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Opuntia dillenii has been used in folk medicine as a natural remedy for its diverse biological activities and bioactive compounds. The present study aimed to quantify the bioactive substances of cladode extracts (aqueous and ethanolic) of O. dillenii from Djerba Island, Tunisia and evaluate their antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic potentials. The results showed that O. dillenii cladodes had a high amount of total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC). Interestingly, by LC-MS analysis, we found that most of the phenolic and volatile compounds were present in the ethanolic extract. Indeed, quinic acid (58.78 µg/g), quercetin (11.5 µg/g), rutin (7.02 µg/g), luteolin (4.93 µg/g), cirsiliol (3.22 µg/g) were the major phenolic compounds in O. dillenii ECE. GC-MS analysis of O. dillenii ACE and ECE revealed that n-hexadecanoic acid (13.08%), and stigmastan-3, 5-diene (6.97%) were the main volatile compounds detected in ECE. Correlation analysis showed that the TPC and TFC were significantly correlated with the antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, and Fusarium oxysporum were found to be the most sensitive strains. Finally, the human colon carcinoma cell line Caco-2 was more sensitive to aqueous and ethanolic extracts with an IC50 = 50.89 ± 0.01 µg/mL and IC50 = 40 ± 0.01 µg/mL, respectively than K-562 cell line.

The effects of Terfezia boudieri supplementation in the range from 1 to 5% in wheat bread were evaluated in order to obtain a nutritionally increased product. The truffle powder used to enrich the ...

Plants have been seen to possess the potential to be excellent biological matrices to serve as a basis for investigating the presence of promising therapeutic agents for cancer treatment. Several successful anti-cancer medicines - or their analogues - nowadays in use are plant derived and many more are under clinical trials. Under current circumstances, the purpose of this work was to test aqueous and ethanolic extracts of five aromatic and medicinal plants from arid zones on some tumor cell lines. These plants, Cymbopogon schoenanthus (L.) Spreng, Crithmum maritimum (L.) Spreng, Hammada scoparia (Pomel) Iljin, Retama raetam (Forssk.) and Zizyphus lotus (L.) Desf., widely used in Tunisian ethnomedicine, were assessed for their phenolic compounds, antioxidants and anticancer activities in aqueous and ethanol extracts. Total polyphenols, flavonoid and tannin contents were determined colorimetrically and some of these molecules were identified using RP-HPLC. A significant difference on phenolic contents and composition were found among the investigated plants. Cymbopogon schoenanthus was the richest in phenolic compounds (approx. 72%) with quercetine-3-o-rhamnoside (approx. 33%) as main contributor. For all the tested plants, the highest antioxidant capacity was detected in the ethanolic extracts rather than in the aqueous ones. The highest antiproliferative potential was observed for the ethanolic extracts. Hammada scoparia, Retama raetam and Zizyphus lotus exhibited important antiproliferative effect that reached 67% at a 1% extract concentration. Taken together, the present study supports the potential development of chemotherapeutic agents from, at least, four of the five studied Tunisian ethnomedicinal plants.

The fruits of Rhus tripartita had recently attracted great attention due to its notable therapeutic effects. Their potential effects are attributed to the richness of diverse classes of secondary metabolites. The objective of this research was to access the determination of chemical composition and antioxidant properties of R. tripartita fruit extracts and its partitioned fractions (absolute petroleum ether, 70% aqueous ethanol, absolute ethyl acetate and water). LC–ESI-MS/MS and FTIR–ATR were used to assess the potential of R. tripartita fruits as a source of health-promoting constituents. A total of 38 phenolics, including flavones, flavonols, flavanones, organic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids and hydroxybenzoic acids, 26 of them were reported for the first time in R. tripartita. The main compounds were apigenin7-O-glucoside, apigenin and p-coumaric acid. The FTIR–ATR analysis results revealed the presence of characteristic functional groups such as − OH, C–O, − C = C and C–H of phenolic compounds, carboxylic acids, carbohydrates, lipophilic components and proteins in R. tripartita fruits. Furthermore, the ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest level of phenolic contents and strong antioxidant activities. The present study recommends R. tripartita fruits as source of natural antioxidants which can be used as bioactive ingredient for functional foods and nutraceuticals.

The present study was conducted to compare the antibacterial activity of oven‐dried and freeze‐dried Allium sativum along with its spray‐dried microencapsulated essential oil in the preservation of minced beef meat. Allium sativum extracts were tested against mesophilic aerobic microorganisms, coagulase‐positive staphylococci, Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp., and the sulfite‐reducing anaerobes. A difference between the chemical compositions of powders obtained by the conventional oven‐drying and freeze‐drying has been verified by HPLC‐MS2, freeze‐dried fresh garlic powder contains 74% of allicin, and 12% cysteine sulfoxides comparing to the oven‐drying garlic powder in which is detected two thiosulfinate isomers: allicin (67%) and allyl‐1‐propenyl thiosulfinate (21%). CIELAB color analysis was performed to assess the effect of drying temperature on powders. The microflora‐inhibiting effect of freeze‐dried fresh garlic and the spray‐dried microencapsulated essential oil at a concentration of 20% represents a promising way to be used in food systems such as meat and meat products preservation, at 4–8°C., The microflora‐inhibiting effect of freeze‐dried fresh garlic and the spray‐dried microencapsulated essential oil at a concentration of 20% represents a promising way to be used in meat preservation, at 4–8°C.

Jujube (Ziziphus lotus L.) fruit has multiple functional properties and represents an interesting source of bioactive compounds. The purpose of this study was to improve the functionality and the sensory properties of sponge cake enriched with Z. lotus fruit. The polyphenols and flavonoids levels in the sponge cake and its antioxidant potential increased with the addition of 0-10 g of jujube powder/100 g of wheat flour. The crumb color parameters, L* and b*, decreased with the addition of jujube powder, whereas the a* value increased. In the texture analysis, addition of jujube powder resulted in an increase of the hardness and chewiness, but the springiness was reduced. The sensory evaluation showed that supplementation of jujube powder did not manifest any undesirable organoleptic response and showed satisfactory consumer acceptability. Overall, the addition at 5% jujube powder showed the finest sensory properties of the sponge cake.

Allium roseum leaves were subjected to thin layer convective drying at three temperatures (40, 50 and 60C) and two air velocities (1.0 and 1.5 m/s). The effects of the drying conditions on drying characteristics, color, phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties of A. roseum leaves were assessed. Convective drying induces a considerable moisture removal from fresh leaves (more than 96%) and requires 7 and 28 h at 60 and 40C, respectively. Fresh A. roseum leaves have a water activity higher than 0.9, which had been reduced after drying to a value of about 0.5. Drying resulted in color modifications and drastic declines in total polyphenol content (between 60 and 69%), total flavonoid content (between 17 and 29%) and radical-scavenging capacity (between 72 and 88%). Drying temperature showed a significant effect on drying rate, moisture loss, water activity, total polyphenol content, total flavonoid content and radical-scavenging activity of A. roseum leaves. Practical Applications Allium roseum, also known as rosy garlic, and called in Tunisia “Lazoul,” is a spontaneous plant that grows in the southern part of the country during the rainy years. Local indigenous communities traditionally use Lazoul leaves as a condiment in various meals. The specific taste attributed to these leaves is highly appreciated, but moreover their therapeutic properties, due to antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities, are now well known. However, the short vegetative presence of Lazoul limits its availability and renders it rare. Traditional food prepared with fresh A. roseum leaves tend to disappear, and thus, preparation of such foods, which has been inherited from one generation to the other within a traditional knowledge, is now threatened. Drying may be a solution for A. roseum preservation throughout the year. Moreover, bringing small-scale technologies to local people may revitalize biodiversity and protect traditional food from disappearance.

Allium roseum L., a North African endemic species, is a rich source of many important nutrients and bioactive compounds responsible for many promising beneficial health physiological effects. The influence of sulfur fertilization (S fertilization) on the flavor, total polyphenols, and carbohydrates content in A. roseum was studied, using three sulfur concentrations (0.01, 1.50 and 4.50 mmol L−1) under controlled conditions. S fertilization showed a significant increase in the allicin concentration of A. roseum bulbs with an average of 0.859–2.285 g kg−1 FW for bulbs grown at 0.01 and 1.50 mmol L−1 SO42−, respectively. The same trend was observed for total polyphenol content. On the contrary, the highest level of S decreased the content of reduced carbohydrates. These results provide evidence that the concentrations of allicin and polyphenols in A. roseum are increased by S fertilization, potentially amplifying its beneficial impacts on health.

This study deals with the chemical characterization of a medicinal and an aromatic plant of the Tunisian flora: Allium roseum var. odoratissimum, and aimed to identify new bioactive natural compounds in its flower essential oil. These compounds were extracted by hydrodistillation and were analyzed by GC and GC/MS, using an apolar column. The most important compounds characterized were organo-sulphurous (46%), including methyl 2-propenyl trisulfide, di-2-propenyl trisulfide, di-1-propenyl disulfide, di-2-propenyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, methyl 2-propenyl disulfide, and di-1-propenyl trisulfide, found as 10.75, 9.07, 5.81, 4.98, 3.90, 3.30, and 2.53%, respectively. Moreover, heneicosane and pentacosane were identified for the first time at relatively high rates (8.18 and 4.49%, respectively) in the Allium roseum essential oil. This essential oil composition exhibited newly identified sulphurous compounds at relatively high rates (46.53%) when compared with what was found while using polar column.

Allium roseum L. var. odoratissimum, a North African endemic species, grows in the Southeast of Tunisia and is used as a vegetable, spice or herbal remedy in traditional medicine. This study deals with the phytochemical analyses and antimicrobial activity screening of A. roseum leaves. Aqueous extracts (maceration, digestion, decoction and infusion) and organic extracts (petroleum ether, dichloromethane, methanol and ethanol) were screened for their phytochemical antibacterial activity. Phytochemical screening of A. roseum showed the presence of antimicrobial active compounds such as saponins, tannins, flavonoids, coumarins, steroids, cardiotonic glycosides, free quinone and iridoids. The dichloromethane, petroleum ether and ethanolic extracts of A. roseum exhibited a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Micrococcus luteus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Such results may establish a good support to the use of this plant in herbal medicine and a base for the development of new drugs and phytomedicine. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Allium roseum var. odoratissimum (Desf.) Coss is widely used as a vegetable, spice and herbal remedy. Besides its culinary use, A. roseum is also used in folk medicine for the treatment of headaches, rheumatism, respiratory tract infection and low appetite. In this article, we validate the use of this species through the chemical constituents (saponins, tannins, flavonoids, coumarins, steroids, cardiotonic glycosides, free quinones and iridoids), which are responsible for the pharmacological properties mentioned earlier, particularly the antibacterial activity. For example, A. roseum exhibits a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Micrococcus luteus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Total polyphenolic contents (TPC), antioxidant and antibacterial activities of bulb, leaf and flower extracts of the North African endemic plant Allium roseum were studied using three different solvents. Flower and leaf TPCs were found significantly higher than that of bulb with the highest values in methanolic extracts reaching 736.65 ± 88.67 and 749.54 ± 129.15 mg catechol equivalent/100 g of dry material, respectively. The same trend was observed for antioxidant potentials using DPPH. and ABTS.+ scavenging methods. Moreover, the A. roseum phenolic extracts strongly inhibited the growth of a range of microorganisms. Multivariate analysis showed that the extraction solvent and the plant material significantly affected the quantity and bioactivity of the phenolics. Almost all extracts exhibited antioxidant and antibacterial activity; however, the highest values were found in the methanolic extracts of leaves and flowers. These results provide the basis for the use of this edible spontaneous species for fu...

The present study deals with the valorization of an edible spontaneous plant of the Tunisian arid areas: Allium roseum. This plant is traditionally used for therapeutic and culinary uses. Thin-layer drying behavior of Allium roseum leaves was investigated at 40, 50 and 60 °C drying air temperatures and 1 and l.5 m/s air velocity, in a convective dryer. The increase in air temperature significantly affected the moisture loss and reduced the drying time while air velocity was an insignificant factor during drying of Allium roseum leaves. Five models selected from the literature were found to satisfactorily describe drying kinetics of Allium roseum leaves for all tested drying conditions. Drying data were analyzed to obtain moisture diffusivity values. During the falling rate-drying period, moisture transfer from Allium roseum leaves was described by applying the Fick's diffusion model. Moisture diffusivity varied from 2.55 × 10(-12) to 8.83 × 10(-12) m(2)/s and increased with air temperature. Activation energy during convective drying was calculated using an exponential expression based on Arrhenius equation and ranged between 46.80 and 52.68 kJ/mol. All sulfur compounds detected in the fresh leaves were detected in the dried leaves. Convective air drying preserved the sulfur compounds potential formation.