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The optimization of existing natural antioxidants that are highly effective is crucial for advancements in medicine and the food industry. Due to growing concerns regarding the safety of synthetic antioxidants, researchers are increasingly focusing on natural sources, particularly essential oils (EOs). Combining EOs might enhance antioxidant activity due to increased chemical diversity. This study investigates, for the first time, the antioxidant properties of EOs from Lavandula dentata, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Myrtus communis, both individually and in combination, using the augmented-simplex design methodology. The in vitro evaluation of the antioxidant activity was performed using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays. Chromatography gas-mass spectrometry (CG-MS) revealed that 1,8-cineol (37.27%) and pinocarveol (12.67%) are the primary components of L. dentata; verbenone (16.90%), camphor (15.00%), and camphene (11.03%) are predominant in R. officinalis; while cineol (43.32%) is the main component of M. communis. The EOs showed varying scavenging activities against ABTS and DPPH radicals, with DPPH assay values ranging from 194.10 ± 3.01 to 541.19 ± 3.72 µg/mL and ABTS assay values ranging from 134.07 ± 1.70 to 663.42 ± 2.99 µg/mL. These activities were enhanced when the EOs were combined. The optimal antioxidant blend for DPPHIC50 consisted of 20% L. dentata, 50% R. officinalis, and 30% M. communis. For the highest ABTS radical scavenging activity, the best combination was 18% L. dentata, 43% R. officinalis, and 40% M. communis. These results highlight the potential of EO combinations as new natural formulations for use in cosmeceutical, food, and pharmaceutical sectors.

Prickly pear serves as a significant source of income for farmers worldwide, with production taking place in temperate, subtropical, and cold regions. The objective of the present investigation is to explore the morphological parameters of Opuntia robusta and Opuntia dillenii which are resistant to the white cochineal (Dactylopius opuntiae), as well as the local prickly pear that is currently threatened with extinction. This investigation aims to evaluate the feasibility of replacing the endangered local prickly pear with the recently introduced species O. robusta and O. dillenii. This analysis is based on a comprehensive assessment of 26 qualitative and 25 quantitative traits pertaining to cladodes and fruits. In terms of species differentiation and the selection of discriminative features, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of various statistical methods, as well as the analysis carried out according to the descriptors recommended by the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV). Of the 51 parameters evaluated, 13 qualitative and 23 quantitative characters are significant in differentiating the species under study. This underscores the importance of quantitative traits in distinguishing different prickly pear species. Furthermore, color is identified as a crucial characteristic for discriminating between the studied samples. O. robusta is characterized by its high fruit weight, large size, greater pulp content, and high pulp-to-peel ratio, all of which are desirable traits for fresh consumption. Additionally, O. robusta has the highest number of fully developed seeds, making it an attractive option for use in the cosmetic industry. This characteristic renders the O. robusta a potential substitute for the endangered ecotype . However, O. robusta is distinguished by its short stalk, which poses a challenge for fruit harvesting and leaves it susceptible to physical damage and quality loss. Conversely, O. dillenii displays a low pulp content, which serves as a critical indicator of fruit quality. The only desirable agronomic trait of this species is its elevated seed content, which has the potential for utilization in oil production for the cosmetic industry.

Medicinal plants represent an inexhaustible source of traditional and effective remedies thanks to the various active ingredients they contain. Secondary metabolites present in plant extracts, such as essential oils (EO), have remarkable pharmacological properties, including antimicrobial effects. Here, the chemical composition and antimicrobial effects of four Moroccan medicinal plants, Rosmarinus officinalis L. (R. officinalis), Mentha pulegium L. (M. pulegium), Salvia officinalis L. (S. officinalis), and Thymus zygis subsp. gracilis (Boiss.) R. Morales (T. zygis), traditionally used in Morocco to treat microbial infections, were addressed. EO were extracted using the hydrodistillation method, and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). EO yields were of 3.64 ± 0.12, 3.53 ± 0.06, 2.48 ± 0.06, and 2.34 ± 0.08%, respectively, for M. pulegium, R. officinalis, S. officinalis, and T. zygis. The main bioactive components present in these EO were piperitenone (32.9%) and pulegone (32.8%) for M. pulegium, 1,8-cineol (43.8%) and camphor (18.7%) for R. officinalis, 1,8-cineole (16.8%) and trans-thujone (15.9%) for S. officinalis, and thymol (36.4%), carvacrol (24.1%) and cymene (23.5%) for T. zygis. These EO showed, according to the results of their antimicrobial activities, good effectiveness against bacteria and fungi. Moreover, the T. zygis EO showed the most potent activity against all bacteria studied, while that of R. officinalis, M. pulegium, and S. officinalis showed moderate activity against the Enterobacter cloacae of Streptococcus agalactiae and Escherichia coli. The antifungal activity tests revealed a strong antifungal activity for the T. zygis EO and a moderate activity for the S. officinalis EO. On the other hand, the EO of R. officinalis, and M. pulegium were found to be inactive at the doses used against the selected strains. In conclusion, our results show that the medicinal plants studied contain biologically active molecules with antimicrobial effects. They can replace synthesized molecules, especially in the formulation of additives, and for therapeutic, cosmetic, and food-processing purposes.

Abstract Desmodium adscendens (Sw.) DC. is a plant of the Fabaceae family especially rich in flavonoids but also in alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, phenols, phenylpropanoids, glycosides, and volatiles. This herb has been traditionally used in numerous countries all over the world for its pharmacological and biological properties (i.e., it has been used for the treatment of diarrheas, fever, epilepsy, asthma, leishmaniasis, gastroduodenal ulcer, diabetes, hepatic diseases, etc.). Given the wide uses of D. adscendens, this review summarizes all recent data on D. adscendens evaluating its phytochemistry as well as its ethno‐traditional and pharmacological properties. In addition, an association between the phytocompounds of this plant and its potential mechanism of action in cell and animal models has been investigated, focusing with a special emphasis on human experiments.

Origanum compactum Benth (O. compactum) is widely used traditionally in Morocco to treat a broad range of illnesses, including infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the phytochemical composition, quality control, and antibacterial activity of O. compactum leaf and flower essential oil. First, a quality control study on soil and irrigation water was performed to determine whether there was any risk of heavy metals endangering human health or causing stress to the plants studied. Laboratory examination of the environmental quality of the researched species revealed an almost absolute absence of metals that could endanger human health or any abiotic stressor. The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation. Chemical characterization was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The yield of essential oil (EO) obtained by hydrodistillation of O. compactum leaves and flowers and moisture content were 4.27% and 12.20%, respectively. GC/MS identified 35 volatile compounds in the studied EO majorly composed of thymol (38.59%) followed by carvacrol (26.65%), o-cymene (14.33), and γ-terpinene (11.22%). The antibacterial activity of O. compactum leaf and flower essential oil was evaluated using the solid-state diffusion method against five Gram-negative bacterial strains and a Gram-positive strain. The results show that the essential oil of O. compactum leaves and flowers has a considerable inhibitory effect against E. coli with an MIC = 0.35 µg/mL, E. pseudocoloides (MIC = 0.35 µg/mL), E. vekanda (MIC = 0.35 µg/mL), K. pneumoniae (MIC = 0.7 µg/mL), P. aeruginosa (MIC = 0.35 µg/mL), and S. aureus (MIC = 0.35 µg/mL).

Cancer is still the leading cause of death worldwide, burdening the global medical system. Rosmarinic acid (RA) is among the first secondary metabolites discovered and it is a bioactive compound identified in plants such as Boraginaceae and Nepetoideae subfamilies of the Lamiaceae family, including Thymus masticmasti chinaythia koreana, Ocimum sanctum, and Hyptis pectinate. This updated review is to highlight the chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic effects of RA and its derivatives, thus providing valuable clues for the potential development of some complementary drugs in the treatment of cancers. Relevant information about RA's chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic effects and its derivatives were collected from electronic scientific databases, such as PubMed/Medline, Scopus, TRIP database, Web of Science, and Science Direct. The results of the studies showed numerous significant biological effects such as antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour, antioxidant and antiangiogenic effects. Most of the studies on the anticancer potential with the corresponding mechanisms are still in the experimental preclinical stage and are missing evidence from clinical trials to support the research. To open new anticancer therapeutic perspectives of RA and its derivatives, future clinical studies must elucidate the molecular mechanisms and targets of action in more detail, the human toxic potential and adverse effects.

Plants, with their range of pharmacologically active molecules, represent the most promising source for the production of new anticancer drugs and for the formulation of adjuvants in chemotherapy treatments to reduce drug content and/or counteract the side effects of chemotherapy. Casticin is a major bioactive flavonoid isolated from several plants, mainly from the Vitex species. This compound is well known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which are mainly exploited in traditional medicine. Recently, the antineoplastic potential of casticin has attracted the attention of the scientific community for its ability to target multiple cancer pathways. The purpose of this review is, therefore, to present and critically analyze the antineoplastic potential of casticin, highlighting the molecular pathways underlying its antitumor effects. Bibliometric data were extracted from the Scopus database using the search strings “casticin” and “cancer” and analyzed using VOSviewer software to generate network maps to visualize the results. Overall, more than 50% of the articles were published since 2018 and even more recent studies have expanded the knowledge of casticin’s antitumor activity by adding interesting new mechanisms of action as a topoisomerase IIα inhibitor, DNA methylase 1 inhibitor, and an upregulator of the onco-suppressive miR-338-3p. Casticin counteracts cancer progression through the induction of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and metastasis arrest, acting on several pathways that are generally dysregulated in different types of cancer. In addition, they highlight that casticin can be considered as a promising epigenetic drug candidate to target not only cancer cells but also cancer stem-like cells.

Over the years, many biological and synthetic agents have been explored and tested in attempts to halt the spread of cancer and/or cure it. Currently, several natural compounds have and are being considered in this regard. For example, paclitaxel is a potent anticancer drug that originates from the tree Taxus brevifolia. Paclitaxel has several derivatives, namely, docetaxel and cabazitaxel. These agents work by disrupting microtubule assembling dynamics and inducing cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, ultimately triggering apoptosis. Such features have helped to establish paclitaxel as an authoritative therapeutic compound against neoplastic disorders. After the completion of compound (hemi) synthesis, this drug received approval for the treatment of solid tumors either alone or in combination with other agents. In this review, we explore the mechanisms of action of paclitaxel and its derivatives, the different formulations available, as well as the molecular pathways of cancer resistance, potential risks, and other therapeutic applications. In addition, the role of paclitaxel in hematological malignancies is explored, and potential limitations in the therapeutic use of paclitaxel at the clinical level are examined. Furthermore, paclitaxel is known to cause increased antigen presentation. The immunomodulatory potential of taxanes, alone or in combination with other pharmacologic agents, is explored. Despite terpene-alkaloids derivatives’ anti-mitotic potential, the impact of this class of drugs on other oncogenic pathways, such as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and the epigenetic modulation of the transcription profile of cancer cells, is also analyzed, shedding light on potential future chemotherapeutic approaches to cancer.

In the modern era, cancer can be controlled by chemotherapy treatment, and in many situations a stable disease is obtained. The significant clinical success and subsequent commercialization of naturally derived molecules have further encouraged their exploration as adjunctive therapies in cancer management. The purpose of this comprehensive review is to update the anticancer mechanisms triggered by Erinacine A and regulation of signaling pathways potentially involved in its anticancer activity.The results of preclinical research showed that Erinacin A, a therapeutically important biological metabolite isolated from the basidiomycete fungus Hericium erinaceus offers a multitude of possible chemotherapeutic applications by regulating complex signaling pathways as validated by various pharmacological in vitro and in vivo studies. As a result of Erinacin A's action on oncological signaling pathways, it resulted in induction of apoptosis, reduction of proliferation, invasiveness, generation of oxidative stress and cell cycle arrest in cancer cells.

Abstract Background Prunella vulgaris is medicinally important plant containing high-valued chemical metabolites like Prunellin which belong to family Lamiaceae and it is also known as self-heal. In this research, calli culture were exposed to differential ratios of gold (Au) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles (1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 2:1 and 3:1) along with naphthalene acetic acid (2.0 mg NAA) to investigate its antimicrobial potential. A well diffusion method was used for antimicrobial properties. Results Here, two concentrations (1 and 2 mg/6 µl) of all treated calli cultures and wild plants were used against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Bacillus atrophaeus, Bacillus subtilis, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Erwinia caratovora and Candida albicans. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and antibiotics were used as negative and positive controls. Here, the calli exposed to gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs) and 2.0 mg naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) displayed the highest activity (25.7 mm) against Salmonella typhi than other extracts, which was considered the most susceptible species, while Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Candida albicans was the most resistance species. A possible mechanism of calli induced nanoparticles was also investigated for cytoplasmic leakage. Conclusion From the above data it is concluded that Prunella vulgaris is medicinally important plant for the development of anti-microbial drugs using nanotechnology and applicable in various pharmaceutical research.

The primary purpose of this work was the initiation and optimization of shoot cultures of different Vitis vinifera L. cultivars: cv. Chardonnay, cv. Hibernal, cv. Riesling, cv. Johanniter, cv. Solaris, cv. Cabernet Cortis, and cv. Regent. Cultures were maintained on 30-day growth cycles using two media, Murashige and Skoog (MS) and Schenk and Hildebrandt (SH), with various concentrations of plant growth regulators. Tested media (‘W1’–‘W4’) contained varying concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) in addition to indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). High performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS) was used for metabolomic profiling. In all tested extracts, 45 compounds were identified (6 amino acids, 4 phenolic acids, 13 flavan-3-ols, 3 flavonols, and 19 stilbenoids). Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to assess the influence of the genotype and medium on metabolic content. PCA showed that metabolic content was mainly influenced by genotype and to a lesser extent by medium composition. MS media variants induced the amino acid, procyanidin, and flavan-3-ol production. In addition, the antioxidant potential and anti-tyrosinase activity was measured spectrophotometrically. The studies on antioxidant activity clearly reveal very high efficiency in reducing free radicals in the tested extracts. The strongest tyrosinase inhibition capacity was proved for shoots cv. Hibernal cultured in SH medium and supplemented with NAA, with an inhibition of 17.50%. These studies show that in vitro cultures of V. vinifera cvs. can be proposed as an alternative source of plant material that can be potentially used in cosmetic industry.

Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is a tree species native to the Mediterranean region and belongs to the Fabaceae family. The tree is well-known for its sweet and nutritious fruits, which have been used for long time as a nutritious food. In addition to the edible fruits, the carob tree also produces seeds that are highly prized for their ability to produce carob gum (locust bean gum). The carob seed consists of three main components: the shell, the endosperm, and the embryo. The shell is the outermost layer of the seed, followed by the endosperm, which is the largest part of the seed and contains high levels of carbohydrates and proteins. The embryo is the smallest part of the seed and is rich on bioactive compounds. Carob seed constituents have attracted considerable attention due to their exceptional nutritional and therapeutic properties in various industries, including food, medicine, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and textiles. The high content of bioactive compounds in carob seeds, such as polyphenols, tannins, and flavonoids, is believed to be responsible for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The use of carob seed constituents in the food industry is mainly due to their ability to act as thickeners and stabilizers in various foods. They are used as a substitute for other thickening agents such as guar gum and carrageenan, due to their superior properties. In the pharmaceutical industry, carob seeds have been found to have antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, and anticancer properties, among others. The cosmetics industry is also interested in the ingredients of carob seed, as they can improve hydration and elasticity of the skin. They are also used as a natural alternative to synthetic thickeners in cosmetic formulations. The textile industry has also recognized the potential of carob seed constituents, as they can be used as a natural dye and as a sizing agent to improve the strength and durability of textiles. In summary, carob seed constituents offer a wide range of applications in various industries, owing to their high content of bioactive compounds, excellent nutritional and therapeutic profile, and ability to act as thickeners, stabilizers, and antioxidants. This review has highlighted the latest findings on the chemical composition, applications, and health benefits of carob seed constituents.

Bromelain is a key enzyme found in pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.); a proteolytic substance with multiple beneficial effects for human health such as anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant and anticarcinogenic, traditionally used in many countries for its potential therapeutic value. The aim of this updated and comprehensive review focuses on the potential anticancer benefits of bromelain, analyzing the cytotoxic, apoptotic, necrotic, autophagic, immunomodulating, and anti-inflammatory effects in cancer cells and animal models. Detailed information about Bromelain and its anticancer effects at the cellular, molecular and signaling levels were collected from online databases such as PubMed/MedLine, TRIP database, GeenMedical, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. The results of the analyzed studies showed that Bromelain possesses corroborated pharmacological activities, such as anticancer, anti-edema, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-coagulant, anti-osteoarthritis, anti-trauma pain, anti-diarrhea, wound repair. Nonetheless, bromelain clinical studies are scarce and still more research is needed to validate the scientific value of this enzyme in human cancer diseases.

Aquilegia pubiflora leaves are reported against hepatitis, for treatment of skin burns, wound healing, jaundice, gynea, circulatory and cardiovascular disease in several studies. Therefore, green synthesis of silver nanoparticles with A. pubiflora leaves extract, as an alternative to chemical synthesis, is beneficial from its biological applications point of view. The formation and size distribution of Ag-NPs were confirmed by UV-spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and HPLC. Silver nanoparticles with a particle size of 19 nm were used in various assays including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-Alzheimer, anti-diabetic, anti-aging, anti-cancer and biocompatibility studies. Our findings revealed that A. pubiflora mediated Ag-NPs were highly active against both bacterial and fungal strains with Escherichia coli and Aspergillus niger displaying the highest zone of inhibition 10.9 ± 0.29 mm and 13.11 ± 0.33 mm respectively. Dose dependent cytotoxic activity was shown by NPs against Leishmania Tropica with significant IC50 of 175 μg/mL for promastigote and 169 μg/mL for amastigote forms. The Ag-NPs proved to be highly toxic for the HepG2 cell line and inhibit cell viability up to 52.06 ± 2.9% after 24 h of Ag-NPs treatment. Ag-NPs also showed excellent inhibitory potential against the enzymes acetylcholinesterase (AChE: 71.38 ± 1.75) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE: 73.61 ± 1.96) which are involved in Alzheimer's disease. Overall, the enzymes involved in aging, diabetes, and inflammation showed a moderate inhibitory response to Ag-NPs, led to the conclusion that they are a promising choice for various biological applications.

Abstract Ajuga integrifolia Buch. Ham. ex D.Don, a member of Lamiaceae family is pharmaceutically an active perennial herb widely spread in China, Afghanistan and Pakistan Himalayan region. The application of biotic elicitors is a promising approach to cover limitations of in vitro cell technology and challenges faced by pharmaceuticals industry for bulk up production. The current study involved the induction of agitated micro-shoot cultures with the aim to investigate the growth-promoting as well as phytochemicals enhancement role of yeast extract (YE) and pectin (PE). The results showed that both elicitors induced a considerable physiological response. Biomass accumulation was observed maximum (DW: 18.3 g/L) against PE (10 mg/L) compared to YE and control. Eleven secondary phytocompounds were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. PE (50 mg/L) was found to be effective in elicitation of rosmarinic acid (680.20 µg/g), chlorogenic acid (294.12 µg/g), apigenin (579.61 µg/g) and quercetin (596.89 µg/g). However, maximum caffeic acid (359.52 µg/g) and luteolin (546.12 µg/g accumulation was noted in PE (1 mg/L) treatment. Harpagide, aucubin, harpagoside and 8-O-acetyl-harpagoside production was suppressed by both elicitors except for YE (100 mg/L). Catalpol accumulation in micro-shoot cultures was also downregulated except in response to YE (50 and 100 mg/L). Antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory activity remained higher under PE (50 mg/L) and YE (100 mg/L) respectively. Therefore, results suggested that Ajuga integrifolia micro-shoot cultures treated with yeast extract and pectin might be an efficient bio-factory to produce commercially potent specific secondary metabolites.

Emodin (1,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methylanthraquinone) is a bioactive compound, a natural anthraquinone aglycone, present mainly in herbaceous species of the families Fabaceae, Polygonaceae and Rhamnaceae, with a physiological role in protection against abiotic stress in vegetative tissues. Emodin is mainly used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat sore throats, carbuncles, sores, blood stasis, and damp-heat jaundice. Pharmacological research in the last decade has revealed other potential therapeutic applications such as anticancer, neuroprotective, antidiabetic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.The present study aimed to summarize recent studies on bioavailability, preclinical pharmacological effects with evidence of molecular mechanisms, clinical trials and clinical pitfalls, respectively the therapeutic limitations of emodin. For this purpose, extensive searches were performed using the PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Google scholar, TRIP database, Springer link, Wiley and SciFinder databases as a search engines. The in vitro and in vivo studies included in this updated review highlighted the signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms of emodin. Because its bioavailability is low, there are limitations in clinical therapeutic use. In conclusion, for an increase in pharmacotherapeutic efficacy, future studies with carrier molecules to the target, thus opening up new therapeutic perspectives.

In today’s scenario, when cancer cases are increasing rapidly, anticancer herbal compounds become imperative. Studies on the molecular mechanisms of action of polyphenols published in specialized databases such as Web of Science, Pubmed/Medline, Google Scholar, and Science Direct were used as sources of information for this review. Natural polyphenols provide established efficacy against chemically induced tumor growth with fewer side effects. They can sensitize cells to various therapies and increase the effectiveness of biotherapy. Further pharmacological translational research and clinical trials are needed to evaluate theirs in vivo efficacy, possible side effects and toxicity. Polyphenols can be used to design a potential treatment in conjunction with existing cancer drug regimens such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Arsenic (As) is one of the toxic heavy metal pollutants found in the environment. An excess of As poses serious threats to plants and diminishes their growth and productivity. NAC transcription factors revealed a pivotal role in enhancing crops tolerance to different environmental stresses. The present study investigated, for the first time, the functional role of SNAC3 in boosting As stress tolerance and grain productivity in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Two SNAC3-overexpressing (SNAC3-OX) and two SNAC3-RNAi transgenic lines were created and validated. The wild-type and transgenic rice plants were exposed to different As stress levels (0, 25, and 50 µM). The results revealed that SNAC3 overexpression significantly improved rice tolerance to As stress and boosted grain yield traits. Under both levels of As stress (25 and 50 µM), SNAC3-OX rice lines exhibited significantly lower levels of oxidative stress biomarkers and OsCRY1b (cryptochrome 1b) expression, but they revealed increased levels of gas exchange characters, chlorophyll, osmolytes (soluble sugars, proteins, proline, phenols, and flavonoids), antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, APX, and POD), and stress-tolerant genes expression (OsSOD-Cu/Zn, OsCATA, OsCATB, OsAPX2, OsLEA3, OsDREB2B, OsDREB2A, OsSNAC2, and OsSNAC1) in comparison to wild-type plants. By contrast, SNAC3 suppression (RNAi) reduced grain yield components and reversed the aforementioned measured physio-biochemical and molecular traits. Taken together, this study is the first to demonstrate that SNAC3 plays a vital role in boosting As stress resistance and grain productivity in rice through modulating antioxidants, photosynthesis, osmolyte accumulation, and stress-related genes expression, and may be a useful candidate for further genetic enhancement of stress resistance in many crops.

Abstract Background Himalayan Columbine (Aquilegia pubiflora Wall. Ex Royle) is a medicinal plant and have been used as traditional treatments for various human diseases including skin burns, jaundice, hepatitis, wound healing, cardiovascular and circulatory diseases. Till now there is no report available on phytochemical investigation of Himalayan Columbine and to the best of our knowledge, through present study we have reported for the first time, the phytochemical analysis and pharmacological potentials of different leaf extracts of Aquilegia pubiflora. Methods Four types of extracts were prepared using solvent of different polarities (Distilled water APDW, Methanol APM, Ethanol APE and Ethyl acetate APEA), and were evaluated to determine the best candidate for potent bioactivity. Phytochemical constituents in prepared extracts were quantified through HPLC analysis. Subsequently, all four types of leaf extracts were then evaluated for their potential bioactivities including antimicrobial, protein kinase inhibition, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-Alzheimer, anti-aging and cytotoxic effect. Results HPLC analysis demonstrated the presence of dvitexin, isovitexin, orientin, isoorientin, ferulic acid, sinapic acid and chlorogenic acid in varied proportions in all plant extracts. Antimicrobial studies showed that, K. pneumonia was found to be most susceptible to inhibition zones of 11.2 ± 0.47, 13.9 ± 0.33, 12.7 ± 0.41, and 13.5 ± 0.62 measured at 5 mg/mL for APDW, APM, APE and APEA respectively. A. niger was the most susceptible strain in case of APDW with the highest zone of inhibition 14.3 ± 0.32, 13.2 ± 0.41 in case of APM, 13.7 ± 0.39 for APE while 15.4 ± 0.43 zone of inhibition was recorded in case of APEA at 5 mg/mL. The highest antioxidant activity of 92.6 ± 1.8 μgAAE/mg, 89.2 ± 2.4 μgAAE/mg, 277.5 ± 2.9 μM, 289.9 ± 1.74 μM for TAC, TRP, ABTS and FRAP, respectively, was shown by APE. APM, APE and APEA extracts showed a significant % cell inhibition (above 40%) against HepG2 cells. The highest anti-inflammatory of the samples was shown by APE (52.5 ± 1.1) against sPLA2, (41.2 ± 0.8) against 15-LOX, followed by (38.5 ± 1.5) and (32.4 ± 0.8) against COX-1 and COX-2, respectively. Conclusions Strong antimicrobial, Protein Kinase potency and considerable α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and cytotoxic potential were exhibited by plant samples. Significant anti-Alzheimer, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and kinase inhibitory potential of each plant sample thus aware us for further detailed research to determine novel drugs.

Heavy metal stress, including from chromium, has detrimental effects on crop growth and yields worldwide. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have demonstrated great efficiency in mitigating these adverse effects. The present study investigated the potential of the PGPR strain Azospirillum brasilense EMCC1454 as a useful bio-inoculant for boosting the growth, performance and chromium stress tolerance of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) plants exposed to varying levels of chromium stress (0, 130 and 260 µM K2Cr2O7). The results revealed that A. brasilense EMCC1454 could tolerate chromium stress up to 260 µM and exhibited various plant growth-promoting (PGP) activities, including nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, and generation of siderophore, trehalose, exopolysaccharide, ACC deaminase, indole acetic acid, and hydrolytic enzymes. Chromium stress doses induced the formation of PGP substances and antioxidants in A. brasilense EMCC1454. In addition, plant growth experiments showed that chromium stress significantly inhibited the growth, minerals acquisition, leaf relative water content, biosynthesis of photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange traits, and levels of phenolics and flavonoids of chickpea plants. Contrarily, it increased the concentrations of proline, glycine betaine, soluble sugars, proteins, oxidative stress markers, and enzymatic (CAT, APX, SOD, and POD) and non-enzymatic (ascorbic acid and glutathione) antioxidants in plants. On the other hand, A. brasilense EMCC1454 application alleviated oxidative stress markers and significantly boosted the growth traits, gas exchange characteristics, nutrient acquisition, osmolyte formation, and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants in chromium-stressed plants. Moreover, this bacterial inoculation upregulated the expression of genes related to stress tolerance (CAT, SOD, APX, CHS, DREB2A, CHI, and PAL). Overall, the current study demonstrated the effectiveness of A. brasilense EMCC1454 in enhancing plant growth and mitigating chromium toxicity impacts on chickpea plants grown under chromium stress circumstances by modulating the antioxidant machinery, photosynthesis, osmolyte production, and stress-related gene expression.

Thalassemia is a monogenic autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations, which lead to abnormal or reduced production of hemoglobin. Ineffective erythropoiesis, hemolysis, hepcidin suppression, and iron overload are common manifestations that vary according to genotypes and dictate, which diagnosis and therapeutic modalities, including transfusion therapy, iron chelation therapy, HbF induction, gene therapy, and editing, are performed. These conventional therapeutic methods have proven to be effective, yet have several disadvantages, specifically iron toxicity, associated with them; therefore, there are demands for advanced therapeutic methods. Nanotechnology-based applications, such as the use of nanoparticles and nanomedicines for theragnostic purposes have emerged that are simple, convenient, and cost-effective methods. The therapeutic potential of various nanoparticles has been explored by developing artificial hemoglobin, nano-based iron chelating agents, and nanocarriers for globin gene editing by CRISPR/Cas9. Au, Ag, carbon, graphene, silicon, porous nanoparticles, dendrimers, hydrogels, quantum dots, etc., have been used in electrochemical biosensors development for diagnosis of thalassemia, quantification of hemoglobin in these patients, and analysis of conventional iron chelating agents. This review summarizes the potential of nanotechnology in the development of various theragnostic approaches to determine thalassemia-causing gene mutations using various nano-based biosensors along with the employment of efficacious nano-based therapeutic procedures, in contrast to conventional therapies.

The Opuntia genus is widely recognized as a significant member of the Cactaceae family. The eastern Moroccan prickly pear’s wild ecotype is renowned for its production of fruits of superior quality, which are in high demand. Nonetheless, the white cochineal (Dactylopius opuntiae) has emerged as a significant hazard to the persistence of the indigenous wild prickly pear population in the majority of the country’s territories. Conventional plant propagation techniques may facilitate the transmission of pathogens to successive generations and thus fail to satisfy market requirements. Therefore, the primary goal of this study was to develop a rapid and efficient protocol for large-scale production of the eastern Moroccan wild ecotype using axillary buds as the starting material. Sterilization of the starting material is a crucial but challenging step in this species, as the meristem is located just beneath the spine. The protocol developed for this study produced moderately satisfactory results, with 20 to 30% contamination in each experiment. The obtained shoots were incubated on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with varying concentrations of BAP (0, 1.5, 3, 5, and 7.5 mg/L). The treatment with BAP at 5 mg/L exhibited a statistically significant increase in the average number of regenerated shoots per explant (19.42). The effect of kinetin on the rooting of prickly pear was evaluated by transferring the shoots to a MS medium supplemented with varying concentrations of kinetin (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5 mg/L). The use of kinetin increased the number and length of roots while also shortening the root development period from 21 days to 10 days. The best results were obtained at a concentration of 1.5 mg/L of kinetin. Furthermore, satisfactory acclimatization of plants was achieved by using plastic containers with a gradually increasing opening of the lids. The outcomes of this experimentation have significant potential to facilitate the preservation of this botanical variety, reduce the risk of white cochineal infestation, and address the need for superior quality fruit supply in the market.

Aflatoxins produced by some species of Aspergillus are considered secondary toxic fungal by-products in feeds and food. Over the past few decades, many experts have focused on preventing the production of aflatoxins by Aspergillus ochraceus and also reducing its toxicity. Applications of various nanomaterials in preventing the production of these toxic aflatoxins have received a lot of attention recently. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the protective impact of Juglans-regia-mediated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against Aspergillus-ochraceus-induced toxicity by exhibiting strong antifungal activity in in vitro (wheat seeds) and in vivo (Albino rats) settings. For the synthesis of AgNPs, the leaf extract of J. regia enriched with high phenolic (72.68 ± 2.13 mg GAE/g DW) and flavonoid (18.89 ± 0.31 mg QE/g DW) contents was used. Synthesized AgNPs were characterized by various techniques, including TEM, EDX, FT-IR, and XRD, which revealed that the particles were spherical in shape with no agglomeration and fine particle size in the range of 16–20 nm. In vitro antifungal activity of AgNPs was tested on wheat grains by inhibiting the production of toxic aflatoxins by A. ochraceus. According to the results obtained from High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) analyses, there was a correlation between the concentration of AgNPs and a decrease in the production of aflatoxin G1, B1, and G2. For in vivo antifungal activity, Albino rats were administrated with different doses of AgNPs in five groups. The results indicated that the feed concentration of 50 µg/kg feed of AgNPs was more effective in improving the disturbed levels of different functional parameters of the liver (alanine transaminase (ALT): 54.0 ± 3.79 U/L and aspartate transaminase (AST): 206 ± 8.69 U/L) and kidney (creatinine 0.49 ± 0.020 U/L and BUN 35.7 ± 1.45 U/L), as well as the lipid profile (LDL 22.3 ± 1.45 U/L and HDL 26.3 ± 2.33 U/L). Furthermore, the histopathological analysis of various organs also revealed that the production of aflatoxins was successfully inhibited by AgNPs. It was concluded that the harmful effects of aflatoxins produced by A. ochraceus can be successfully neutralized by using J. regia-mediated AgNPs.

Ziziphus lotus (L.) Lam. (Rhamnaceae) is a plant species found across the Mediterranean area. This comprehensive overview aims to summarize the botanical description and ethnobotanical uses of Z. lotus and its phytochemical compounds derived with recent updates on its pharmacological and toxicological properties. The data were collected from electronic databases including the Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, SpringerLink, and Google Scholars. It can be seen from the literature that Z. lotus is traditionally used to treat and prevent several diseases including diabetes, digestive problems, urinary tract problems, infectious diseases, cardiovascular disorders, neurological diseases, and dermal problems. The extracts of Z. lotus demonstrated several pharmacological properties in vitro and in vivo such as antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-oxidant, antimicrobials, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, analgesic, anti-proliferative, anti-spasmodic, hepatoprotective, and nephroprotective effects. The phytochemical characterization of Z. lotus extracts revealed the presence of over 181 bioactive compounds including terpenoids, polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, and fatty acids. Toxicity studies on Z. lotus showed that extracts from this plant are safe and free from toxicity. Thus, further research is needed to establish a possible relationship between traditional uses, plant chemistry, and pharmacological properties. Furthermore, Z. lotus is quite promising as a medicinal agent, so further clinical trials should be conducted to prove its efficacy.

Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) is a plant with a wide range of medicinal, health, nutritional, and industrial uses. This study assessed the genetic potential of yellow and brown seeds in thirty F4 families under different water conditions concerning seed yield, oil, protein, fiber, mucilage, and lignans content. Water stress negatively affected seed and oil yield, while it positively affected mucilage, protein, lignans, and fiber content. The total mean comparison showed that under normal moisture conditions, seed yield (209.87 g/m2) and most quality traits, including oil (30.97%), secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (13.89 mg/g), amino acids such as arginine (1.17%) and histidine (1.95%), and mucilage (9.57 g/100 g) were higher in yellow-seeded genotypes than the brown ones ((188.78 g/m2), (30.10%), (11.66 mg/g), (0.62%), (1.87%), and (9.35 g/100 g), respectively). Under water stress conditions, brown-seeded genotypes had a higher amount of fiber (16.74%), seed yield (140.04 g/m2), protein (239.02 mg. g−1), methionine (5.04%), and secondary metabolites such as secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (17.09 mg/g), while their amounts in families with yellow seeds were 14.79%, 117.33 g/m2, 217.12 mg. g−1, 4.34%, and 13.98 mg/g, respectively. Based on the intended food goals, different seed color genotypes may be appropriate for cultivation under different moisture environments.

Potatoes are a staple food with high antioxidant properties that can positively affect population health. The beneficial effects of potatoes have been attributed to tuber quality. However, the tuber quality related researches at genetic levels are very few. Sexual hybridization is a powerful strategy for producing new and valuable genotypes with high quality. In this study, 42 breeding potato genotypes in Iran were selected based on appearance characteristics such as shape, size, color, eyes of tubers, and tuber yield and marketability. The tubers were evaluated for their nutritional value and properties, viz. phenolic content, flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamins, sugars, proteins, and antioxidant activity. Potato tubers with white flesh and colored skin had significantly higher levels of ascorbic acid and total sugar. The result showed that higher phenolic, flavonoid, carotenoid, protein concentration, and antioxidant activity were noted in yellow-fleshed. Burren (yellow-fleshed) tubers had more antioxidant capacity in comparison to genotypes and cultivars, which did not differ significantly with genotypes 58, 68, 67 (light yellow), 26, 22, and 12 (white). The highest correlation coefficients in antioxidant compounds were related to total phenol content and FRAP, suggesting that phenolics might be crucial predictors of antioxidant activities. The concentration of antioxidant compounds in the breeding genotypes was higher than in some commercial cultivars, and higher antioxidant compounds content and activity were detected in yellow-fleshed cultivars. Based on current results, understanding the relationship between antioxidant compounds and the antioxidant activity of potatoes could be very helpful in potato breeding projects.

Ptychotis verticillata Duby, referred to as Nûnkha in the local language, is a medicinal plant that is native to Morocco. This particular plant is a member of the Apiaceae family and has a longstanding history in traditional medicine and has been utilized for therapeutic purposes by practitioners for generations. The goal of this research is to uncover the phytochemical makeup of the essential oil extracted from P. verticillata, which is indigenous to the Touissite region in Eastern Morocco. The extraction of the essential oil of P. verticillata (PVEO) was accomplished through the use of hydro-distillation via a Clevenger apparatus. The chemical profile of the essential oil was then determined through analysis utilizing gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The study findings indicated that the essential oil of P. verticillata is composed primarily of Carvacrol (37.05%), D-Limonene (22.97%), γ-Terpinene (15.97%), m-Cymene (12.14%) and Thymol (8.49%). The in vitro antioxidant potential of PVEO was evaluated using two methods: the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical trapping assay and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) method. The data demonstrated considerable radical scavenging and relative antioxidative power. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria innocua, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most susceptible bacterial strains tested, while Geotrichum candidum, Candida albicans, and Rhodotorula glutinis were the most resilient fungi strains. PVEO had broad-spectrum antifungal and antibacterial properties. To elucidate the antioxidative and antibacterial characteristics of the identified molecules, we applied the methodology of molecular docking, a computational approach that forecasts the binding of a small molecule to a protein. Additionally, we utilized the Prediction of Activity Spectra for Substances (PASS) algorithm; Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion (ADME); and Pro-Tox II (to predict the toxicity in silico) tests to demonstrate PVEO’s identified compounds’ drug-likeness, pharmacokinetic properties, the anticipated safety features after ingestion, and the potential pharmacological activity. Finally, our findings scientifically confirm the ethnomedicinal usage and usefulness of this plant, which may be a promising source for future pharmaceutical development.

Herbal medicine was used since the old time in the treatment of different types of diseases in Sefrou province, Morocco. However, few studies have been carried out to identify local medicinal flora and to scientifically document the knowledge of the traditional use of these medicinal plants by the population. This study aims to investigate the medicinal plants in Sefrou province, record their usage in folk medicine by the population and evaluate the hypotensive effect of selected plants using in vitro vascular activity. For that, an ethnobotanical survey was conducted among the Arabs and Amazighs population of Sefrou province from January 2017 to December 2018. The survey was conducted through oral interviews with a structured questionnaire. It covered those who knew and/or used plants for medicinal purposes, retailers, and wholesalers, and also included ecological repartition as well as the mode of administration. Then we selected some plants to evaluate the antihypertensive activity based on the in vitro bioassay. A total of 134 medicinal plants belonging to 52 families were identified; 61% are wild species, 49 (36%) are cultivated and 4 (3%) are cultivated as well as spontaneous. Medicinal plants used in Sefrou folk medicine have been investigated for their antihypertensive activity. They were selected based on their usage as cardiotonic, diuretics, and other uses related to the symptoms of hypertension. Most of the plants tested in this study were found to be more sensitive to relaxing contractions induced by noradrenaline. Out of 32 species examined, 14 (44%) showed more than 50% inhibition in isolated rat aortic rings, the vasorelaxant activity of these plants used for the screening was mostly inhibited by pre-treatment with N-ω-nitro-L-arginine (L-NOArg). The plants inventoried are alleged to be active against 104 therapeutic indications. Nine common symptoms are widely treated in indigenous pharmacopeia: gastrointestinal (19 plants), renal (27 plants), broncho-pulmonary system (7 plants), skin (13 species), diabetes (12 plants), cardiovascular (13 plants), eye, ear, nose, teeth, and throat diseases (5 plants); gynecological disorders (6 plants); rheumatism and gnawing pain (11 plants). 14% (19 species) of the plant inventoried are traded on a large scale and scope and more than 90 percent of the medicinal plants purchased from Sefrou go to big cities for export. The expansion of unregulated trade and commercial use of medicinal and aromatic plants poses a major threat to biodiversity in the region. Overall, people in Sefrou hold rich knowledge of herbal medicine. The vasorelaxant activity proved for the documented plants will provide a basis for other preclinical and clinical investigations.

Abstract Fagonia indica (L.) is an important medicinal plant with multitude of therapeutic potentials. Such application has been attributed to the presence of various pharmacological important phytochemicals. However, the inadequate biosynthesis of such metabolites in intact plants has hampered scalable production. Thus, herein, we have established an in vitro based elicitation strategy to enhance such metabolites in callus culture of F. indica. Cultures were exposed to various doses of UV radiation (UV-C) and grown in different photoperiod regimes and their impact was evaluated on biomass accumulation, biosynthesis of phytochemicals along antioxidant expression. Cultures grown under photoperiod (16L/8D h) after exposure to UV-C (5.4 kJ/m2) accumulated optimal biomass (438.3 g/L FW; 16.4 g/L DW), phenolics contents (TPC: 11.8 μgGAE/mg) and flavonoids contents (TFC: 4.05 μgQE/mg). Similarly, HPLC quantification revealed that total production (6.967 μg/mg DW) of phytochemicals wherein kaempferol (1.377 μg/mg DW), apigenin (1.057 μg/mg DW), myricetin (1.022 μg/mg DW) and isorhamnetin (1.022 μg/mg DW) were recorded highly accumulated compounds in cultures at UV-C (5.4 kJ/m2) dose than other UV-C radiations and light regimes.. The antioxidants activities examined as DPPH (92.8%), FRAP (182.3 µM TEAC) and ABTS (489.1 µM TEAC) were also recorded highly expressed by cultures under photoperiod after treatment with UV-C dose 5.4 kJ/m2. Moreover, same cultures also expressed maximum % inhibition towards phospholipase A2 (sPLA2: 35.8%), lipoxygenase (15-LOX: 43.3%) and cyclooxygenases (COX-1: 55.3% and COX-2: 39.9%) with 1.0-, 1.3-, 1.3- and 2.8-fold increased levels as compared with control, respectively. Hence, findings suggest that light and UV can synergistically improve the metabolism of F. indica and could be used to produce such valuable metabolites on commercial scale.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) have been produced by physical and chemical methods. Here, the comparative evaluation of both chemically-synthesised ZnO-NPs (C-ZNPs) and in-vitro cultured S. marianum mediated green-synthesised ZnO-NPs (G-ZNPs) were investigated on seed germination frequency, root and shoot growth, callus induction and biochemical profile of medicinally important plant Silybum marianum. Of all the treatments, callus-mediated ZnO-NPs gave optimum results for seed germination (65%), plantlet’s root length (4.3 cm), shoot length (5.3 cm) and fresh and dry weights (220.4 g L−1 and 21.23 g L−1, respectively). Similarly, the accumulation of phenolic (12.3 µg/mg DW) and flavonoid (2.8 µg/mg DW) contents were also enhanced in callus cultures treated with G-ZNPs. We also observed maximum antioxidant activity (99%) in callus cultures treated with G-ZNPs, however, in case of plantlets, these activities were found highest for in-vitro whole plant-mediated ZnO-NPs. Moreover, G-ZNPs also enhanced total protein content (265.32 BSAE/20g FW) in callus cultures. G-ZNPs were further assessed for their effects on several multidrug resistant bacterial strains and human liver carcinoma (HepG2) cells and our findings revealed that callus extracts treated with G-ZNPs show ameliorated antibacterial (highest zone of inhibition (19 mm) against Klebsiella pneumonia) and anticancer (highest cytotoxicity of 64%) activities.

Nano-elicitation is one among the prioritised strategies considered globally for sustainable and uniform production of industrially important medicinal compounds. Ocimum basilicum (Thai basil), a renowned medicinal species is a reservoir of commercially vital metabolites and proved for its health assuring effects in cancer, diabetes, microbial and cardiovascular diseases. However, its consumption and industrial demand raised intent to divert towards better alternates for ensuring sustainable production of medicinal compounds. Herein, we investigated the comparative potential of metal oxide [copper oxide (CuO) and manganese oxide (MnO)] nanoparticles to elicit the biosynthesis of bioactive metabolites and antioxidative capacity of O.basilicum callus cultures. Results showed that callus grown on MS media supplemented with 10 mg/L CuO-NPs resulted in the highest biomass accumulation (FW: 172.8 g/L, DW: 16.7 g/L), phenolic contents (TPC: 27.5 mg/g DW), and flavonoid contents (TFC: 9.1 mg/g DW) along with antioxidant activities (DPPH: 94%, ABTS: 881 μM TEAC, FRAP: 386 μM TEAC) compared with MnO-NPs and control. Likewise, the Superoxide dismutase (SOD: 1.28 nM/min/mg FW) and Peroxidase (POD: 0.48 nM/min/mg FW) activities were also recorded maximum in CuO-NPs elicited cultures than MnO-NPs and control. Moreover, the HPLC results showed that rosmarinic acid (11.4 mg/g DW), chicoric acid (16.6 mg/g DW), eugenol (0.21 mg/g DW) was found optimum in cultures at 10 mg/L CuO-NPs. Overall, it can be concluded that CuO nanoparticles can be effectively used as a elicitor for biosynthesis of metabolites in callus cultures of O. basilicum (Thai basil). The study is indeed a contribution to the field that will help decoding the mechanism of action of CuO NPs. However, further molecular investigations are needed to fully develop understanding about the metabolic potential of O. bascillicum and scalling up this protocol for bulkup production of bioactive compounds.

Background: Myrica esculenta is a notable therapeutic plant widely utilized in Indian system of medicine. Ayurvedic literature reported fruit and bark of this plant is used in gulma, jvara, arsa, grahani, pandu roga, hrillasa, mukha roga, kasa, svasa, agnimandhya, aruchi, meha, and kantharoga. Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective potential of “Himalayan Bayberry” (Myrica esculenta Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don) leaves methanol extract in Parkinson’s disease induced by haloperidol. Materials and methods: The present investigation was completed in wistar rats, in which Parkinson’s disease (PD) was induced with haloperidol 1 mg/kg, intraperitoneally. The rats were randomly divided into six gatherings and the test animals received the methanolic extract of M. esculenta (MEME) at a dose of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, orally for one week. Various behavioural, biochemical and histopathological parameters were estimated in haloperidol exposed rats. Results: MEME demonstrated significant and dose-dependent increment in behavioural activity and improved muscle coordination. The significant diminution in malonaldehyde level while improved the level of antioxidant enzymes like catalase, superoxide dismutase and reduced glutathione in extract treated group were observed as compared to the control group. Histopathological changes revealed MEME significantly reduced haloperidol-induced damage in the substantia nigra and there was very little neuronal atrophy. Conclusion: The outcomes showed the defensive role of M. esculenta against PD. The mechanism of protection may be due to an escalation of cellular antioxidants.

Rivea hypocrateriformis (Desr.) Choisy is a robust woody climbing shrub of the genus Rivea which is widely distributed in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Thailand. R. hypocrateriformis is a promising medicinal herb with a wide range of beneficial and health-promoting properties. Since the ancient times, it has been used as a traditional medicine to treat rheumatic pain, fever, urogenital problems, snake bites, cough, piles, malaria, and skin diseases. Aside from these traditional uses, its leaves and young shoots are also cooked and eaten as a vegetable and used for the preparation of bread with millet flour. This study extensively analyzes the available information on R. hypocrateriformis botanical characterization, distribution, traditional applications, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicological properties. Phytochemical investigations of the plant has revealed the presence of highly valuable secondary metabolites including alkaloids, glycosides, coumarins, flavonoids, xanthones, stilbenes, and other organic compounds. Its crude extracts and isolated compounds have revealed anovulatory, antifertility, antiarthritic, antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant hepatoprotective, antilithiatic, and antimitotic potentials. This review of literature clearly identifies R. hypocrateriformis as a potent medicinal plant with remarkable healing and health-promoting properties. Further research directions into the bioactive extracts, clinical, and toxicological evaluations to assess the beneficial health-promoting properties of this promising herb are also discussed.

Introduction. Cannabis sativa is a source of oil seeds for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food uses. Objective. The aim of this study is to evaluate the hypolipidemic effect of hemp seed oil (HSO) obtained from a local ecotype called “Beldiya.” Methods. The extraction of HSO was carried out by cold press method. Then, the fatty acid and tocopherol composition was analyzed, respectively, by GC-FID and HPLC. The hypolipidemic activity of HSO at a dose of 3.5 and 7 mg/kg body weight was evaluated in Triton WR-1339-induced hyperlipidemic mice by measuring plasma cholesterol (total lipid, HDL, and LDL), plasma triglycerides, and atherogenic index using enzymatic methods. Fenofibrate was used as a standard hypolipidemic drug at a dose of 3.5 mg/kg body weight. Results. Analyzed HSO shows a high unsaturated fatty acids’ content with the dominance of linoleic acid (48.85%), oleic acid (21.82%), as well as α- and γ-linolenic acid (14.72%). The result demonstrates that this typical vegetable oil contains a high concentration of γ-tocopherol (456 mg·kg−1 oil). Furthermore, the administration of HSO decreases plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-cholesterol while increases HDL-cholesterol. Consequently, the HSO reduces the atherogenic index and LDL/HDL ratio. The hypolipidemic effect of fenofibrate is relatively more marked comparatively to that of HSO especially concerning total cholesterol and its LDL fraction. Conclusions. The local ecotype HSO has an interesting effect on plasma lipid parameters and might be beneficial for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and prevention of atherosclerosis.

Honey is a bee product relatively expensive; therefore, it has been a target of adulteration by many sweeteners. In this work, we evaluated the good quality, authenticity, and content in bioactive molecules of twenty-two Moroccan honey from different botanical origins and geographical areas. For that, the following analyses were determined: the content in total protein and especially the major royal jelly protein (apalbumin 1), the analysis of total acidity, free acidity, lactonic acidity, pH, ash, Pfund, electrical conductivity, and moisture. In addition, the content of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, the dosage of polyphenols, flavones, and flavonols, and the antioxidant activities were assessed. All analyzed samples had good antioxidant activities and present a source of antioxidant compounds, the predominant mineral in all honey samples was potassium, and the physicochemical parameters are in line with the standards’ recommended limits. The content of honey samples in total protein and apalbumin 1 ranged between 212 μg/g and 4121.2 μg/g and between 27.4 μg/g and 790.82 μg/g, respectively. Overall, the detection of apalbumin 1 in all honey samples and the results of physicochemical parameters, minerals, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activities confirm the authenticity and no adulteration of Moroccan honey.

Bee pollen is a hive product made up of flower pollen grains, nectar, and bee salivary secretions that beekeepers can collect without damaging the hive. Bee pollen, also called bee-collected pollen, contains a wide range of nutritious elements, including proteins, carbs, lipids, and dietary fibers, as well as bioactive micronutrients including vitamins, minerals, phenolic, and volatile compounds. Because of this composition of high quality, this product has been gaining prominence as a functional food, and studies have been conducted to show and establish its therapeutic potential for medical and food applications. In this context, this work aimed to provide a meticulous summary of the most relevant data about bee pollen, its composition—especially the phenolic compounds—and its biological and/or therapeutic properties as well as the involved molecular pathways.

The current work was designed to evaluate the antioxidant activity and antidiabetic effect of Ficus carica L. extracts. For that, the leaves and buds of Ficus carica L. were analyzed to determine their polyphenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity. Diabetes was induced by a single dose of alloxan monohydrate (65 mg/kg body weight), then diabetic rats were treated with a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight of the methanolic extracts of Ficus carica leaves or buds or their combination for 30 days. Throughout the experiment, blood sugar and body weight were measured every 5 and 7 days respectively. At the end of the experiment, serum and urine were collected for analysis of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, uric acid, urea, proteins, sodium, potassium, and chloride. Pancreas, liver, and kidney were removed to estimate catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione activities; lipid peroxidation products were also determined. The results obtained revealed that alloxan has induced hyperglycemia, increased liver and renal biomarkers levels, reduced antioxidative enzymes, and induced lipid peroxidation. However, the treatment with Ficus carica leaf and bud extracts, especially their combination, has attenuated all pharmacological perturbations induced by alloxan.

The foremost objective of this work is to assess the microcapsules composition (polymer-based and polymer/clay-based) effect, on the release of rosemary essential oil into w/o medium and evaluate their antioxidant activity. Calcium alginate (CA) and calcium alginate/montmorillonite hybrid (CA-MTN) microcapsules were developed following an ionotropic crosslinking gelation and were used as host materials for the encapsulation of rosemary essential oil. The unloaded/loaded CA and hybrid CA-MTN microcapsules were characterized by Fourier transform infra-red (FT-ATR) spectroscopy, thermal analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and DPPH assay. The evaluation of the microcapsule’s physicochemical properties has shown that the clay filling with montmorillonite improved the microcapsule’s properties. The encapsulation efficiency improved significantly in hybrid CA-MTN microcapsules and exhibited higher values ranging from 81 for CA to 83% for hybrid CA-MTN and a loading capacity of 71 for CA and 73% for hybrid CA-MTN, owing to the large adsorption capacity of the sodic clay. Moreover, the hybrid CA-MTN microcapsules showed a time-extended release of rosemary essential oil compared to CA microcapsules. Finally, the DPPH assay displayed a higher reduction of free radicals in hybrid CA-MNT-REO (12.8%) than CA-REO (10%) loaded microcapsules. These results proved that the clay–alginate combination provides microcapsules with enhanced properties compared to the polymer-based microcapsules.

Moringa oleifera, also called miracle tree, is a pharmaceutically important plant with a multitude of nutritional, medicinal, and therapeutic attributes. In the current study, an in-vitro-based elicitation approach was used to enhance the commercially viable bioactive compounds in an in vitro callus culture of M. oleifera. The callus culture was established and exposed to different monochromatic lights to assess the potentially interactive effects on biomass productions, biosynthesis of pharmaceutically valuable secondary metabolites, and antioxidant activity. Optimum biomass production (16.7 g/L dry weight), total phenolic contents (TPC: 18.03 mg/g), and flavonoid contents (TFC: 15.02 mg/g) were recorded in callus cultures placed under continuous white light (24 h), and of other light treatments. The highest antioxidant activity, i.e., ABTS (550.69 TEAC µM) and FRAP (365.37 TEAC µM), were also noted under white light (24 h). The analysis of phytochemicals confirmed the significant impact of white light exposures on the enhanced biosynthesis of plant secondary metabolites. The enhanced levels of secondary metabolites, i.e., kaempferol (1016.04 µg/g DW), neochlorogenic acid (998.38 µg/g DW), quercetin (959.92 µg/g DW), and minor compounds including luteolin, apigenin, and p-coumaric acid were observed as being highest in continuous white light (24 h with respect to the control (photoperiod). Similarly, blue light enhanced the chlorogenic acid accumulation. This study shows that differential spectral lights demonstrate a good approach for the enhancement of nutraceuticals along with novel pharmacologically important metabolites and antioxidants in the in vitro callus culture of M. oleifera.

Traditional herbal medicine is still used for basic healthcare by a significant portion of the population in developing countries. This study aimed to explore the medicinal plant’s diversity and to document related traditional knowledge in the Safi region of Morocco. We used semi-structured questionnaires to interview 222 informants living in the study area. To perform data analysis, we used quantitative indices like use value (UV), family use value (FUV), fidelity level (FL), the relative popularity level (RPL), rank of order priority (ROP), and informant consensus factor (ICF). We reported the ethnomedicinal uses of 144 medicinal plants belonging to 64 families. According to the findings, the dominating families were Lamiaceae (17 taxa), Asteraceae (15 taxa), and Apiaceae (12 taxa). The most commonly utilized plant part (48%) was leaves. The decoction was reported as the main preparation method (42%). Highly cited plant species were Marrubium vulgare (UV = 0.56), Salvia rosmarinus Spenn. (UV = 0.47), Thymus serpyllum (UV = 0.32), and Dysphania ambrosioides (UV = 0.29). Papaveraceae (FUV = 0.26), and Urticaceae (FUV= 0.23), Geraniaceae (FUV = 0.17), Oleaceae (FUV = 0.17), Lamiaceae (FUV = 0.17) had the highest family use-values. Gastrointestinal disorders (88%), respiratory diseases (85%), and anemia (66%) have the greatest ICF values. This study reveals the indigenous people’s reliance on plant-derived traditional medicine to prevent, alleviate, and treat a broad range of health concerns. Our findings will provide a scientific basis for ethnomedicinal legacy conservation and further scientific investigations aimed at new natural bioactive molecules discovery.

Flavonoids are secondary metabolites that represent a heterogeneous family of plant polyphenolic compounds. Recent research has determined that the health benefits of fruits and vegetables, as well as the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants, are based on the presence of various bioactive natural products, including a high proportion of flavonoids. With current trends in plant metabolite research, flavonoids have become the center of attention due to their significant bioactivity associated with anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial activities. However, the use of traditional approaches, widely associated with the production of flavonoids, including plant extraction and chemical synthesis, has not been able to establish a scalable route for large-scale production on an industrial level. The renovation of biosynthetic pathways in plants and industrially significant microbes using advanced genetic engineering tools offers substantial promise for the exploration and scalable production of flavonoids. Recently, the co-culture engineering approach has emerged to prevail over the constraints and limitations of the conventional monoculture approach by harnessing the power of two or more strains of engineered microbes to reconstruct the target biosynthetic pathway. In this review, current perspectives on the biosynthesis and metabolic engineering of flavonoids in plants have been summarized. Special emphasis is placed on the most recent developments in the microbial production of major classes of flavonoids. Finally, we describe the recent achievements in genetic engineering for the combinatorial biosynthesis of flavonoids by reconstructing synthesis pathways in microorganisms via a co-culture strategy to obtain high amounts of specific bioactive compounds

The aim of this research is to profile the chemical composition of the essential oil (EO) extracted from the aerial parts of Origanum elongatum (O. elongatum) and to evaluate its antioxidant, antibacterial and insecticidal activities on Ceratitis capitata adults. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) revealed a total of 27 constituents in EO of O. elongatum, which accounted for 99.08% of its constituents. Carvacrol (57.32%) was a main component, followed by p-cymene (14.70%) and γ-terpinene (9.84%). The antioxidant activity of O. elongatum EO was investigated using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), FRAP (Ferric reducing antioxidant power), and TCA (the total antioxidant capacity) methods. This EO exhibited a remarkable antiradical and reducing power against DPPH (IC50 = 2.855 ± 0.018μL/mL), FRAP (EC0.5 = 0.124 ± 0.013µL/mL) and TCA (IC50 = 14.099 ± 0.389 mg AAE/g of the EO). The antibacterial tests in vitro, using the disc and dilution methods, were carried out on nine pathogenic bacteria isolated from the hospital patients, such as Enterococcus faecalis, Serratia fonticola, Staphylococcus aureus, Acinétobacter baumannii, Klebsiella oxytoca, Klebsiella pneumoniae sensible, E.coli sensible, E.coli resistante, and Enterobacter aerogenes. The EO demonstrated a considerable antibacterial activity with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) from 2 to 8 µL/mL against all strains except Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 32 µL/mL). Regarding the insecticidal activity, the fumigation test indicated a high efficacy (100% mortality), and a lethal dose of LD50 = 17 ± 0.53 μL/L air was found after 24 h of exposureTherefore, O. elongatum EO could be utilized as a natural antioxidant, antibiotic and biopesticides.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as a novel elicitor for enhanced biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in in vitro plant cell cultures. The current study was aimed to explore elicitation abilities of ZnO-NPs for enhanced accumulation of lignans and neolignans in cell cultures of Linum usitatissimum. We optimized concentration of zinc oxide NPs before carrying out a full-fledged experiment. Subsequently, an optimum dose of 100 mg/l was introduced into the culture medium on day 0, days 0 and 15, and finally days 0 and 25. We observed that repeated elicitation stimulated various parameters and physiological responses in Linum usitatissimum cell cultures than one-time elicitation. Repeated elicitation of cell cultures on day 0 and 15 resulted in highest fresh weight (412.16 g/l) and lignans production (secoisolariciresinol diglucoside 284.12 mg/l: lariciresinol diglucoside 86.97 mg/l). Contrarily, repeated elicitation on day 0 and 25 resulted in highest DW (13.53 g/l), total phenolic production (537.44 mg/l), total flavonoid production (123.83 mg/l) and neolignans production (dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol glucoside 493.28 mg/l: guaiacylglycerol-β-coniferyl alcohol ether glucoside 307.69 mg/l). Enhancement in plant growth and secondary metabolites accumulation was several fold higher than controls. Furthermore, a linear relationship existed between total phenolic and flavonoid contents which in turn was correlated with higher antioxidant activities.

The main objective of the present study is to estimate, through differential analysis, various biological activities of total phenolics content in alcoholic extracts of three date palm varieties sensitive or resistant to Fusarium oxysporum. sp Albidinis. Here, stilbene products with antioxidant and bioactive capacities were evidenced in resistant variety Taabdount (TAAR). Furthermore, the methanolic fraction of the TAAR-resistant date palm variety contains a significant product, determined by LC-MS/MS and 1H, 13C NMR, belonging to the family of hydroxystilbenes, which exhibits antioxidant capacities, inhibits the mushroom tyrosinase activity, and activates and exerts a protective effect on hypochlorite-induced damage in 20S proteasome of human dermal fibroblast aged cells. Altogether, the present results indicate that hydroxystilbene present in resistant Phoenix dactylifera L. should be studied to understand the way that the stilbene could exert anti-aging ability.

The present work was aimed to study the toxicity of the essential oils of three aromatic and medicinal plants on the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta and the Medfly Ceratitis capitata as an alternative to conventional pesticides. We carried out a phytochemical and insecticide study of T. zygis L., S. officinalis L. and M. suaveolens Ehrh. essential oils (EOs) through the study of their chemical composition and their toxicity on C. capitata adults and T. absoluta larvae. The extraction of the EOs by hydrodistillation showed yields of 3.87 ± 0.03, 4.09 ± 0.23 and 4.35 ± 0.11 for T. zygis, S. officinalis L. and M. suaveolens Ehrh., respectively. The identification of the chemical composition of the EOs by GC/MS showed that oxygenated monoterpenes constituted the most abundant group for all the extracted EOs. The major compounds were rather diversified depending on plant species. In fact, the S. officinalis L. EO mainly contained trans-thujone (21.80 %), the M. suaveolens Ehrh. EO mainly contained piperitenone oxide (71.19%), and carvacrol (61.60%) was the main component of the T. zygis L. EO. An insecticidal effect was observed for the three studied EOs on C. capitata adults and T. absoluta larvae. The observed LD50 values were 0.80 µL/mL and 11.04 µL/mL for M. suaveolens and S. officinalis, respectively, on T. absoluta larvae. For C. capitata adults, the obtained LD50 values were 0.9 µL/mL and 11.78 µL/mL for M. suaveolens and T. zygis, respectively. The presented findings could contribute to the development of biopesticides for plants as a component of integrated pest management strategies in citrus and tomato crops.

Kelussia odoratissima Mozaff. is a medicinal species native to Iran. The goal of this research was to determine the environmental factors important for the distribution of K. doratissima in Iran using BMLR modeling. Six random transects were established throughout the species’ habitat, and 220 quadrats with an area of 4 m2 were plotted. The canopy cover percentages of K. doratissima were estimated in each quadrat. Topographic factors, including elevation, slope, and aspect maps, were generated by creating DEM images. Land use, land evaluation, evaporation, temperature, and precipitation maps of the area were created accordingly. The data collected from the experiments were analyzed using the Minitab and R statistical packages. To determine the effect of the studied factors in the distribution of K. doratissima, we ran a set of backward multiple linear regressions. The results showed that the effects of evaporation, elevation, and slope were significant in the species’ distribution, with elevation having a positive effect and evaporation and slope showing negative effects. Further, elevation had the highest effect on distribution (greatest absolute value of beta at 9.660). The next most significant factors in the plant’s distribution were evaporation (beta = 8.282) and slope (beta = 0.807), respectively.

Background: Carbohydrate digestive enzymes play a major role in the management of the postprandial hyperglycemia. A chronic hyperglycemia can lead to serious health problems due to excessive production of several reactive oxygen species. Therefore, the inhibition of carbohydrate digestive enzyme and the use of antioxidant natural product can be an important strategy to control the glycaemia level and prevent against the complication of diabetes. Aim: The study aims to perform a phytochemical analysis, antioxidant activity, inhibitory effect on α -amylase, α -glucosidase (in vitro and in vivo) and the intestinal glucose absorption in Wistar rats of Artemisia campestris aqueous extract (AcAE) and hydro-ethanolic extract (AcEE). Results: The test of total phenolic content, show that the AcAE has the highest quantity of polyphenol (44.65 ± 0.54 μ g GAE/mg extract) compared to the AcEE (31.7 ± 0.53 μ g GAE/mg extract) significantly. The amount of flavonoid and condensed tannins content in AcAE is 24.41 ± 3.57 μ g QrE/mg extract, 14.31 ± 5.26 μ g CE/mg respectively. The AcAE has also exhibit a great antioxidant activity in DPPH-scavenging and Ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) compared to AcEE with an IC 50 = 0.355 ± 0.057 mg/mL and IC 50 = 0.269 ± 0.025 mg/mL. However, in a β -carotene bleaching assay the AcEE has the highest effect with an IC 50 = 0.319 ± 0.097 mg/mL. The both extract of Artemisia campestris L. (250 mg/kg) decreased postprandial hyperglycemia in the normal and alloxane diabetic rats in a very significant manner after starch or sucrose administration as an α -amylase and α -glucosidase substrate respectively. This result is confirmed in vitro by a remarkable inhibitory effect on α -amylase digestive enzymes by an IC 50 = 1.259 ± 0.128 mg/mL and IC 50 = 0.602 ± 0.072 mg/mL receptively for AcAE and AcEE. For the α -glucosidase enzyme, the both extracts significantly inhibit α -glucosidase activity compared to the control and they are almost similar to each other. Using a jejunum perfusion technique (in situ), Artemisia campestris L. decrease the intestinal D-glucose absorption activity significantly compared to the control and comparable to the Phlorizin used as a positive control by an amount of glucose absorbed equal a 6.53 ± 0.57, 5.34 ± 0.64 and 4.71 ± 0.24 mg/10 cm/h, for AcAE, AcEE and Phlorizin respectively. Conclusions: These results showed that the Artemisia campestris L. has highest phenolic content, antioxidant activity and demonstrated a postprandial anti-hyperglycemic effect via the inhibiting of the carbohydrate digestive enzyme ( α -amylase and α -glucosidase) and the intestinal glucose absorption.