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The present study was conducted to determine the proximate composition, mineral content, fatty acid profile, phytosterol, and tocopherol composition of seven Apiaceae seeds (Coriandrum sativum, Petroselinum crispum, Carum carvi, Pimpinellla anisum, Foeniculum vulgare, Cuminum cyminum , and Ammodaucus leucotrichus), grown in four different regions of Morocco. The proximate composition (moisture, ash, oil, and protein contents), energy value, and mineral profile were determined from the seed powder. While fatty acid, phytosterol, and tocopherol composition were determined from the soxhlet extracted oils. The results obtained during this study showed significant difference between the seven analyzed seeds. Moisture content varied between (6.76±0.03 and 8.68±0.08 g/100g), ash content ranged between (5.17 ± 0.05 g/100g and 6.64 ± 0.02 g/100g), oil content varied between (10.63 ± 0.53 and 14.38 ± 0.37 g/100g), protein content ranged between (7.68 ± 0.18 and 13.65 ± 0.12), carbohydrate content varied from (57.35 ± 0.52 to 67.21 ± 0.92 g/100g), and energy value varied from (385.37 ± 1.66 to 408.14 ± 1.94 kcal/100g). The major macroelement detected in all samples was S (1199.71 ± 0.42 to 2232.77 ± 7.72 mg/kg) followed by K (118.773 ± 0.7 to 199.812 ± 0.002 mg/kg), Ca (69.14 ± 0.18 to 121.23 ± 0.63 mg/kg), and P (21.96 ± 0.01 to 52.46 ± 0.08 mg/kg), while Fe (0.82 ± 0.01 to 7.36 ± 0.03 mg/kg) was the main microelement detected. Total phenol content ranged from 10.51 ± 0.64 mg GAE/g DM to 28.51 ± 1.81 mg GAE/g DM. Among the tested seeds, Foeniculum vulgare, Cuminum cyminum, Coriandrum sativum , and Carum carvi exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. Eleven fatty acids were detected in our samples with a dominance of petroselinic acid (53.15 ± 0.05 to 80.65 ± 0.05 g/100g), and linoleic acid (7.7 ± 0.1 to 31.25 ± 0.05 g/100g). Total tocopherol contents ranged from (102.81 ± 0.79 to 359.07 ± 0.13 mg/100g) with dominance of γ-tocopherol, ⍺-tocotrienol, and β-tocopherol. Total sterol content varied between (2556.24 ± 9.34 to 9339.33 ± 1.48 mg/kg). The major compound was β-sitosterol (997.55 ± 4.2 to 4362.15 ± 7.28 mg/kg), and the second was Δ-5-stigmasterol (632.73 ± 3.9 to 2908.36 ± 7.04 mg/kg). Moroccan Apiaceae seeds can be considered as a good source of energy, minerals, petroselinic acid, phytosterol, and tocopherol, which suggests an interesting nutritional, cosmetic, and medicinal applications. [Display omitted] • Nutritional value, and mineral profile of seven Apiaceae seeds, commonly used in Morocco. • Moroccan Apiaceae seed oils are characterized by the presence of petroselinic acid as main fatty acid. • Detection of β-sitosterol as major phytosterol in all studied seed oil. • Identification of γ-tocopherol, ⍺-tocotrienol, and β-tocopherol as dominance tocopherols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The wild scale insect Dactylopius opuntiae is one of the major insect pests of prickly pear Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) in Morocco. The present study investigated the insecticidal potential of the aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of Atriplex halimus (leaves), Salvia rosmarinus (leaves), and Cuminum cyminum (seeds) to control nymphs and adult females of D. opuntiae under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Among the tested samples, the aqueous extract of A. halimus showed the highest activity on nymphs and adult females of D. opuntiae in the laboratory and when combined with black soap under greenhouse conditions. The difference in toxicity of the plant species in the study was correlated with their saponin content. These results provide evidence that the aqueous extract of A. halimus leaves could be incorporated into the management of the wild scale insect as an alternative to chemical insecticides. The wild cochineal Dactylopius opuntiae (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae) is one of the major insect pests of the prickly pear Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) in Morocco, a well-known fruit and vegetable crop of arid and semi-arid regions around the world. The present study investigated the insecticidal potential of six extracts (three aqueous and three hydroalcoholic (MeOH/H2O, 20/80 (v/v)) from Atriplex halimus (leaves), Salvia rosmarinus (leaves) and Cuminum cyminum (seeds) to control nymphs and adult females of D. opuntiae under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Out of the tested samples, A. halimus aqueous extract showed the highest activity, inducing mortality rates of 67.04% (after 4 days) and 85% (after 8 days) on nymphs and adult females of D. opuntiae, respectively, at a concentration of 5% under laboratory conditions. It also showed the highest mortality rate of nymphs with 100% (4 days after application) and 83.75% of adult females (7 days after the second application) at a concentration of 5% when combined with black soap at 10 g/L under greenhouse conditions. The difference in the toxicity of plant species of the study was correlated with their saponin content. A total of 36 of these triterpene glucosides were suggested after a comprehensive LC-MSn profiling of the most active extract, A. halimus, in addition to phytoecdysones and glycosylated phenolic acids and flavonoids. These findings provided evidence that the aqueous leaf extract of A. halimus could be incorporated in the management of the wild cochineal as an alternative to chemical insecticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrodistilled volatile oils obtained from the fruits of Cuminum cyminum L. and Ammodaucus leucotrichus L., cultivated in Morocco, were analyzed by GC/FID and GC/MS. Twenty-one compounds repre- senting 98.7 % of the oil were identified for the C. cyminum L. species. The main components of the oil were: γ- terpinen-7-al (37.2 %), cuminaldehyde (29.1 %), γ-terpinene (10.0 %), β-pinene (7.1 %) and p-cymene (6.1 %). For the Ammodaucus leucotrichus L. species, there were 21 identified compounds, representing 98.4 % of the total oil. The major constituents were perrilla aldehyde (78.2 %) and limonene (9.5 %). Isolated essential oils were tested for radical-scavenging ability using the stable DPPH radical and the ABTS radical, for reducing power ability with a test based on the reduction of ferric cations, and for lipid peroxidation inhibitory ability using β- carotene bleaching assay. The two oils showed a particularly interesting profile concerning oxidation of the fatty unsaturated substances. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oils was individually evaluated against representatives of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria using the agar diffusion method. The most sensi- tive microorganisms are: Enterococcus faecalis, Salmonella sp, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus epidermis, Citrobacter freundii and Escherichia coli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and antioxidant activities the essential oils derived from the seeds of three local cumin populations that were grown in an oasis environment. The studied cumin was cultivated according to the organic farming principles in a parcel at the oasis of Oukhite, southeast of Morocco in complete randomised complete blocks with three replications. The results revealed that the organically cultivated cumin seeds had a strong, distinctive aroma due to an abundance of essential oil (3.8–5.27 %). The main components in all the studied essential oils were cuminaldehyde (30.42–33.24 %), γ-terpinen-7-al (20.54–28.36 %), α-terpinen-7-al (about 13 %), γ-terpinene (6,15–12.60 %), β-cymene (4.19–5.38 %), β-pinene (3,10–5.36 %) and p-mentha-1,4-dien-7-ol (0.71–0.99 %). The essential oil from the cumin plants that were cultivated at Taaouilite (G2) had the highest antioxidant activity, based on the DPPH scavenging ability (IC50= 3.32 mg/mL) and ferric reducing power FRAP (IC50= 17.02 mg/ mL) while cumin essential oil derived from Takacha (G1) was the least potent. These results indicate that the essential oils of oasis cultivated cumin seeds are an excellent source of natural antioxidants, that could be used for food preservation and health benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Essential oils from 8 Cuminum cyminum local populations collected in Morocco were investigated for their chemical composition and antimicrobial activity. The chemical composition, investigated by gas chromatographic technique, revealed a common fingerprint in all Moroccan samples: twenty-five compounds were identified with γ-terpinen-7-al being the major component in all samples studied. The antimicrobial activity of cumin essential oils were tested against 10 bacterial strains, belonging to 8 different species, and 6 yeast strains, belonging to 4 species. Lactic acid bacteria showed a good resistance to all essential oil tested while overall the cumin essential oils showed a strong antifungal activity that affected both maximum specific growth rate and lag time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]