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Copyright of Anbar Journal of Agricultural Sciences is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

For a study on the vegetation of the Dreat forest, located in the chain of Western Hodna in a semi-arid zone of central Algeria. 94 stations were sampled following a subjective sampling during the 4 years 2018-2021 in order to identify the main plant species constituting the floristic procession of these ecosystems. In addition, a classification of phytosociological groups is carried out following statistical analyses (AC, AHC) to study the vegetation as well as a phytosociological typology and syntaxonomic units. This analysis showed a considerable species richness, estimated at around 471 taxa belonging to 284 genera and 66 families. Within the prospected region, the analysis of the raw phytogeographical spectrum indicates a superiority of the Mediterranean group with 259 species. The pluriregional element (or group with a wide distribution) with 114 species occupies the second chorological position followed by the northern element (Nordic group) with 60 species. Finally, the endemics with 38 species.The phytosociological study of the Dreat mountains has revealed ten plant groups belonging to six phytosociological classes : the class of Quercetea ilicis Braun-Blanquet 1947, the class of Rosmarinetea officinalis Braun-Blanquet 1947 em Rivas Martinez, Diaz, Prieto, Loidi & Penas, 1991, the class Nerio -Tamaricetea Braun-Blanquet & Bolos 1956 (1957), the class Lygeo-Stipetea Rivas Martinez 1977, em Kaabeche 1990, the class Tuberarietea guttatae Braun-Blanquet 1952 em Rivas Martinez 1977 and the class Stellarietea mediae R. TX. Lohmeyer & Preising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to know the different uses of medicinal plants collected for medicinal purposes by the local people of Bousaada (Msila province, Algeria). Semi-structured interview questionnaires were used to collect and provide significant ethnobotanical information on the plants used. The most widely used plants by the local population in the traditional medicine are mainly Artemisia herba-alba, and Juniperus oxycedrus. A total of 534 person were interviewed, most are women over 60 years old, with a middle level of education, the most frequently used parts of plants for the treatment, was leaves (33%) followed by seeds and fruits, the infusion (23%), followed by decoction (20%), were represent to be used more, while, the most treated disease was gastrointestinal disorders with a rate of 31.2%. Our study provided an opportunity to access and know about the traditional uses of the inhabitants of Boussaâda, and showed that in the Bousaada the folk use of plants still derives from daily practice. So, evaluation of pharmacological activity for the important medicinal plants is suggested.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer treatment is a major global health challenge in both developed and underdeveloped countries. Hence, finding natural anticancer agents with minimal side effects has become of high priority concern. In response, several plants as a safe therapeutic modality have been used a thousand years ago and remained becoming increasingly popular. This paper aims to provide ethnobotanical surveys of the plants reported anticancer activity used by the local people in M'sila's (Northeast of Algeria- North Africa). The databases revealed that among the 40 plant species reported to be used in the management of cancer 08 of them were the most frequently encountered species, namely Ephedra alata subsp. alenda., Annona muricata L., Berberis vulgaris L., Artemisia herba-alba Asso., Nigella sativa L., Trigonella foenum-graecum L., Ziziphus lotus, Peganum harmala L. The leaves are the most used parts (45.5 %), by infusion or as powder respectively with 43.3 % and 37.5 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this review is to provide comprehensive scientific information on Talghouda (Bunium fontanesii), the geographical distribution, botanical description, its chemistry, pharmacological properties of species are stated. As much data on B. fontanesii was gathered using several scientific search engines as: Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, SpringerLink, Web of Science and Scopus. In this review, studies mentioned B. fontanesii and related synonyms and its phytopharmacological activities were cited, the data have been classified according to the ethnomedical use, the phytochemistry and the biological activities of Talghouda. Previous ethnobotanical studies have reported that Talghouda has been used in many folk medicines, especially in thyroid dysfunction, their essential oils and seeds are used in foods in the form of bread. Compositional analysis in different parts of B. fontanesii shows different classes of compounds, including terpenoids and non-terpenoids, as caryophyllene oxide and caryophyllene, (Z)-farnesene, germacrene B, spathulenol, nonacosane and palmitic acid. Phenolic compounds, fatty acids and alkaloids. Polar and non-polar extracts like essential oils have a wide variety of pharmacological activities, i.e., antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, enzyme inhibition, antiglycation, phytotoxic activity, hypoglycemic effect, estrogenic effects activities. This review confirms the important ethnobotanical and pharmacological potential of Talghouda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revue des BioRessources is the property of University of Kasdi Merbah Ouargla and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In order to valorize natural resources and the traditional use of medicinal plants in Algeria, this study exploits the antibacterial effect of Carthamus caeruleus L. Since there are few studies on this plant despite its notable therapeutic potential, this work aims to characterize the chemical composition of Carthamus caeruleus L. leaf and root aqueous extracts and to evaluate their antibacterial activity through an in vitro and in silico studies. Spectrophotometric assays and HPLC results revealed 22 components in the roots and 16 in the leaves. Disc diffusion and microdilution methods were used to study the antibacterial properties against nine standard bacterial strains. The results showed that roots exhibited the best activity on most tested strains. Both extracts were also able to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Escherichia coli ATSC 25922. Furthermore, no nucleic acid leakage or membrane damage was detected. However, molecular docking of the molecules indicates that some constituents have significant affinity and stability for DNA gyrase. Gallic acid, luteolin, myricetin, and orientin were found to have the highest score. The molecular docking data suggest, for the first time, that the antibacterial activity may be caused by the inhibition of DNA gyrase., (© 2024 The Author(s). Chemistry & Biodiversity published by Wiley-VHCA AG.)

The study examines the chemical composition and antimicrobial properties of petroleum ether and hydro-methanolic extracts of Achillea santolina from Algeria. Chemical profiling was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection for the hydro-methanolic extract and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the petroleum ether extract. Antibacterial and antifungal activities were evaluated using the disc diffusion method and broth dilution technique. Epicatechin (24.54 mg/g extract), and camphor (19.18%) were identified as main compounds in the hydro-methanolic and petroleum ether extracts, respectively. Both extracts showed significant antibacterial effects against extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli strains, with inhibition diameters ranging from 10 to 13 mm, and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values between 0.78 and 3.5 mg/mL. Anti-fungal activity was also notable, particularly against Candida albicans, with an inhibition diameter of 14 mm, and MIC values between 0.39 and 1.56 mg/mL. The hydro-methanolic extract showed up to 90% of growth inhibition against Aspergillus niger. These findings suggest that A. santolina could serve as a promising source of antimicrobial compounds to combat resistant pathogens., (© 2024 The Author(s). Chemistry & Biodiversity published by Wiley‐VHCA AG.)

Daucus genus (Apiaceae) comprises economically relevant plants distributed in temperate regions. These plants are used mainly as food but are also known for their biological properties. Here, the essential oils (EOs) obtained by hydro-distillation of roots and stems of D.sahariensis Murb. growing in Algerian Sahara were studied by GC-MS analysis. Fifty-two and fifty-five compounds were identified from the roots and stems, representing 95.1% and 93.8% of the whole EOs respectively. The main constituents of the EO from roots were myristicin (29.2%), (E) -anethole (14.2%), cis -chrysanthenyl acetate (8%) and estragol (7.5%). In the EO from stems, the main constituents were α-pinene (18.6%), myrcene (16.7%), limonene (13.7%) and myristicin (8%). The antibacterial activity of EOs was evaluated by disc diffusion method and tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Results showed a mild activity against Bacillus subtilis and Klebsiella pneumoniae for both EOs, which can be potentially used as antibacterial in phytotherapy.

Teucrium atratum Pomel. is a species belonging to the Lamiaceae family used in Algerian folk medicine. The present work essentially aimed to assess the phenolic composition and to evaluate some of the biological effects of different extracts, never previously studied, of T. atratum growing in Algeria. High levels of total phenolic and flavonoids were recorded in the hydromethanolic extract. Chlorogenic acid, isoquercetin, coumarin, cinnamic acid, quercetin dihydrate, and catechin were identified in the methanolic extract by mean of HPLC. The antioxidant activity assessed showed that the methanolic extract was the most active, while, the hydromethanolic extract showed a great power to reduce iron. In addition, all extracts had a significant antibacterial effect against the four tested bacterial strains, with Staphylococcus aureus as the most sensitive one. These findings can be a starting point to evaluate the plant as a source of natural bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antibacterial effects.

Context: Salvia balansae de Noé ( S. balansae ) (Lamiaceae) is known to be an important plant used in folk medicine as an herbal remedy in Algeria., Objective: The purpose of the present study was to demonstrate the phytochemical composition, antioxidant activities, enzyme inhibitory activities, and antimicrobial activities of S. balansae extracts., Materials and Methods: A methanolic extract and a petroleum ether extract from the aerial parts of the plant were assessed for their chemical composition. HPLC-MS and HPLC-DAD assessed the content of phenols, GC-MS the fatty acid composition, and ICP-MS the mineral profiles of the plant. Additionally, we evaluated the bioactivities of S. balansae extracts by the DPPH, ABTS, and CUPRAC assays, including the antioxidant potential against AChE, BChE, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase for enzyme inhibition. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the methanolic extract were determined by the disc diffusion test against several strains of bacteria and yeasts., Results: Our findings revealed that the aerial parts of S. balansae were rich in phytochemical components and contained large amounts of minerals. Quantitative analysis of phenolic compounds by HPLC-DAD revealed the presence of 12 compounds in three major classes, flavonoids, hydroxycinnamic acid, and phenolic acid derivatives, with 0.61, 0.45, and 0.29 mg/g of extract, respectively. Nine phenolic constituents were quantified by HPLC-MS analysis; catechin (72.5%) was the main compound, followed by myricetin (21.7%). The fatty acid composition of the S. balansae petroleum ether extract by GC-MS analysis was quantified. Seventeen compounds, including palmitic acid, were identified as the major fatty acids. The antioxidant activity of the S. balansae extracts was measured by three different methods: the methanol extract provided better results than the petroleum ether extract, and interesting values were noted for the DPPH, ABTS, and CUPRAC assays of 242.7 ± 7.44, 124.1 ± 9.70, and 222.9 ± 6.05 µg/mL, respectively. The enzyme inhibition activity of the plant could not be determined. The antimicrobial results of the methanolic extract obtained from the disc diffusion method, followed by measurements of MIC, MBC, and MFC against several bacteria and yeasts, indicated that S. balansae exhibited noticeable antimicrobial and antifungal activities., Conclusions: These results provided new data about the main phenolic compounds and biological activities of extracts of the aerial parts of S. balansae , which might be an alternative source for synthetic bioactive compounds.

Fenugreek ( Trigonella foenum-graecum ) has a great beneficial health effect; it has been used in traditional medicine by many cultures. Likewise, the α-amylase inhibitors are potential compounds in the development of drugs for the treatment of diabetes. The beneficial health effects of fenugreek lead us to explore the chemical composition of the seeds and their antioxidant and α-amylase inhibition activities. The flavonoid extraction from fenugreek seeds was achieved with methanol through a Soxhlet apparatus. Then, the flavonoid glycosides were characterized using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS analysis. The antioxidant capacity of fenugreek seed was measured using DPPH, FRAP, ABTS, and CUPRAC assays. Finally, the α-amylase inhibition activity was carried out using in vitro and in silico methods. The methanolic extract was found to contain high amounts of total phenolics (154.68 ± 1.50 μg GAE/mg E), flavonoids (37.69 ± 0.73 μg QE/mg E). The highest radical-scavenging ability was recorded for the methanolic extract against DPPH (IC 50 = 556.6 ± 9.87 μg/mL), ABTS (IC 50 = 593.62 ± 9.35 μg/mL). The ME had the best reducing power according to the CUPRAC (A 0.5 = 451.90 ± 9.07 μg/mL). The results indicate that the methanolic extracts of fenugreek seed best α-amylase inhibition activities IC 50 = 653.52 ± 3.24 μg/mL. Twenty-seven flavonoids were detected, and all studied flavonoids selected have good affinity and stabilize very well in the pocket of α-amylase. The interactions between the studied flavonoids with α-amylase were investigated. The flavonoids from fenugreek seed present a good inhibitory effect against α-amylase, which is beneficial for the prevention of diabetes and its complications.

Akanthomyces spp. species are known for their capacity to biocontrol of certain insects and plant pathogens; however, their ability to biocontrol the pine processionary ( Thaumetopoea pityocampa ) and certain phytopathogenic fungi belonging to the genera Fusarium and Curvularia have not been studied before. In this study, a strain from Akanthomyces muscarius was isolated from wheat grains and then identified by morphological and molecular tests. The strain was further studied for its capacity to control Thaumetopoea pityocampa larvae through dose-mortality tests, and its ability to control some phytopathogenic fungi strains of the genera Fusarium and Curvularia was studied through direct confrontation tests. Dose-mortality tests at three concentrations of Akanthomyces muscarius against the first instar larvae revealed a mortality of 92.15% after 11 days for the concentration of 2.3 × 10 6 conidia.ml -1 , with a median lethal concentration of 7.6 x10 3 conidia.ml 1. Our isolate also showed antifungal activity against these phytopathogenic fungi with inhibition rates ranging from 39.61% to 52.94%. Akanthomyces muscarius proved to be a promising biocontrol agent for plant pests and diseases., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

In this study, we investigated in vitro the potential of Trichoderma harzianum to produce bioactive secondary metabolites that can be used as alternatives to synthetic compounds. The study focused on analyzing two extracts of T. harzianum using ethyl acetate and n -butanol solvents with different polarities. The extracts were examined using phytochemical analysis to determine the content of polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, and alkaloids. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis were used to profile volatile organic metabolites (VOCs) present in the extracts. Furthermore, the extracts were tested for their antifungal ability using the poison food technique. For measuring antioxidant activity, the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) test was used. Trichoderma harzianum was shown to have a significantly high content of tannins and alkaloids, with a noticeable difference between the two extracts. GC-MS analysis identified 33 potential compounds with numerous benefits that could be used in agriculture and the medicinal industry. Moreover, strong antifungal activity was identified against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum by 94.44%, Alternaria sp. by 77.04%, and Fusarium solani by 51.48; similarly, the IC 50 of antioxidant activity was estimated for ethyl acetate extract by 71.47% and n -butanol extract by 56.01%. This leads to the conclusion that Trichoderma harzianum VOCs play a significant role as an antifungal and antioxidant agent when taking into account the advantageous bioactive chemicals noted in the extracts. However, to our knowledge, this is the first study in Algeria presenting detailed phytochemical analysis and GC-MS profiling of Trichoderma harzianum for two extracts, ethyl acetate and n -butanol.

Centaurea parviflora ( C. parviflora ), belonging to the family Asteraceae, is an Algerian medicinal plant used in folk medicine to treat different diseases related to hyperglycemic and inflammatory disorders, as well as in food. The present study aimed to assess the total phenolic content, in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activity and phytochemical profile of the extracts of C. parviflora . The extraction of phenolic compounds from aerial parts was conducted using solvents of increasing polarity starting from methanol, resulting in crude extract (CE), to chloroform extract (CHE), ethyl acetate extract (EAE) and butanol extract (BUE). The total phenolic, flavonoid and flavonol contents of the extracts were determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu and AlCl 3 methods, respectively. The antioxidant activity was measured with seven methods: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, galvinoxyl free-radical-scavenging test, 2,2'-Azino-Bis(3-Ethylbenzothiazoline-6-Sulfonic Acid) (ABTS) assay, cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), reducing power, Fe +2 -phenanthroline reduction assay and superoxide-scavenging test. The disc-diffusion method aimed at testing the sensitivity of bacterial strains toward our extracts. A qualitative analysis with thin-layer chromatography of the methanolic extract was performed. Moreover, HPLC-DAD-MS was used to establish the phytochemical profile of the BUE. The BUE was found to contain high amounts of total phenolics (175.27 ± 2.79 µg GAE/mg E), flavonoids (59.89 ± 0.91 µg QE/mg E) and flavonols (47.30 ± 0.51 µg RE/mg E). Using TLC, different components such as flavonoids and polyphenols were noted. The highest radical-scavenging ability was recorded for the BUE against DPPH (IC 50 = 59.38 ± 0.72 µg/mL), galvinoxyl (IC 50 = 36.25 ± 0.42 µg/mL), ABTS (IC 50 = 49.52 ± 1.54 µg/mL) and superoxide (IC 50 = 13.61 ± 0.38 µg/mL). The BUE had the best reducing power according to the CUPRAC (A 0.5 = 71.80 ± 1.22 μg/mL), phenanthroline test (A 0.5 = 20.29 ± 1.16 μg/mL) and FRAP (A 0.5 = 119.17 ± 0.29 μg/mL). The LC-MS analysis of BUE allowed us to identify eight compounds including six phenolic acids and two flavonoids: quinic acid, five chlorogenic acid derivatives, rutin and quercetin 3- o -glucoside. This preliminary investigation revealed that the extracts of C. parviflora have a good biopharmaceutical activity. The BUE possesses an interesting potential for pharmaceutical/nutraceutical applications.

The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of Salvia aegyptiaca L. (Lamiaceae) growing wild in pre-Saharan region of Algeria, was analysed by GC-MS. Forty-one compounds were detected, representing 87.9% of the whole oil. The essential oil of S. aegyptiaca is characterized by the predominance of monoterpene derivatives (70.6%). The major constituents were tricyclene (22.9%), followed by limonene (17.5%), β-pinene (7.4%), caryophyllene oxide (3.2%) and β-caryophyllene (3.1%). Tricyclene, the main component in our analysis is generally absent in the volatile oils from other Salvia species, therefore, the Algerian accession of S. aegyptiaca may be categorized as a new chemo-type.[Formula: see text].

The phytochemical and biological properties of Ononis alba Poir L. (Fabaceae) were investigated for the first time in this study. The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from the aerial parts was analysed by GC-MS. The phenolic contents of extracts obtained with different solvents were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay and the antioxidant activity was evaluated through DPPH and CUPRAC methods. The inhibitory potential of these extracts was evaluated on α-amylase and α-glucosidase, whereas the antimicrobial effect was verified against some bacteria and fungi through the well diffusion method. Ketones and carboxylic acids were the main essential oil constituents. The highest total phenolic and flavonoid content as well as the best antioxidant capacity were noticed on the n -butanol extract. All the extracts showed a greater efficiency than acarbose in the inhibition of α-amylase. On the other hand, they demonstrated a mild inhibition effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Fusarium oxysporum .

Cancer is among the deadliest diseases in the world, especially in developed countries where modern treatments are not available to everyone. In North Africa, and especially in Algeria, few herbal treatments against cancer have been documented despite the richness of flora in these countries. This research aim to documents the medicinal plants used by patient to fight cancer in the northwest of Algeria. Data were collected through ethnobotanical surveys engaging 211 cancer patients in hospitals (departments of medical oncology) in two of the largest provinces in northwest Algeria (Tiaret and Tlemcen). The data were organized into usage reports (UR), while the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) was calculated to evaluate agreement among informants. The patients investigated were mainly women, of middle age (41-50 years) and illiterate. In total, 53 medicinal plants used against several types of cancer have been identified. These plants are dominated by Lamiaceae, Apiaceae and Rosaceae. The leaves and powder of plants are most often used in traditional preparations often mixed with honey. The plants most often cited in the survey were Aristolochia longa, Aquilaria malaccensis, Ephedra alata subsp. alenda, while the most often treated cancer were breast, cervical, colorectal and stomach. 23 plants are not known as a treatment against cancers in North Africa, while 25 plants already known as treatment for cancer were cited here to treat specific new types of this disease., (Copyright © 2021 Société Française du Cancer. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Elaeoselinum thapsioides (Desf.) Maire (Apiaceae) is an Algerian medicinal plant used in traditional medicine to treat different diseases. The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of Elaeoselinum thapsioides growing wild in Algeria, was analyzed by GC-MS for the first time. Forty-five compounds were detected, accounting for 93.8% of the total oil, which was characterized by a high content of hydrocarbons derivatives of monoterpenes (75.9%). Myrcene (61.0%) was the principal constituent of the essential oil, followed by germacrene D (10.3%), α-pinene (6.5%) and β-pinene (2.9%). In vitro anticholinesterase activity of the essential oil was investigated by the Ellman method that evidenced a low acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory effect.[Formula: see text].

The chemical constituents of the aerial parts of Micromeria inodora (Desf.) Benth. (Lamiaceae) collected in western Algeria, an aromatic shrub traditionally consumed as an herbal remedy, have been characterized. Secondary metabolites were extracted using sequential extractions with solvents at different polarity, and they were determined using an integrated nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) approach. The composition of the essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation was characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and the aroma profile was analysed by head-space solid phase micro extraction (HS-SPME) coupled with GC-MS. NMR and LC-MS n analyses revealed the presence of aglyconic and glycosylated flavonoids, phenylpropanoid derivatives and triterpenoid acids, mainly in the methanol, dichloromethane and n-hexane extracts. The analysis of the essential oil allowed to identify 66 components, mainly oxygenated mono- and sesquiterpenes (38.2 % and 32.0 %, respectively) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (10.8 %). The aroma profile revealed by HS-SPME-GC-MS was characterized by 45 volatile compounds, among which oxygenated monoterpenes appeared to be the most abundant (65.8 %), followed by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (16.4 %) and monoterpene hydrocarbons (10.6 %). Overall, these data indicate that M. inodora could be a potential source of antioxidants and bioactive compounds, and they represent a starting point for further research on this plant species., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors report no declarations of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Tentative identification of primary and secondary metabolites in aqueous extracts from aerial parts of Verbascum betonicifolium Kuntze was done. This plant belongs to the Scrophulariaceae family and is used for several treatments in folk medicine. One of the processes commonly used to prepare this plant for consumption is boiling with water during approximately 20 minutes, that is, a decoction process. After filtration, this decoction was analysed in search for bioactive metabolites. The analysis was carried out by Electro-Spray Ionization (ESI) and High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS) was done using a Quadropole Time-of-Flight (QToF, Impact II, Bruker), coupled to an Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC, ELUTE autosampler, Bruker). The analysis was done in the negative mode (ESI-) and the identification was accomplished using the molecular formula suggestions from the Data Analysis 4.4™ software from Bruker and some databases, like Metlin and PubChem, always confirming with MS/MS results. These data can be used for finding biomarkers between Verbascum sps or to complementary medicine practitioners to get a scientific based knowledge of their results. These data are the unpublished supplementary materials related to "Bioactivities of Iridoids and flavonoids present in decoctions from aerial parts of Verbascum betonicifolium " (Fadel et al., 2020, submitted)., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships which have, or could be perceived to have, influenced the work reported in this article., (© 2020 The Author(s).)

In this article, we report a comprehensive characterization of volatile and polar constituents extracted from the aerial parts of Thymus munbyanus subsp. coloratus, a shrub that is used as culinary ingredient and as traditional medicine in Algeria, mainly to treat respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders and endocrine dysfunctions. Headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to assess volatile constituents, whereas the phytochemical composition of solid residues obtained from extraction with solvents at diffrent polarity was obtained by an integrated Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS n ) approach. Fourty-five apolar ccompounds were identified, mainly oxygenated monoterpenes (65.8%), sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and nonoterpene hydrocarbons (18.6 and 14.5%, respectively). On the other hand, LC-MS n and NMR analyses revealed the presence of aglyconic and glycosilated flavonoids, phenylpropanoid derivatives and triterpenoid acids related to oleanolic acid, mainly in the methanol, dichloromethane and hexane extracts. Overall, these data indicate that Thymus munbyanus subsp. coloratus could be a potential source of antioxidants and bioactive compounds, and our results represent a starting point for further research on this plant species., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

: Hypochaeris laevigata var. hipponensis (Asteraceae) is an endemic plant from Algeria. In the current study, we analyzed for the first time its chemical composition, especially phenolic constituents of dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate (EA), and n-butanol (BuOH) fractionsof the aerial parts of Hypochaeris laevigata var. hipponensis by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The number of phenolic compounds detected in DCM, EA, and BuOH fractions were found to be 9, 20, and 15, respectively. More specifically, 12 phenolic acids were detected. Among them, quinic acid, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid were the most abundant ones. Meanwhile, only seven flavonoids were detected. Among them, rutin, apigetrin, and isoquercitrin were the major ones. We also determined the total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and fraction EA showed the highest values, followed by BuOH, and DCM fractions. Furthermore, the antioxidant action was dictated by five methods and the tested plant fractions demonstrated a noteworthy antioxidant action., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Ethnoveterinary medicine is vastly under-documented, especially in North Africa, where livestock care is increasingly medicalised. Despite evidence of the interdependence of ethnoveterinary practices and ethnomedicine for human care, the overlap between these two systems and the possible drivers of similarity are rarely addressed in ethnopharmacological literature. Here, we present the first quantitative comparison of remedies used to treat human and animal health among a pastoral society., Aims: This study aims to document the plants and other materials used in ethnoveterinary medicine among nomadic herders in the Algerian steppe. We calculate the overlap with remedies used for human health and evaluate some of the possible drivers of similarities between the two interlinked medical systems., Methods: The field study was conducted in spring 2018 with 201 local knowledge holders in five provinces in the central part of the Algerian steppe. Forty-six camps and ten weekly animal markets were visited. After obtaining prior informed consent, data was collected through structured interviews. Anonymous sociodemographic information was collected along with veterinary use data. Plant specimens were acquired, identified and deposited in the Botanical Laboratory Herbarium of the University of Tiaret. Ethnobotanical information was structured in use reports and therapeutic applications organised into 13 simple categories. Plants used in ethnoveterinary medicine were compared to those used in human health care using a Chi square test, and ethnoveterinary use was predicted using a generalised linear model with use for human care and plant family as predictive variables. Logistic regressions were also used to test if any specific medicinal application predicts shared use in human and veterinary medicine., Results: Sixty-six plant species from 32 botanical families and ten non-vegetable remedies were documented. Plants from the Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Apiaceae families were most commonly used. The plants most often cited by interviewees are all harvested from the wild (Echinops spinosissimus Turra, Atriplex halimus L., Artemisia campestris L., Juniperus phoenicea L. and Peganum harmala L.). Leaves are the most commonly used plant part and decoction is the most common preparation method. There are important similarities between remedies used to treat humans and other animals: two thirds of the remedies used in ethnoveterinary medicine are also used in human health care, and these represent half of the human health treatments. Use for human health and plant family both predict the use of a medicinal plant in veterinary medicine, but no correlation is found regarding specific therapeutic applications., Conclusions: Traditional veterinary knowledge is still key to sheep and goat herders in the Algerian steppe, but a knowledge transmission gap seems to exist between older and younger generations, and ethnoveterinary practices may disappear in the near future. Treatments for human and animal care overlap to a large extent, and a causal relationship possibly exists for, at least, some of them. However, overall a smaller number of remedies are used to treat animals than humans and for less therapeutic applications. This difference in the diversity of therapeutic applications and remedies should be the object of future research., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Five phenanthrene and two dihydrophenanthrene derivatives were isolated from the diethyl ether extract of fresh rhizomes of Dioscorea communis (L.), among them a phenanthrentriol 1 reported for the first time from Dioscoreaceae family and two dihydrophenanthrene derivatives 6 and 7 reported also for the first time from Dioscorea species. The structures of isolated compounds were elucidated using UV, IR, 1D-, 2D-NMR, and MS techniques. The anticholinesterase activity of extracts and four compounds was evaluated for the first time against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzymes using Ellman method. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of extracts and three compounds has been investigated using DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS cation radical decolorization, CUPRAC, reducing power and β-carotene bleaching assays.

A new extracellular chitinase (called ChiA-Pt70) was produced and purified from a newly isolated Paenibacillus timonensis strain LK-DZ15. The maximum chitinase activity recorded after 44-h of incubation at 30 °C was 11,500 U/mL. Pure enzyme was obtained after ammonium sulphate precipitation (40-70%) followed by sequential column chromatographies on fast performance liquid chromatography (FPLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Based on matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) analysis, the purified enzyme is a monomer with a molecular mass of 70,166.11 kDa. The sequence of the 25 NH 2 -terminal residues of the mature ChiA-70 showed high homology with Paenibacillus GH-18 chitinases family. Optimal activity was achieved at pH 4.5 and 80 °C. The pure enzyme was completely inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (p-CMB), 5,5'-dithio-bis-2-nitro benzoic acid (DTNB), and N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). Chitinase activity was high on colloidal chitin, chitin azure, glycol chitin, glycol chitosane, chitotriose, and chito-oligosaccharide while it did not hydrolyse chitibiose and amylose. Furthermore, thin-layer chromatography (TLC) analysis from enzymatic catalyzed hydrolysis of colloidal chitin showed that ChiA-Pt70 acted as an endo-splitting enzyme. Its K m and k cat values were 0.611 mg colloidal chitin/mL and 87,800 s -1 , respectively. Interestingly, its catalytic efficiency was higher than those of chitinases ChiA-Mt45 from Melghiribacillus thermohalophilus strain Nari2A T , ChiA-Hh59 from Hydrogenophilus hirchii strain KB-DZ44, Chitodextrinase ® from Streptomyces griseus, and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase ® from Trichoderma viride. Therefore, ChiA-Pt70 exhibited remarkable biochemical properties suggesting that it is suitable for the enzymatic degradation of chitin., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Different desert truffles, collected from Algerian Saharan soils, were identified and their capacity to produce bioactive substances with antimicrobial activity was analyzed. Based on morphological characterization using Melzer's reagent staining, the collected strains were identified as Terfezia arenaria . The bioactive substances from T. arenaria were extracted using the following techniques: maceration with methanol and Soxhlet with dichloromethane. The former led to a yield much higher than that of the latter (i.e., 15% and 0.48%, respectively). Both extracts presented antifungal activities against all the tested strains (i.e., A. niger , Penicillium sp., and C. albicans ). However, the dichloromethane extracts showed much higher antibacterial activities against all the tested bacteria (i.e., S. aureus, E. faecalis, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa ) than the methanol extracts. The thin layer chromatography of both extracts confirmed the presence of polyphenols and flavonoids., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare no competing financial interest.

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the potential of extracts from Algerian Thymus munbyanus as a valuable source of antioxidants for use on an industrial level. To this end, a study was conducted on the composition and antioxidant activities of essential oils (EOs), pressurized liquid extracts (PLE) and supercritical fluid extracts (SFE-CO 2 ) obtained from Thymus munbyanus subsp. coloratus (TMC) and subsp. munbyanus (TMM). EOs and SFE-CO 2 extracts were analysed by GC-FID and GC×GC-TOFMS revealing significant differences. A successive extraction of the solid SFE-CO 2 residue by PLE extraction with solvents of increasing polarity such as acetone, ethanol and water, was carried out. The extracts were evaluated for total phenolic content by Folin-Ciocalteu assay, while the antioxidant power was assessed by DPPH, FRAP, and ORAC assays. SFE-CO 2 extracts were also analysed for their tocopherol content. The antioxidant activity of PLE extracts was found to be higher than that of SFE-CO 2 extracts, and this increased with solvent polarity (water > ethanol > acetone). Overall, these results support the use of T. munbyanus as a valuable source of substances to be used on an industrial level as preservative agents., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to investigate the ethanolic extract of T. lanceolatus, a species native to north-western Algeria, traditionally used as herbal tea, seasoning and a preservative for meat and poultry. HPLC analysis showed the presence of fourteen bioactive compounds, among which rosmarinic acid is by far the most abundant one (15440.9 mg kg-1). Its biological activity on proliferation, viability and ROS protection was investigated towards K562, CaCo-2 and SH-SY5Y human cancer cell lines. Cell proliferation was inhibited in K562 and SH-SY5Y cells in the first 48 h at 500 μg mL-1 but slowly resumed after 72 h. A weak cytotoxic effect can be observed at 24, 48 and 72 hours: 12.8%, 14.9% and 24.2% reduction in K562 viability, and 11%, 15% and 12.7% in SH-SY5Y. No cytotoxicity was observed in CaCo-2 cells under the same experimental conditions. Even at the lowest concentrations (50 μg mL-1), the extract was efficiently able to protect human cells against t-BHP-induced oxidative damage. For instance, the highest concentration of the extract (100 μg mL-1) decreases ROS generation by about 30% in SH-SY5Y and 70% in CaCo-2 and K562 cells. The study confirms the very low cytotoxicity of the T. lanceolatus ethanolic extract and highlights its nutraceutical properties as an antioxidative and preservative agent and its possible use as an ingredient in functional foods.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: This study is the first ethnobotanical survey focusing on the herbal medicines traditionally used by the nomadic community of the Algerian steppe, identifying new medicinal plants and uses from one of the most characteristic indigenous populations in Algeria. Moreover, the study contributes to the understanding of transmission of medicinal plant knowledge in the Mediterranean basin., Aim of the Study: This work aims to document the phytotherapeutical knowledge and practice of the nomadic community of the Algerian steppe, and compare it with neighbouring sedentary populations and Mediterranean historical texts. Through this, the study strives to evaluate processes of transmission of knowledge among this population, for whom written sources have been largely unavailable., Methods: Ethnobotanical surveys were carried out during two years (2015-2017). In total, 73 informants from nomadic populations were interviewed in several steppe regions including areas in the administrative departments of Tiaret, Saida, Naama, Djelfa and M'sila. Structured interviews about medicinal plant knowledge were combined with guided tours with the informants. Prior informed consent was always obtained. The surveys allowed for the collection of sociodemographic data and traditional knowledge about medicinal plants and their uses. Informant Consensus Factor (F IC ) was calculated to evaluate agreement among informants. Results were compared to existing literature to evaluate similarities between this nomadic medicinal flora, that of neighbouring communities and historical texts and identify new plant citations and uses., Results: Among Algerian nomadic communities, herbal remedies are used mostly by women and elders, who are often illiterate. We identified 97 taxa of medicinal plants belonging to 42 botanical families, importantly Lamiaceae, Asteraceae and Apiaceae, like in neighbouring communities. The most common plant parts and method of preparation are also shared with neighbouring populations. New uses are described for 25 known medicinal taxa, and nine species with undocumented medicinal uses in recent literature have been reported. However, some of these have been reported in Mediterranean materia medica. In total, 60% of the medicinal plant diversity used by Algerian nomads are well-known plants of the Mediterranean ethnopharmacological heritage., Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of traditional medicine for Algerian nomad communities. This indigenous population has specific knowledge about plants from their steppe environment, but also shares a pool of knowledge with sedentary Algerian populations and Mediterranean people as a whole. Our research shows that a common North African and Mediterranean ethnobotanical heritage exists., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this work, a comprehensive study on the chemical constituents of the aerial parts of Rosmarinus eriocalyx (Lamiaceae), an aromatic shrub traditionally consumed as a food and herbal remedy in Algeria, is presented. The aroma profile was analysed by headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS), whereas the crude extract constituents were analyzed by 1 H-NMR and by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS n ). Thirty-nine volatile compounds, most of them being monoterpenes, have been identified, with camphor, camphene, and α-pinene as the most abundant constituents. 1 H-NMR analysis revealed the presence of phenolic compounds and betulinic acid while HPLC/MS n allowed the identification of glycosilated and aglyconic flavonoids as well as phenylpropanoid derivatives. Some of these constituents, namely as betulinic acid, rosmanol, and cirsimaritin were reported for the first time in R. eriocalyx., (© 2017 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Thymus munbyanus subsp. coloratus (Lamiaceae) is a small shrub endemic to Algeria and Morocco where is found in lawns, rockeries and mountainous regions. From a phytochemical point of view this taxon has never been characterized. In this work we have analysed the chemical compositions of the essential oils obtained from inflorescences and vegetative parts by GC/MS. A new chemotype, i.e. borneol-chemotype, was characterized for the first time in the species. Furthermore, we assessed the biological activities of essential oils, namely the antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxicity on tumor cells that were evaluated by the DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP, disc diffusion, and MTT methods, respectively. Biological assays highlighted a moderate inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans (inhibition zone diameter in the range 9 - 10 mm), and noteworthy cytotoxicity on A375 human melanoma cells (IC 50 of 46.95 μg/ml)., (© 2017 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Rosmarinus eriocalyx is an aromatic evergreen bush endemic to Algeria where it is used as a condiment to flavour soups and meat and as a traditional remedy. In the present work we have analyzed for the first time the phenolic composition of polar extracts obtained from stems, leaves and flowers of R. eriocalyx by HPLC, and determined the antioxidant and antimicrobial effects by DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, ORAC and agar disc diffusion methods, respectively. Results showed that ethanolic extracts of leaves and flowers are a rich source of phenolic compounds, mainly rosmarinic acid, carnosic acid and carnosol that are the main responsible for the noteworthy antioxidant activity observed in the assays. This study showed that R. eriocalyx might be a spice to be included in the European food additive list and used as a preservative agent besides R. officinalis., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)