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Despite rapid advances in drug production, bacteria have adopted several drug resistance strategies, such as biofilm production. Therefore, research to develop and/or discover alternative antibacterial agents, such as natural products from plants becomes a necessity. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a well-known potent source of bioactive molecules with antibacterial and antibiofilm activities. The aim of this study was to determine the phytochemical composition, to evaluate the antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of Tunisian wild rosemary essential oils (REOs). Molecular docking tools were used to investigate the antibacterial effects of REOs bioactive molecules. GC-MS analysis revealed thirty-one compounds. The main components that define the chemotype were eucalyptol, camphor and α-pinene. The antibacterial activity evaluated by disc diffusion and the microdilution methods and the antibiofilm activity assessed by crystal violet test proved that REOs had strong activity against all the bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium). The molecular docking study revealed that the investigated main compounds of REOs exhibited the best binding scores with two target proteins (Fts-Z and FimH). These results prove that REOs exhibited interesting biological activities as antibacterial and antibiofilm agents which could be explored for complementary medicine, food and pharmaceutical industries. HIGHLIGHTS: Chemical composition of rosemary essential oils (REOs), analyzed by GC–MS, revealed the presence of 31 compounds which the main components that define the chemotype were eucalyptol (40.77–55.47%), camphor (5.42–18.65%) and α-pinene (9.88–13.83%) The antibacterial activity was evaluated by disc diffusion and micro-dilution method, and the anti-biofilm activity assessed using a crystal violet test was tested against two Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis) and two Gram-negative strains (Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium) and the results showed that all the tested REOs showed a strong activity against all bacterial strains. Furthermore, the studied REOs showed a potential anti-biofilm activity. Similarly, in the eradication activity, the majority of the tested REOs were able to eradicate the bacterial preinstalled biofilms Molecular docking tools were performed to investigate the binding affinities and the interactions between the main components of REOs and two target proteins of a bacterial cell Fts-Z and FimH, in order to suggest a potent inhibitor against bacterial function. docking verification has shown a good affinity of some chemical compounds from REOs with target receptor protein explaining the assessed biological activities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was designed to investigate the possible mechanism involved in hyperglycemia induced by chronic exposure to deltamethrin (DLM) in rat and to assess whether this damage is amenable to modulation by Zygophyllum album. DLM, a synthetic pyrethroid pesticide, was administrated at a dose of 4 mg/kg body mass, during 60 days. Compared with control, DLM showed a significant increase of blood glucose (p [less than or equal to] 0.01) and glycosylated hemoglobin levels (p ≤ 0.01) and a clear decrease (p ≤ 0.01) of insulin and total hemoglobin levels. In addition, hepatic glycogen content and the activity of hexokinase decreased (p ≤ 0.01), whereas the activities of glucose-6-phosphatase and glycogen phosphorylase were significantly increased (p ≤ 0.01). Moreover, pancreatic lipid peroxidation (TBARS level) was higher (p [less than or equal to] 0.01) and oxidative stress biomarkers (SOD, CAT, GPx, and GSH) were altered owing to DLM toxicity. However, Z. album, when combined with DLM, significantly ameliorated almost all the hepato-pancreatic disorders induced by DLM alone. Furthermore, Z. album supplement was found to be effective in preserving the normal histological appearance of hepatic and pancreatic tissue. In conclusion, this study suggested that, owing to its antioxidant effects, methanolic extract of Z. album (MEZAL) can potentially prevent the hyperglycemia observed in DLM-treated Key words: Zygophyllum album, deltamethrin, hyperglycemia, pancreatic, hepatic. Les presents travaux visaient a etudier le mecanisme jouant eventuellement un role dans l'hyperglycemie provoquee par l'exposition chronique a la deltamethrine (DLM) chez le rat et d'evaluer s'il est possible de manier la modulation de ces dommages a l'aide de Zygophyllum album. Nous avons administre de la DLM, un pesticide a base de pyrethrine de synthese, a raison de 4 mg/kg de poids corporel, pendant 60 jours. Comparativement aux temoins, nous avons observe avec la DLM une augmentation marquee de la glycemie (p [less than or equal to] 0,01) et des taux d'hemoglobine glyquee (p ≤ 0,01) ainsi qu'une nette diminution (p ≤ 0,01) des taux d'insuline et d'hemoglobine totale. De plus, les taux de glycogene dans le foie et l'activite de l'exokinase diminuaient (p ≤ 0,01), alors que l'activite de la glucose-6-phosphatase et de la glycogene phosphorylase augmentait de facon marquee (p ≤ 0,01). De surcroit, la peroxydation lipidique pancreatique (taux de TBARS) etait plus elevee (p [less than or equal to] 0,01) et les taux de biomarqueurs du stress oxydatif (SOD, CAT, GPX et GSH) etaient modifies en raison de la toxicite de la DLM. Cependant, en associant l'administration de Z. album a celle de DLM, nous observions une attenuation notable de presque tous les troubles hepato-pancreatiques causes par la DLM administree isolement. De plus, nous avons observe que la supplementation en Z. album permettait de preserver de maniere efficace l'apparence histologique normale des tissus hepatique et pancreatique. En conclusion, cette etude laissait entendre qu'en raison de ses effets anti-oxydants, l'extrait methanolique de Z. album (MEZAL) pourrait eventuellement prevenir l'hyperglycemie observee avec l'administration de DLM. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : Zygophyllum album, deltamethrine, hyperglycemie, pancreatique, hepatique., Introduction Synthetic pyrethroids are one of the most popular classes of pesticides currently used in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, and public health because they are environmentally compatible by virtue of their [...]

Rhus tripartitum D.C., Anacardiaceae, has traditionally been used in Tunisia against many illnesses. The present study investigates, for the first time, the protective effects of the methanol extract of Rhus tripartitum fruit (MERT) against C[Cl.sub.4]-induced hepatotoxicity and cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicty in Wistar rats. ALT, AST, LDH, GGT, creatinin, urea, and uric acid levels were studied. The changes in antioxidant parameters such as malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl contents were also determined. The increased levels of MDA (30.97 and 11.50 nmol MDA/mg protein in liver and kidney, respectively) and protein carbonyls (13.4 and 17.95 nmol/mg protein in liver and kidney, respectively) were attenuated by MERT pretreatment (19.35 and 6.1 nmol MDA/mg protein and 9.15 and 12 nmol/mg protein in liver and kidney, respectively). The MERT pretreatment significantly reduced the increased biochemical parameters of liver and kidney caused by C[Cl.sub.4] and cisplatin treatment. The histopathologic observation showed that MERT pretreatment restores the altered tissues. The observed results could be due to the high phenolic content and to MERT's important antioxidant potential. This study supports the hepatoprotective and nephroprotective effects of R. tripartitum. Key words: Rhus tripartitum, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective. Rhus tripartitum D.C., une Anacardiaceae, a ete traditionnellement utilisee en Tunisie contre plusieurs maladies. La presente etude examine pour la premiere fois les effets protecteurs d'un extrait au methanol du fruit de Rhus tripartitum (MERT) contre l'hepatotoxicite induite par le C[Cl.sub.4] et la nephrotoxicite induite par le cisplatine chez les rats Wistar. Les niveaux d'ALT, d'AST, de LDH, de GGT, d'uree et l'acide urique ont ete etudies. Les changements sur le plan des parametres antioxydants comme les contenus en malonaldehyde (MDA) et en proteines carbonylees ont aussi ete determines. Les augmentations des niveaux de MDA (30,97 et 11,50 nmol MDA/mg proteines hepatiques et renales, respectivement) et de proteines carbonylees (13,4 et 17,95 nmol/mg de proteines hepatiques et renales, respectivement) etait attenuees par un pretraitement au MERT (19,35 et 6,1 nmol MDA/mg proteine et 9,15 et 12 nmol/mg proteines hepatiques et renales, respectivement). Le pretraitement au MERT reduisait significativement l'augmentation des parametres biochimiques du foie et du rein causee par le traitement au C[Cl.sub.4] et au cisplatine. L'observation histopathologique montrait que le pretraitement au MERT retablissait les tissus abimes. Les resultats observes peuvent etre dus aux contenus phenoliques eleves et au potentiel antioxydant important du MERT. Cette etude corrobore les effets hepatoprotecteurs et nephroprotecteurs conjoints de R. tripartitum. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: Rhus tripartitum, hepatoprotecteur, nephroprotecteur., Introduction The liver, as a vital organ in the body, plays a pivotal role in the metabolism and detoxification of various dangerous endogenous and exogenous substances. The kidneys serve several [...]

High fat diet (HFD) exposure is associated with various pathological dysfunctions, including haematological disorders and oxidative stress. The in vitro analysis of AECG revealed the presence of important levels of polyphenols and flavonoids, and denoted antioxidant capacities confirmed by nitric oxide radical (NO•), reducing the power and HPLC chemical components' determinations. The animals exposed to HFD revealed a severe damage in the blood cells structure and haematological parameters accompanied with a significant decrease in serum Mg2+ and Ca2+ ATPase activities. Furthermore, malondialdehyde (MDA) and the advanced oxidation of protein products (AOPP) levels were significantly increased, while vitamin C level, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities were markedly reduced in the erythrocytes and platelets of HFD-treated mice. However, the co-administration of AECG with HFD-treated animals restored the parameters cited above to near-normal values. Therefore, our investigation revealed that Chaetomorpha gracilis extract was a useful element preventing HFD-induced blood cells damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]