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The need of finding out new and potent antimicrobial agents to combat the multidrug resistance pathogens becomes critical. Ailanthus altissima is characterized by its vast and remarkable therapeutic potential as a traditional folk medicine. The current study aims to investigate the polyphenolic profiling and the antimicrobial activity of the methanol extract of A. altissima leaves and its derived fractions. The antimicrobial activity was investigated through two in-vitro assays; agar well diffusion and broth microdilution against six pathogens while the polyphenolic profiling was characterized through UPLC-ESI-MS analysis. All the test pathogens were susceptible to the test samples except Mucor circinelloides. The zone of microbial growth inhibition of the samples was found in 10-40 mm range and the minimum inhibitory values ranged between 3.9 and 1000 µg/mL. The ethyl acetate fraction exhibited significant antimicrobial potential especially against P. aeruginosa, S. aureus and C. albicans where the diameters of inhibition zones were 40, 30 and 25mm, respectively and their corresponding MIC values were 3.9, 7.8 and 15.6 µg/mL, respectively. The UPLC-ESI-MS analysis of the samples revealed the tentative identification of various phenolic compounds mainly corilagin. A. altissima offers a perfect choice to be investigated as a natural and potent antimicrobial agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Ravenala madagascariensis (Sonn.) family Strelitziaceae, commonly called traveler’s tree or palm; it is used traditionally in India as tea made from young leaves for treatment of diabetes. On the other hand its seed found to have antiseptic properties. Objective: Phytochemical investigation and isolation as well as testing the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the crude total and different successive fractions. Material and Method: The leaves total ethanol extract was subjected for phytochemical screening. The n- BuOH fraction was fractionated using chromatographic isolation. Total phenolics and flavonoids and antioxidant activity of the crude total ethanol extract as well as n-hexane, CH2Cl2, EtOAc and n- BuOH successive fractions were determined using ABTS assays. On the other hand the antimicrobial of the crude total ethanol was carried out against 13 microorganisms using agar well diffusion method. Results: Phytochemical screening showed the presence of flavonoids, tannins and sterols. Three phenolic compounds were isolated from the n- BuOH fraction and they were identified using different spectroscopic techniques. The different fractions showed high antioxidant activities especially EtOAc fraction that showed 88.96% for ABTS inhibition. Crude total ethanol extract showed selective moderate antimicrobial activity against the tested strains of Cryptococcus neoformans, Bacillus cereus and Serratia marcenscens. Conclusion: The ethyl acetate fraction showed significant antioxidant activity probably due to presence of the flavonoids contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garden cress (Lepidium sativum) is a rapidly increasing yearly herb that grow in Egypt and West Asia countries, although now grown around the globe. The herp is often known as garden cress (GC). Their seeds have a wealth of protein, fiber, omega-3 acids, iron and other vital nutrients. The chemical composition, minerals contents, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, antioxidant activity and functional properties of GC seeds powder were investigated. The results revealed that GC seeds powder contained 7.05% moisture, 19.73% crude protein, 14.18% crude fat, 35.45% carbohydrate, 18.79% crude fibers and 4.8% ash. In addition, potassium (2955.50 mg/100g) was the most abundant element in GC seeds followed by phosphorus (947.32 mg/100g) and magnesium (322.00 mg/100g). The extract of GC seeds had a 157.24 mg/g of total phenols and 75.01 mg/g of total flavonoids. Gallic acid and hisperidin were the most abundant phenolic and flavonoid compounds in GC seed extract being 3001.75 and 4934.99 μg/100g, respectively. After 120 min of DPPH tests, the antioxidant activity of GC extract achieved 89.75%. The ability of GC seeds to water holding capacity (WHC) was 4.51 ml/g, 2.79 ml/g for oil holding capacity (OHC) with 44.54% of emulsifying activity (EA). It could be conducted that GC seeds are recommended in order to enhance nutritional quality and functional properties as food supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Portulaca oleracea , commonly known as purslane, is a popular plant of considerable value for its nutritive composition as well as traditional medicinal uses. P. oleracea is reported to possess neuroprotective, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiulcerogenic, and anticancer activities. Three taxa of P. oleracea L. (P. oleracea , P. rausii and P. granulatostellulata) are grown as mixed populations in several locations in Egypt. The close morphological similarities among these taxa warrants development of methods for their correct identification or classification. We aimed in this study to assess metabolome differences among three P. oleracea taxa via ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS) in the context of their genetic diversity and/or geographical origin. A total of 85 metabolites were identified including 6 amino acids, 22 phenolic compounds, 16 alkaloids, and 11 fatty acids characterized based on their MSn and UV spectra. Methoxylated flavone glycosides, O -flavonoids, C -flavonoids and four previously undescribed cyclodopa alkaloids are reported in P. oleracea for the first time. Multivariate data analyses were used for samples classification and revealing that cyclodopa alkaloids (oleracein A, C, K and N) contributed the most for accessions classification. To the best of our knowledge, this study presents the first metabolite profile of Portulaca and its compositional differences that provide chemical based evidence for its nutritive and/or health benefits. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • UPLC–MS metabolites profiling of 11 Portulaca taxa accessions. • 85 metabolites were identified including amino acids, phenolics and alkaloids. • Four new cyclo-dopa amides were identified. • Multivariate data analysis was used to classify leaf taxa. • Oleracein A, C, K and N were identified as potential markers for P. oleracea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In search of plants rich in phenolics in Egypt, Kalanchoe marmorata Baker was subjected to phytochemical study. The preliminary phytochemical screening revealed its richness in phenolics. Fractionation of the lyophilized aqueous extract of the leaves of K. marmorata by different organic solvents successively resulted in the isolation and purification of five compounds from the ethyl acetate soluble fraction. These compounds namely; E1 isorhamnetin-3-O-α-l-1C4-rhamnopyranoside; E2 quercitin; E3 4′-methoxy-myricetin-3-O-α-l-1C4-rhamnopyranoside; E4 Quercitin-3-O-β-d-4C1-glucopyranoside and E5 protocatechuic-4′-O-β-d-4C1-glucopyranoside, were identified by analysis of their spectral data including 1H NMR and 13C NMR. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]