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This study aimed to estimate the total phenolic and flavonoid contents and to evaluate the antioxidant activity of the Hydro-methanolic from Saccocalyx satureioides Coss and Dur aerial part. Total polyphenols contents were determined using Folin-Ciocalteu’s reagent. The flavonoids were estimated using the method of Aluminum chloride (AlCl3). The antioxidant capacity was evaluated using two in vitro models (the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and reducing power). Total phenolic and flavonoid content in the extract were 171.34 ±1.43 mg Gallic acid equivalent/g of dry extract (GAE/g) and 18.6 ± 0.46 mg Quercetin equivalent / g of dry extract (QE/g), respectively. The methanol extract has an important capacity to scavenge the free radical DPPH with an IC50 of 0.03 ± 0. 0024 mg/ml. In addition, the plant extract exhibited high reducing power with an IC50 of 0.54 ± 0.00625 mg/ml. The results of the present study may prove that the medicinal plants are a good resource of natural antioxidants. Keywords: Antioxidant activity, Saccocalyx satureioides, polyphenols, flavonoids.

In this study, Salvia aegyptiaca and Salvia verbenaca aerial part decoction and methanol extracts (SAE DE, SAE ME, SVR DE, and SVR ME) were screened for their in vitro antioxidant, anti-Alzheimer, and antidiabetic enzymes inhibition activities. The antioxidant properties of Salvia extracts were determined using DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS radical scavenging, Alkaline DMSO superoxide radical scavenging, β-carotene bleaching, reducing power, and metal chelating activity assays. All extracts showed high antioxidant capacity and the antioxidant properties with the best performance were detected in the SAE ME and SVR ME. The extracts of S. aegyptiaca and S. verbenaca showed a low inhibitory activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), whereas, the methanol extract of S. aegyptiaca had the highest inhibitory activity on butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) (71.60 ± 4.33% for 100 µg/ml) compared to the other extracts. In vitro inhibitory effect on diabetic enzymes showed that the ME inhibited α-amylase enzyme with an IC50 86 and 101 µg/ml for SAE and SVR, respectively. Similarly, both extracts inhibited α-glucosidase with (IC50 97 and 150 µg/ml, respectively). The decoction extracts exhibited lower activity on both enzymes. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: It is becoming evident that oxidative stress is involved in several acute and chronic diseases. Counteracting free radical generation has become one of the widest fields of research worldwide. This study deals with the in vitro antioxidant activity of two plants from the Salvia genus as well as the assessment of their in vitro inhibitory properties of four key enzymes implicated in diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. Concerning the practical applications of our work, it can be explored in its antioxidant part as a food supplement to prevent the excess of free radicals in the body and also in other industrial practices. Another potential use is in the prevention and amelioration of both diabetes and Alzheimer's disease symptoms for the extracts that had enzyme inhibitory activity, but this deserves further toxicological and in vivo studies.

In this paper, the isolation of one new iridoid glucoside, 6β-acetoxyipolamiide (1), and thirteen (2 – 14) known congeners from two Lamiaceae species, Stachys ocymastrum and Premna resinosa, leaf extracts is reported. The structural determination of the isolated compounds was performed by mono- and bidimensional NMR spectroscopic analysis as well as MS experiments. The isolates were assayed for their antiangiogenic activity by two in vivo models, zebrafish embryos and chick chorioallantoic membrane assays. The compounds with a significant antiangiogenic activity in both assays were β-hydroxyipolamiide (2), ipolamiide (3), and buddlejoside A5 (8). 6-O-α-l-(3″-O-p-Methoxycinnamoyl-4″-O-acetyl)rhamnopyranosyl catalpol (13) and 6-O-α-l-(2″-trans-caffeoyl)rhamnopyranosyl catalpol (6) showed the best antiangiogenic response on blood vessel growth in zebrafish embryos, whereas saccatoside (10) and 6-O-α-l-(2″-O - p-methoxycinnamoyl-3″-O-acetyl)rhamnopyranosyl catalpol (14) resulted in a strong reduction of capillary formation in the chorioallantoic membrane assay.

The phytochemical study of Galium tunetanum Lam., Rubiaceae, leaves led to the isolation of 13 compounds from the chloroform–methanol and the methanol extracts, including six iridoid glycosides, one non-glycoside iridoid, two p-coumaroyl iridoid glycosides, two phenolic acids, and two flavonoid glycosides. The structural determination of the isolated compounds was performed by mono- and bidimensional NMR spectroscopic data, as well as ESI-MS experiments. All compounds were isolated from this species for the first time. The anti-angiogenic effects of the isolated iridoids were also reported on new blood vessels formation using the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane as in vivo model. Results showed that among the isolated iridoids tested at the dose of 2 μg/egg, asperuloside (1), geniposidic acid (2), and iridoid V1 (3) reduced microvessel formation of the chorioallantoic membrane on morphological observations using a stereomicroscope. The anti-angiogenic effects of the active compounds, expressed as percentages of inhibition versus control, were 67% (1), 59% (2), and 54% (3), respectively. In addition, the active compounds were able to inhibit angiogenesis in the chorioallantoic membrane assay, in a dose-dependent manner (0.5–2 μg/egg) as compared to the standard retinoic acid. Keywords: Anti-angiogenic activity, Asperuloside, Chick chorioallantoic membrane, Geniposidic acid, Iridoid V1

The essential oils of the flowers of Magydaris tomentosa (Desf.) DC. (Apiaceae) collected in Sicily (MSi) and Algeria (MAl), respectively, were obtained by hydrodistillation, and their compositions were analysed. The analyses allowed the identification and quantification of 23 components in MSi and 60 compounds in MAl, respectively, showing a very different profile in the composition of the two populations. The main components of MSi were cembrene (28.2%), α-springene (17.5%) and β-springene (14.8%), also present in MAl but in lesser amount (0.4%, 1.8% and 0.9%, respectively), whereas the principal constituents of MAl were (E)-nerolidol (35.4%), α-costol (13.3%) and β-costol (6.8%). Both MSi and MAl exhibited a significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis (minimum inhibitory concentration = 25 and 12.5 μg/mL, respectively). The chemotaxonomy markers of the species were identified.

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) represent a threat for millions of people worldwide, since they act as vectors for important pathogens, including malaria, yellow fever, dengue and West Nile. Second to malaria as the world's most widespread parasitic disease, infection by trematodes is a devastating public health problem. In this study, we proposed two essential oils from plants cultivated in Mediterranean regions as effective chemicals against mosquitoes and freshwater snails vectors of Echinostoma trematodes. Chemical composition of essential oils from Achillea millefolium (Asteraceae) and Haplophyllum tuberculatum (Rutaceae) was investigated. Acute toxicity was evaluated against larvae of the West Nile vector Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) and the invasive freshwater snail Physella acuta (Mollusca: Physidae), an important intermediate host of many parasites, including Echinostoma revolutum (Echinostomidae). Acute toxicity of essential oils was assessed also on a non-target aquatic organism, the mayfly Cloeon dipterum (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae). Achillea millefolium and H. tuberculatum essentials oils were mainly composed by oxygenated monoterpenes (59.3 and 71.0 % of the whole oil, respectively). Chrysanthenone and borneol were the two major constituents of Achillea millefolium essential oil (24.1 and 14.2 %, respectively). Major compounds of H. tuberculatum essential oil were cis-p-menth-2-en-1-ol and trans-p-menth-2-en-1-ol (22.9 and 16.1 %, respectively). In acute toxicity assays, C. pipiens LC50 was 154.190 and 175.268 ppm for Achillea millefolium and H. tuberculatum, respectively. P. acuta LC50 was 112.911 and 73.695 ppm for Achillea millefolium and H. tuberculatum, respectively, while the same values were 198.116 and 280.265 ppm for C. dipterum. Relative median potency analysis showed that both tested essential oils were more toxic to P. acuta over C. dipterum. This research adds knowledge on plant-borne chemicals toxic against invertebrates of medical importance, allowing us to propose the tested oils as effective candidates to develop newer and safer vector control tools.

The gastroprotective effect of tannic acid and the aqueous extract of Quercus ilex L. root bark, Punica granatum L. fruit peel and Artemisia herba-alba Asso leaves was investigated in the rat against ethanol-induced damage. Tannic acid, Q. ilex and P. granatum extracts gave 100% precipitation of ovine haemoglobin in vitro, whereas A. herba-alba extract was devoid of any protein-binding property. Oral administration of these plant extracts or tannic acid induced a significant decrease in gastric lesions (47.7%-76%). The observed protection was more pronounced when the test solution was given at the same time with ethanol, except for Q. ilex extract. The acid content of the stomach was significantly increased by P. granatum (368%) and A. herba-alba (251%) extracts prepared in ethanol. It is suggested that monomeric and polymeric polyphenols can strengthen the gastric mucosal barrier.

The gastroprotective effects of 70% acetone extracts of Quercus suber and Quercus coccifera leaves and of tannins (pedunculagin, castalagin, phillyraeoidin A, and acutissimin B) purified from these extracts were examined in the mouse using the ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model. Both extracts (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg), given orally, prevented the formation of ethanol-induced lesions in the stomach. The percent protection varied between 68 and 91%. Purified tannins (50 mg/kg) were also effective in protecting the stomach against ethanol, and the percent protection varied from 66 to 83%. Castalagin was the most potent. Both extracts and all of the tannins tested (10, 25, and 50 μg/mL) strongly inhibited (55−65%) the lipid peroxidation of rabbit brain homogenate. These results suggest that the gastroprotective effects of extracts of Q. suber and Q. coccifera leaves and the purified tannins in this experimental model are related to their anti-lipoperoxidant properties. Keywords: Experimental gastric ulcer; lip...