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Few studies had been conducted on the phytochemical profile and the biological activities of Brachychiton rupestris. The antioxidant activity of 85% methanolic extract of B. rupestris leaves and its derived fractions was assessed using five different in-vitro assays which are DPPH• assay, phosphomolybdenum assay (TAC), hydroxyl radical (•OH) scavenging assay, nitric oxide radical (NO•) scavenging assay and permanganate reducing antioxidant capacity (PRAC). The total phenolic, flavonoid and flavonol contents were also determined for the different plant samples using Folin-Ciocalteu, aluminum chloride and aluminum chloride/ sodium acetate methods, respectively. In-vitro cytotoxic activity of the crude extract and its fractions against HepG2 cell line was also evaluated via SRB assay. The ethyl acetate fraction obtained from the aqueous methanolic extract of the plant leaves possessed the most potent antioxidant potential according to the different applied assays (DPPH• SC50 = 25.50±0.76 µg/mL, TAC= 311.98±1.19 mg AAE/g ext., •OH SA= 68.42±0.15%, NO• SA= 33.68±1.98% & PRAC = 62.88±0.27%). It also owed the highest amount of phenolics (TPC= 342.10±2.08 mg GAE/ g ext.) whose majority were flavonoids (TFC= 309.82±3.64 mg QE/ g ext.). A strong positive correlation was found between the total phenolic contents of various plant samples and their antioxidant activity. The butanol derived fraction exhibited the most potent cytotoxic activity (IC50 = 8.60 µg/mL). To the best of our knowledge, it is the first study reporting the antioxidant and the cytotoxic activities of B. rupestris leaves. The study revealed that the B. rupestris leaves could be a good source of natural antioxidants which may be applied in food and pharmaceutical industries. They could also be a new opportunity of discovering anti-mutagenic agents.

Cryptosporidium parvum (C. parvum) is a worldwide zoonotic protozoan parasite infects most mammalian hosts causing a major health problem. The present study investigated the efficacy of ginger (Zingiber officinale), ginseng (Panax ginseng) and sage (Salvia officinalis) methanolic extracts on the progression of cryptosporidiosis in the experimental mice.Forty five mice experimentally infected with C. parvum were treated with medicinal plants extracts (ginger, ginseng and sage) as compared to the reference drug, Nitazoxanide (NTZ). Mice fecal smears were examined daily for 4 weeks post infection (PI). The results interpreted by oocysts count and histological examination of mice intestinal mucosa.The obtained results recorded that there was a statistically significant reduction in oocyst shedding in high dose ginger, ginseng and NTZ treated groups till no oocysts were found at days 21 and 23 PI, respectively. The infected non-treated, NTZ and low dose of both, ginseng and sage treated mice groups returned to excrete oocysts at low levels at day 27 PI while the other animal groups’ feces were still negative for C. parvum oocysts. The histopathological examination showed that NTZ, high dose ginger and ginseng treated mice had more protective and curative effect on infected mice intestinal epithelium in comparison with other treatments used.In conclusion, these results proved the therapeutic efficacy of ginger, ginseng and sage medicinal plants against the C. parvum in experimentally infected mice, and that theginger extract had an obvious effect on infected mice than other treatments and such results could be adapted in similar infections in susceptible animals and man.

Background: In recent years, plant extracts are considered as an important source of many drug formulations for treatment of human beings from infection diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of Salix mucronata leaves extracts and isolate their bioactive phytochemicals. Methods: The dry powder of Salix mucronata was extracted with different aqueous methanol concentrations. The 85% methanolic extract was further fractionated using different organic solvents. The antimicrobial activity of different extracts and fractions was evaluated. The most bioactive fractions were submitted for chromatographic isolation and structure elucidation of their phytochemicals using chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. Results: The ethyl acetate and the butanolic fractions derived from 85% MeOH extract gave a high antimicrobial activity with inhibition zones ranging between 10 mm and 26 mm and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 8 mg/mL. While the butanolic fraction showed zones of inhibition ranging between 10 mm and 25 mm with MIC 8 mg/mL. Six compounds were isolated from ethyl acetate fraction and their structures were elucidated as; apigenin (1), quercetin (2), quercetrin (3), rhamnazin -3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4), Chrysoeriol-7-O-β-D-glucuronoid- 6ʺ -methyl ester (5), and tremuloidin (6). Also, five compounds were isolated from the butanolic fraction and their structures were elucidated as; kaempferol (7), luteolin (8), luteolin-3ʹ - methoxy-4ʹ - O-β-D- glucopyranoside (9), isorhamnetin -3-O-β -D-glucopyranoside (10) and salicin (11). Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that the ethyl acetate and the butanolic fractions contain high flavonoids and salicinoids compounds which may attribute to their potential as antimicrobial agents.

Context: People all over the world are suffering from cancer. Liver cancer is considered the second most common malignancy among Egyptian men and the sixth most common malignancy among Egyptian women. Plant-derived antioxidants are believed to prevent or delay the occurrence of many chronic diseases such as cancer. Ailanthus altissima has been used in many traditional prescriptions. Aims: The current study aimed at investigating the phytochemical profile of A. altissima leaves’ extract and its derived fractions, determining their content of phenolics and flavonoids as well as assessing their antioxidant and cytotoxic potential. Materials and Methods: The phytochemical screening was carried out using standard methods. The total phenolic, flavonoid, and flavonol contents were determined using Folin-Ciocalteu, aluminum chloride, and aluminum chloride/ sodium acetate assays, respectively. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using different in vitro methods: DPPH•, total antioxidant capacity, hydroxyl (•OH), nitric oxide (NO•) radical scavenging activities, and permanganate-reducing antioxidant capacity (PRAC). The antiproliferative potential against HepG2 cells was evaluated using sulforhodamine-B assay (SRB). Results: The results showed that the ethyl acetate fraction had the highest content of phenolics, flavonoids, and flavonols (551.72 ± 1.81 mg GAE/g ext., 371.24 ± 4.36 mg RE/g ext., and 100.47 ± 1.30 mg QE/g ext., respectively). It also had the most potent reducing power (DPPH• SC50 = 7.19 ± 0.05 µg/mL, TAC= 369.88 ± 1.51 mg AAE/g ext., •OH SA = 95.46 ± 0.14%, NO• SA = 40.65 ± 0.91%, and PRAC = 77.19 ± 0.27%). The n-butanol fraction exhibited the most potent cytotoxic potential against HepG2 cells (IC50 = 16.70 µg/mL). Conclusion: A. altissima leaves could be considered potent antioxidant and cytotoxic alternatives.

The present study was aimed to determine the phytochemicals constituents of Salix mucronata Thunb. leaf extracts and their antioxidant activities. Dried leaf powders were extracted with MeOH, MeOH (85%), MeOH (70%) and distilled water. The different extracts were monitored for phytochemical screening. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were measured by Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride assays. The antioxidant potential of tested extracts was evaluated using DPPH, ABTS and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) assays. The results showed that, MeOH (85%) extract exhibited high total phenolic and flavonoid contents (TPC=131.39±2.49 mgGAE /g ext. and TFC= 67.69±1.47 mg RE /g ext.). Also, MeOH (85%) extract showed high antioxidant activities (DPPH SC50= 98.76±0.46 (µg/ml), ABTS= 45.83±0.32 mm Trolox® eq. /100 gm extract and TAC= 199.18±2.19 mg equivalent of ascorbic acid /g ext.). On other hand, EtOAc fraction derived from MeOH (85%) extract exhibited the highest antioxidant activity; DPPH SC50= 50.19±0.24 (µg/ml), ABTS= 76.22±1.61 (mm Trolox® eq. /100 gm ext.) and TAC= 249.86±3.74 (mg equivalent of ascorbic acid /g ext.). This study demonstrated that, S. mucronata leaf is a good source of natural antioxidants. Also, there is a high correlation between the total phenolic content and the antioxidant activity.