germination (RG), and germination tolerance index (GTI %). The experiment was conducted in a controlled incubator with a 12h–photoperiod under 15°C dark/25°C light. The results showed that both GP and (RG) decreased significantly with salinity, and the highest GP was observed in the distilled water control (~ 80%). The germination tolerance index (GTI %) revealed that A. herba–alba seeds were more tolerant to CaCl2 than other soluble salts. Comparatively, at high salt concentrations, MgCl2 and Na2SO4 were generally the most toxic salts followed by NaCl and CaCl2. The germination of A. herba–alba over a wide range of soluble salts suggests that this species can establish in salt-degraded soils. Therefore, this species appears a promising candidate for the rehabilitation of rangeland with saline soils.

Due to its numerous uses in traditional Moroccan medicine, Artemisia herba alba Asso is intensively exploited from the wild and now is considered as threatened species. In order to contribute to the conservation of this valuable plant, the effect of domestication on the chemical composition and bioactivities of A. herba-alba essential oil (EO) were studied. The GC-MS analyses identified chrysanthenone (56.8–68.2%) and trans -thujone (31.1–17.9%) as the main constituents in oil samples. Cultivation of A. herba alba induced qualitative and quantitative modification marked by a diminution of compounds identified and an increase in chrysanthenone content and a parallel decrease of trans-thujone. Concerning the bioactivities, cultivated A. herba alba EO presented the best antioxidant (IC 50 values 3.71 ± 0.15 mg/mL and 3.57 ± 0.39 mg/mL), and insecticidal properties (LD 50 value of 0.65 and LD 90 value of 1.36 μL/cm 2 in the contact assay and LD 50 and LD 90 values of 701.12 μL/Lair as well as of 1655.24 μL/Lair, respectively, in the fumigation assay), while no significant difference has been observed in the allelopathic potency.

Artemisia herba-alba Asso., known as the desert wormwood, is a medicinal plant and its essential oil is used in Algerian herbal medicine. In the present study the in vitro antibacterial activity against 21 bacterial strains and chemical composition of Artemisia herba-alba essential oil were investigated. The acute toxicity by determination of the median lethal dose was also studied. The results of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis of the essential oil gave 19 compounds accounting for 98.7% and the major constituent was camphor with an amount of 50.7%. A significant antibacterial effect was observed with important zones of inhibition against Klebsiella oxytoca (31.3 mm) by disc diffusion method and against Acinetobacter baumannnii (47.6 mm) by microatmoshphere method. The minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration values were ranging from 5 to 10 mg mL−1 and 10–20 mg mL−1, respectively. Moreover, their ratio exhibited by the essential oil was 2. The bactericidal end point was achieved after 24 h of exposure to the essential oil, for all the bacteria assayed. The oil was slightly toxic with a median lethal dose of 615 mg kg−1. The results of this study suggest that the essential oil of Artemisia herba-alba can be a source of natural antibacterial agents with potential pharmacological applications.

30 Pags.- 1 Tabl.- 6 Figs. The definitive version is available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01401963, We investigated the phytotoxic effects of volatile and water soluble chemicals produced by the shrub Artemisia herba-alba Asso. We conducted a number of germination and early seedling growth bioassays on species that co-exist with A. herba-alba in natural semiarid plant communities (Salsola vermiculata L. Lygeum spartum L. Pinus halepensis Mill. and A. herba-alba itself). In addition, we assessed the phytotoxic effects of a mixture of phenols that were identified in the aqueous extract of A. herba-alba on the germination of such species. We found that volatile chemicals inhibited the germination of P. halepensis seeds, promoted the growth of P. halepensis seedlings and reduced the root biomass of S. vermiculata seedlings, while water soluble chemicals promoted the growth of L. spartum and P. halepensis seedlings. On the other hand, both volatile and water soluble compounds inhibited the germination of A. herba-alba seeds, highlighting its strong autotoxic nature. We did not find a phytotoxic effect of phenols identified (catechol, protocatechuic and vanillic acids) on species that co-exists with A. herba-alba, although they had a moderate autotoxic effect. Our results suggest that both the volatile and water soluble chemicals might be involved in chemical interactions among plants in semiarid environments., This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (AP-2012-4126 grant to A.I.A., FPU Program) and by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (CGL-2012-37508 and CGL-2016-80783-R projects).

In this work, LC-ESI-TOF-MS and GC-EI-MS were used to assess the potential of Artemisia herba alba as a source of health-promoting constituents. Besides, the antioxidant, the antimicrobial and the cytotoxic potentials were evaluated. A total of 86 metabolites, including C-glycosylated and methylated flavones, quinic acid derivatives, coumarins, sesquiterpenes lactones, terpenoids, fatty acids, carbohydrates, organic acids and alkaloids were identified, sixty five of them were reported for the first time in A. herba alba. The main compounds were di-O-caffeoylquinic acids, artemisinic acid, menthol, α-ketoglutaric acid, scopolin, isoschaftoside and sucrose. Furthermore, results showed that A. herba alba possess high total antioxidant activity (Total antioxidant activity=423mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry weight), strong potential anticancer capacity against MCF-7 breast cancer and HeLa human cervical cell lines (IC50 of 15 and 70μg/ml, respectively), and moderate antibacterial activity against S. aureus, B. thurigiensis and A. hydrophila. These results support the use of this plant as alternative bioactive ingredient for functional foods, dietary supplements or nutraceuticals.

Ethno-pharmacological relevance Constantine and Mila regions have been investigated in an ethnobotanical study for the first time. A total of 102 medicinal plants have been cited to treat human ailments. Twenty-eight new species of 31 common plants with 151 new therapeutic applications and 12 new cited species including one endemic specie Zygophyllum cornutum Coss were found as compared to other Algerian regions. In addition, to the best of our knowledge, 369 new medicinal uses of 75 known plants, were reported for the first time in the Mediterranean basin. Aim of the study This study is aimed at contributing to safeguard world cultural heritage and document ethnomedicinal uses of plants in Algeria and the Mediterranean basin; data on the national and global uses in the world were obtained to extract new potential species for further phytochemical and clinical investigations. Materials and methods The survey was carried out in two cities in the northeast of Algeria: Constantine and Mila. It was based on semi-structured interviews of 79 local informants. Data were analyzed using quantitative indices, namely, informant consensus factor, fidelity level (FL), use value (UV), and relative frequency citation (RFC), to evaluate the reliability and richness of herbal knowledge in the region. Results The interviewed persons used 102 plant species belonging to 90 genera and distributed among 53 families, represented mainly by Lamiaceae, Apiaceae, and Asteraceae (30%, 13%, and 10%, respectively), which were used to treat 14 ailment categories. The category of most frequent ailments (16%) was digestive disorders (diarrhea, constipation, and stomach bloating). The highest RFC was found for Origanum glandulosum Desf. With regard to the fidelity level, a higher FL was found for Tilia cordata Mill. (100%), followed by Artemisia herba alba Asso. with an FL of 95.74% and Punica granatum L. with an FL of 93.09%) to treat gastrointestinal system diseases, and Aloe sp. L. with an FL of 96.67% for skin diseases. The highest UV was found for Origanum glandulosum Desf. (2.280). Moreover, new medicinal uses were recorded for the first time in Algeria and Mediterranean regions. Conclusion The present study has highlighted the rich herbal knowledge about newfound medicinal plants and their new uses in the Mediterranean region, which could be useful not only in facilitating other studies such as phytochemical and pharmacological investigations and upgrading the sources of biomolecules beneficial to people but also in reopening discussion on pharmacovigilance in herbal medicine as an imperative requirement for local authorities.

Inhibition of bacterial efflux mechanisms has been investigated as a promising target to combat the bacterial resistance to antibiotics. The present work investigated the ability of Artemisia herba-alba and Cymbopogon citratus essential oils (EOs) to inhibit efflux pumps of some selected antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. The chemical profiles of tested EOs were evaluated by GC–MS. The major constituents of the oils were chrysanthenone (47.0%), camphor (24.0%), and verbenone (7.2%) in A. herba-alba EO and geranial (46.3%), neral (35.2%), and geraniol (5.4%) in C. citratus EO. Antibacterial tests showed that these EOs had high antibacterial activity. This activity was significantly enhanced in the presence of an efflux pump inhibitor, phenylalanine arginyl s-naphthylamide (PAsN). When combined with PAsN, the MIC values against EA27 and AG102 (strains overexpressing efflux pumps) were decreased 32-fold and >32-fold, respectively, for A. herba-alba , and 512-fold and 1024-fold, respectively, for C. citratus EO. The involvement of a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure in the resistance to the active compounds of the studied EOs was also demonstrated in Salmonella LPS deep-rough mutants. Moreover, the combination of A. herba-alba and C. citratus EOs, at a low concentration, reduced significantly chloramphenicol MIC 2–4-fold, 4-fold and 8–16-fold, respectively, for EAEP294 (deleted of AcrAB), EA27 and AG102. For Salmonella strains, all tested combinations recorded a gain greater than or equal to 64-fold. It was concluded that these EOs can alter efflux pump activity and may be good candidates for the development of new chemosensitizer drugs able to restore antibiotic activity of some drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.

Objective To investigate some pharmacological effects including gastroprotective, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic and in vitro antioxidant effects of Artemisia herba-alba extract in different experimental models. Methods Inflammation was induced in rat paw by subcutaneous injection of 1% (v/v) carrageenan solution. Writhes was induced in mice by intraperitoneal injection of 0.6% (v/v) acetic acid solution. Pyrexia was induced using Brewer's yeast suspension. Gastric lesion was induced in rats by oral administration of 99% ethanol. The anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic and gastroprotective activities of Artemisia herba-alba extract were investigated respectively. In vitro antioxidant effect was investigated using DPPH free radical. Results The plant extract showed anti-inflammatory effect in carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats, analgesic effect against acetic acid-induced writhing, and antipyretic activity in Brewer's yeast model of pyrexia. Besides, it was shown to be a gastroprotective agent against ethanol-induced gastric ulcers. The plant also exhibited a free radical scavenging potential in an in vitro antioxidant study using DPPH. Conclusions The results validate the use of the investigated plant in traditional medicine for different ailments.

Purpose The antibacterial effects of three essential oils were tested against three bacterial strains (ATCC: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) commonly known for their implication on wound healing infections. Methods The disc diffusion method and the determination of the Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimal Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) were carried out to evaluate their antibacterial activity. The combined effect of essential oils against the tested bacteria was assessed by the checkerboard method and the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index (FICI) calculation. Results The results of the dissemination method demonstrated that the three EOs have antibacterial activity against the three tested bacteria at 20 μl. Concerning the MIC, Lavender, Rosemary and Wormwood essential oils inhibited the bacterial growth at 1.33, 3.33 and 42.67 μl/ml; 1.33 1.67 and 42.67 μl/ml ; and 4.00, 6.67 and 42.67 μl/ml for S. aureus, E. coli and P. aeruginosa, respectively. The evaluation of the essential oils in combination revealed that the maximum of required concentration were 0.5 μl/ml for Artemisia herba alba and 1 μl/ml for Lavandula angustifolia and Rosmarinus officinalis. Conclusions These results indicate a synergism for the combination of lavender, wormwood and rosemary essential oils at very low concentrations compared to MICs.

Ethnopharmacologic relevance Artemisia herba-alba Asso (“desert wormwood” in English; “armoise blanche” in French; “shaih” in Arabic), is a medicinal and strongly aromatic plant widely used in traditional medicine by many cultures since ancient times. It is used to treat inflammatory disorders (colds, coughing, bronchitis, diarrhea), infectious diseases (skin diseases, scabies, syphilis) and others (diabetes, neuralgias). In Jordanian traditional medicine, this plant is used as antiseptic and against skin diseases, scabies, syphilis, fever as well as menstrual and nervous disorders. Aim of the study Considering the traditional medicinal uses and the lack of scientific studies addressing the cellular and molecular players involved in these biological activities, the present study was designed to unveil the antifungal and anti-inflammatory activities of A. herba-alba Asso essential oil at doses devoid of toxicity to mammalian cells. Materials and methods Chemical analysis of A. herba-alba essential oil isolated by hydrodistillation from aerial parts was carried out by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The antifungal activity (minimal inhibitory concentrations and minimal lethal concentrations) was evaluated against yeasts, dermatophyte and Aspergillus strains. In order to explore the mechanisms behind the anti-fungal effect of the essential oil, the germ tube inhibition assay was evaluated using Candida albicans . The assessment of cell viability was accomplished using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and the in vitro anti-inflammatory potential of A. herba-alba oil at the periphery and central nervous system was evaluated by measuring nitric oxide (NO) production using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated mouse macrophages and microglia, respectively. Results Oxygen-containing monoterpenes are the main compounds of the oil, namely 1,8-cineole (20.1%), β-thujone (25.1%), α-thujone (22.9%) and camphor (10.5%). Among the fungal strains tested, the oil demonstrated potential against Trichophyton rubrum and Epidermophyton floccosum , with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal lethal concentration (MCL) values of 0.32 mg/mL and Cryptococcus neoformans with MIC of 0.64 mg/mL. The oil revealed a strong inhibitory effect on germ tube formation in C. albicans with inhibition of filamentation around 90% at a concentration 0.16 mg/mL. Importantly, the essential oil significantly inhibited NO production evoked by LPS without cytotoxicity at concentrations up to 1.25 µL/mL in macrophages and up to 0.32 µL/mL in microglia. Furthermore, evaluation of cell viability in RAW 264.7 macrophages, BW2 microgliacells and HaCaT keratinocytes showed no cytotoxicity at concentrations up to 0.32 μL/mL. Conclusions It was possible to find appropriate doses of A. herba-alba oil with both antifungal and anti-inflammatory activities and without detrimental effects towards several mammalian cell types. These findings add significant information to the pharmacological activity of A. herba-alba essential oil, specifically to its antifungal and anti-inflammatory therapeutic value, thus justifying and reinforcing the use of this plant in traditional medicine.

Instrumental neutron activation analysis has been used to make a multi-elemental determination in Artemisia herba-alba Asso, a traditional medicine plant used in Algeria to treat diabetes mellitus. The exactitude of the results was assessed by analyzing the certified reference material GBW 07605 (GSV-4) tea leaves. A. herba-alba was characterized by high K and Ca contents. However toxic elements in this species were within the safety limits suggested by WHO/FAO. These data analysis for this medicinal plant can be useful for therapeutics and pharmaceutical purposes.

KEYWORDSAsteraceae;Artemisia herba-alba Asso;Essential oil;Chemical variability;AlgeriaAbstract ThechemicalvariabilityoftheessentialoilsofArtemisiaherba-albaAssoaerialparts,col-lected at Algeria was evaluated. A. herba-alba populations were collected in four regions, Benifouda;Bougaa; Boussaada and Boutaleb, at two different periods, July (flowering phase), and October andNovember (vegetative phase). The essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed byGas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The essentialoils yield ranged between 0.2% and 0.9% (v/d.w.). Fifty components were identified in A. herba-albaoils, oxygen-containing monoterpenes being dominant in all cases (72–80%). Camphor (17–33%),a-thujone (7–28%) and chrysanthenone (4–19%) were the major oil components. Despite the simi-larity in main components, three types of oils could be defined, (a) a-thujone : camphor (23–28:17–28%), (b) camphor : chrysanthenone (33:12%) and (c) a-thujone : camphor : chrysanthenone(24:19:19%). The comparison between the present data and an updated survey of the existing liter-ature reinforces the major variability of A. herba-alba essential oils and stresses the importance ofobtaining a defined chemical type crop production avoiding the wild harvest.a 2012 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.

41 Pags., 6 Tabls., 13 Figs. The definitive version is available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03418162, Long-term soil salinity data are required to properly manage saline habitats. This study presents easy procedures for comparing soil salinity profiles, which were used to assess four saline wetlands in NE Spain. Soil salinity measurements at sites where different halophytes were dominant were recorded throughout the year in 1979–1980 and 1999–2000, with additional measurements in 1985. Electrical conductivity of saturation extracts (ECe) and the concentrations of major ions were measured in four hundred soil samples. To confirm the consistency of the quality of the lab measurements, we used saturation percentage (SP) statistics and the relationships between ECe and both the cationic and the anionic concentrations in the extracts (R2 > 97%), and the relationship with the EC of the extracts at a soil-to-water ratio of 1:5 by weight (EC 1:5). The ECe of the soil samples ranged from 4 to 114 dS m− 1, and the averages in the four wetlands (AN, PC, AL, and AG) were 38.6, 10.1, 22.3, and 68.5 dS m− 1, respectively. The median of the sodium adsorption ratio [SAR, (meq L− 1)0.5] in the samples was 69, 126, 64, and 28, respectively. At AN, the maximum average ECe in the upper 100 cm of the soil was 35.0 dS m− 1 for Artemisia herba-alba and 75.2 dS m− 1 for Suaeda vera; at PC, the maximum value was 19.3 dS m− 1 for Puccinellia festuciformis; and, at AL, it was 30.3 dS m− 1 for Salicornia ramosissima and 44.6 dS m− 1 for S. vera. At AG, the maximum average ECe was 69.2 for S. vera, and 85.2 dS m− 1 for Arthrocnemum macrostachyum. The ECe and SAR remained stable between the two sampling periods in three of the wetlands but, in AL, which was converted into a paddy, ECe was reduced from ~ 40 dS m− 1 to ~ 2 dS m− 1 and SAR was reduced from > 77 to ~ 2. The presence of saline non-sodic and saline–sodic soils at nearby wetlands reflects the pedodiversity of the area., Funding was provided by the Spanish grants AGL2012-40100 from the MINECO and 2012/GA-LC 036 from Aragón. The contract of C. Castañeda was co-funded by ESF.

This study was conceived to examine the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of four essential oil types extracted by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of Artemisia herba-alba cultivated in southern Tunisia. The chemical composition was investigated using both capillary GC and GC/MS techniques. β-thujone, α-thujone, α-thujone/β-thujone and 1,8-cineole/camphor/α-thujone/β-thujone were respectively, the major components of these oil types. The antimicrobial activity of different oils was tested using the diffusion method and by determining the inhibition zone. The results showed that all examined oil types had great potential of antimicrobial activity against strains. In addition, antioxidant capacity was assessed by different in vitro tests and weak activity was found for these A. herba-alba oils.

The phytochemical investigation of the methylene chloride/methanol extract of the aerial parts of Artemisia herba-alba afforded two new natural sesquiterpene lactones 1β,9β-diacetoxyeudesm-3-en-5α,6β,11β H -12,6-olide ( 1 ) and 1β,9β-diacetoxyeudesm-4-en-6β,11β H -12,6-olide ( 2 ). The structures of the compounds were determined by comprehensive NMR studies, including DEPT, COSY, NOESY, HMQC, HMBC and HRMS.

Artemisia oil (Ar) is extracted from artemisia herba alba collected in Ain es-sefra-Algeria, and tested as corrosion inhibitor of steel in 2 M H3PO4 using weight loss measurements, electrochemical polarisation and EIS methods. The naturally oil reduces the corrosion rate. The inhibition efficiency was found to increase with oil content to attain 79% at 6 g/l. Ar acts as a cathodic inhibitor. The effect of temperature on the corrosion behaviour of steel indicates that inhibition efficiency of the natural substance decreases with the rise of temperature. The adsorption isotherm of natural product on the steel has been determined.

The composition of the essential oils of 16 individual plants of Artemisia herba-alba Asso ssp. valentina (Lam.) Marcl. (at the full bloom stage) growing wild in four different locations from southern Spain were investigated by capillary GC and GC–MS in combination with retention indices. Among the 60 identified constituents (accounting for 80.6–95.0% of the oils), 33 have been reported for the first time in Spanish A. herba-alba oil and 17 of them have not been previously described in A. herba-alba oil. From the analysis of the oil samples, it could be deduced that a noticeable chemical polymorphism typified this taxon. Four groups of essential oils exhibited a single compound with percentages near 30% or higher: davanone, 1,8-cineole, chrysanthenone and cis-chrysanthenol. Two further oil types showed p-cymene and cis-chrysanthenyl acetate as major components in moderate amounts (ca. 20%). All of these types of essential oils have not been previously found in A. herba-alba from Spain and the appearance of such considerable amount of p-cymene is described here for the first time in A. herba-alba. # 2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The aqueous extract of Artemisia herba-alba Asso. (Compositae) produced an initial hyperglycaemia which was followed by hypoglycaemia in normoglycaemic and alloxan-treated rabbits and mice. The extract (0.39 g/kg) significantly increased gastrointestinal transit time and the reaction time to thermal stimuli, but had no effect on the activity of alkaline phosphatase or concentrations of creatinine and urea in plasma. Histopathological examination indicated mild hydropic degeneration in hepatocytes and proximal convoluted tubules. The duodenum showed mild oedema of the substantia of the mucosal propria. The plant extract showed weak antimicrobial activity.

The hepatoprotective activity of the aqueous-methanolic extract of Artemisia maritima was investigated against acetaminophen (paracetamol, 4-hydroxy acetanilide)- and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic damage. Acetaminophen produced 100% mortality at the dose of 1 g/kg in mice, while pretreatment of animals with the plant extract (500 mg/kg) reduced the death rate to 20%. Acetaminophen at the dose of 640 mg/kg produced liver damage in rats as manifested by the significant (P0.001) rise in serum levels of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) to 1529 +/- 172 I.U./l and 904 +/- 116 I.U./l (n = 10), respectively, compared to respective control values of 87 +/- 12 I.U./l and 31 +/- 5 I.U./l. Pretreatment of rats with the plant extract (500 mg/kg) lowered significantly (P0.001) the respective serum GOT and GPT levels to 112 +/- 10 I.U./l and 47 +/- 11 I.U./l. Similarly, a hepatotoxic dose of CCl4 (1.5 ml/kg, orally) raised significantly (P0.01) the serum GOT and GPT levels to 463 +/- 122 I.U./l and 366 +/- 58 I.U./l (n = 10), respectively, compared to respective control values of 92 +/- 18 I.U./l and 35 +/- 9 I.U./l. The same dose of plant extract (500 mg/kg) was able to prevent significantly (P0.01) the CCl4-induced rise in serum transaminases and the estimated values of GOT and GPT were 105 +/- 29 I.U./l and 53 +/- 17 I.U./l, respectively. Moreover, it prevented CCl4-induced prolongation in pentobarbital sleeping time confirming hepatoprotectivity and validates the traditional use of this plant against liver damage.

Artemisia herba alba is widely used in Iraqi folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. However, very few scientific and medical studies were carried out to assess the efficacy and toxicity of A. herba alba. In this study feeding diabetic rats and rabbits with 0.39 g/kg body weight of the aqueous extract of the aerial parts of the plant for 2-4 weeks shows a significant reduction in blood glucose level, prevents elevation of glycosylated haemoglobin level and possesses a hypoliposis effect, in addition to the protection against body weight loss of diabetic animals.

Artemisia herba alba is widely used in Iraqi folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Oral administration of 0.39 g/kg body weight of the aqueous extract of the leaves or barks produced a significant reduction in blood glucose level, while the aqueous extract of roots and the methanolic extract of the aerial parts of the plant produce almost no reduction in blood glucose level. The extract of the aerial parts of the plant seem to have minimal adverse effect and high LD50 value.

The aerial parts of Artemisia herba-alba subsp. valentine yielded, in addition to known compounds, a new germacranolide, six new eudesmanolides and ilicic acid methyl ester.

The aerial parts of Artemisia herba-alba Asso subsp.valentina Lam. (Asteraceae) yielded the new eudesmanolides 1-11 and the new sesquiterpene-monoterpene adducts 12-13. The absolute configuration of compound 6 was confirmed with the aid of X-ray diffraction analysis. Some aspects of the thermal and photochemical reactivity of 2,4-cyclohexadienones are discussed.

Extraction of aerials parts of Artemisia herba-alba and chromatographic separation yielded, in addition to several known eudesmanolides, a new eudesmanolide which has been named herbalbin. The structure was elucidated by high field NMR techniques.

The extract of the aerial parts of Artemisia herba-alba afforded, in addition to known compounds, two new eudesmanolides, a germacranolide, an eudesmane derivative, a hydroxylyratrol and a germacrane triol.

An ethyl acetate extract of Artemisia herba - alba was partitioned by HPLC in 10 fractions that were tested in the [ 3 H]-flumazenil radioligand assay, for affinity to the GABA A -benzodiazepine receptor. Two fractions showed activity from which hispidulin and cirsilineol were isolated. The structures were confirmed by 1 H NMR. The IC 50 values were 8 μM for hispidulin and 100 μM for cirsilineol.

Extraction of aerial parts of Artemisia herba-alba subsp. herba-alba and chromatographic separation yielded, in addition to known compounds, three new germacranolides and four new eudesmanolides. The question about the structures of artesin and its 11-epimer is discussed.

Seventeen flavonoid glycosides were isolated and identified from Artemisia judaica : the 7-glucoside, 7-glucuronide, 4′-glucoside, 7-gentiobioside

The structures of herbolides A, B and C, new sesquiterpene lactones isolated from Artermisia herba alba , were determined by chemical and spectroscopic methods.

Analysis of sesquiterpene lactones and essential oils of various Artemisia herba-alba populations growing in Israel revealed the existence of five different chemotypes. These vary in their chemical profile from populations of the Sinai Desert, Egypt, Morocco and Spain. On the basis of the substitution patterns of the sesquiterpene lactones isolated from the Israeli populations which bear a hydroxyl or acetoxy function at C-9 it is suggested that these constitute a chemotaxonomic subspecies in the A. herba-alba complex.

The essential oils of Artemisia herba alba populations, four from Israel and one from Sinai, were analysed. Identification of components was achieved either by isolation of pure components or by GC and GC/MS. The composition of the oils differed in the various populations. All the oils contained 1,8-cineole in varying concentrations. Irregular monoterpenes were found in two populations, in one of them at high concentration. Two main types of oils were discerned, the cineole-thujane-bornane type and the pinane type. The differences in the composition of the essential oils in the A . herba alba populations investigated are in line with the variations of their sesquiterpene lactones.

The structures of two sesquiterpene lactones isolated from Artemisia herba-alba subsp. valentina have been determined by spectroscopic methods. One of these was dihydroreynosin, the other was a new compound assigned the name torrentin. The chemical compositions of a wax and a hydrocarbon fraction from the essential oil have also been investigated.

The sesquiterpene lactones of two additional Israeli Artemisia herba alba populations, one from Elat the other from Mizpe Ramon, were investigated. While the Elat population was devoid of any sesquiterpene lactones, the Mizpe Ramon variety contained herbolides A, B and C desacetylherbolide A. Furthermore, it was found to contain the hitherto unknown herbolide D. On the basis of these and previous results the presence of at least five different chemotypes in the Middle Eastern populations of A. herba alba is established.

Two new sesquiterpene lactones, herbolides E and F, have been isolated from a further chemotype of Artemisia herba alba .

The composition of the essential oil from a Spanish population of Artemisia herba-alba has been compared with that of Israeli populations of the same plant. The chemotaxonomic affinity of the two populations was not reflected in the compositions of the oils.

The structure of the eudesmanolide torrentin from Artemisia herba-alba subs valentine has been revised on the basis of high-field 1 H NMR spectroscopy and chemical correlations.

A new chemotype of Artemisia herba alba has been analysed and been shown to contain two known sesquiterpene lactones, herbolides E and F, and three new ones, herbolides G, H and I.

The antibacterial activity of Artemisia herba-alba was investigated. Only its essential oil was active against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The essential oil was fractionated by column chromatography, and these fractions were tested for antibacterial activity. The principal component of the most active fraction was santolina alcohol.