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In order to highlight the activities of bioactive compounds present in the stem of sweet cherries, four different cultivars (Van, Burlat, Napoleon, and Cœur pigeon) were collected in Sefrou city in Morocco and were studied. Several assays were performed for this purpose, such as the quantification of phenolic compounds (TPC, TFC, and CTC) and the evaluation of the antioxidant activity using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. The phenolic profile of each extract was characterized by UHPLC-DAD/MS analysis. The antidiabetic (α-amylase inhibition) and antigout (xanthine oxidase inhibition) activities were also investigated. The results showed high levels of phenolic compounds, with the values of 340 ± 12.06, 244 ± 10.20, 232 ± 5.07, and 19 ± 3.10 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract for the cultivars Napoleon, Coeur de pigeon, Van, and Burlat, respectively. According to the same order, the flavonoids showed amounts of 34.31 ± 2.08, 23.75 ± 1.02, 24.37 ± 1.20, and 23.31 ± 0.90 mg (rutin equivalent) RE/g extract. These values were correlated with the results of the antioxidant assays, where the Napoleon cultivar proved to be the most potent using the DPPH (IC50 = 2.51 µg/mL) and ABTS (IC50 = 55.38 µg/mL) assays. The phenolic profile of each extract resulted in the identification of twenty-two compounds belonging to five distinct groups. The major phenolic compounds identified were sakuranetin and dihydrowgonin with their glucosides. Antidiabetic activity assays showed that only stem extracts from Burlat and Napoleon cultivars were able to inhibit the α-amylase enzyme with values of 85.57 ± 1.09% and 68.01 ± 3.52%, respectively. All stem extracts proved their ability to inhibit the xanthine oxidase enzyme which is directly linked to the gout disease, with a high value for Van cultivar (40.63 ± 2.37%). These new findings could provide new opportunities for the valorization of cherry stems for the pharmaceutical application of their active phytochemicals.

Capparis spinosa L., commonly known as the caper bush, is an aromatic plant growing in most of the Mediterranean basin and some parts of Western Asia. C. spinosa L. has been utilized as a medicinal plant for quite a long time in conventional phytomedicine. Polyphenols and numerous bioactive chemicals extracted from C. spinosa L. display various therapeutic properties that have made this plant a target for further research as a health promoter. This review is meant to systematically summarize the traditional uses, the phytochemical composition of C. spinosa L., and the diverse pharmacological activities, as well as the synthetic routes to derivatives of some identified chemical components for the improvement of biological activities and enhancement of pharmacokinetic profiles. This review also addresses the benefits of C. spinosa L. in adapting to climate change and the socio-economic value that C. spinosa L. brings to the rural economies of many countries.

Capparis spinosa L., known as caper, is an aromatic plant growing in most of the Mediterranean basin and some parts in the west of Asia. C. spinosa L. has been utilized as a medicinal plant for quite a long time in conventional phytomedicine. Polyphenols and numerous bioactive chemicals extracted from C. spinosa L. display various therapeutic properties that have made this plant a target for further research as a health promoter. This review is meant to systematically summarize the traditional uses, the phytochemical composition of C. spinosa L., and the diverse pharmacological activities, as well as the synthetic routes to derivatives of some identified chemical components for the improvement of biological activities and enhancement of pharmacokinetic profiles. This review also addresses the benefits of C. spinosa L. in adapting to climate change and the socio-economic value that C. spinosa L. brings to the rural economies of many countries.

This work is aimed the study of volatile compounds of Centauruim erythraea Raphin at three developmental stages (vegetative, flowering and post-flowering) and the investigation of their in vitro antioxidant, antidiabetic, dermatoprotective and antibacterial properties. The chemical composition of Centauruim erythraea essential oils (CEEO) was determined using GC/MS analysis. 39 volatile compounds were identified, belonging mainly to oxygenated monoterpenes, 51.63%, 44.10% and 53.69% at the vegetative, flowering and post-flowering stage, respectively. Menthol, carvacrol and tricosane were the main compounds of CEEO at the three developmental stages. The antioxidant effects of CEEO were determined by DPPH, FRAP and ABTS assays. CEEO at the flowering stage showed the best antioxidant effects by an IC50 = 47.18 ± 3.62 μg/mL, IC50 = 53.25 ± 2.19 μg/mL, IC50 = 65.34 ± 3.71 μg/mL determined by DPPH, FRAP and ABTS assays, respectively. The in vitro antidiabetic effect was evaluated by α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes inhibitory. CEEO at vegetative stage demonstrated a remarkable α-amylase (IC50 = 31.91 ± 0.336 μg/mL) and α-glucosidase (IC50 = 56.77 ± 1.02 μg/mL) inhibitory activities. Moreover, CEEO at the flowering and post-flowering stage strongly inhibited the tyrosinase enzyme with IC50 of 41.863 ± 0.031 μg/mL IC50 = 49.183 ± 0.298 μg/mL, respectively. The antibacterial effects were evaluated by determining the diameters of inhibition, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). CEEO showed important antibacterial inhibition at three seasonal stages and particularly against Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. Moreover, CEEO at post-flowering stage presented bactericidal effects especially against S. aureus (MIC = MBC = 0.125% (v/v)), L. monocytogenes (MIC = MBC = 0.125% (v/v)), and Proteus mirabilis (MIC = MBC = 0.125% (v/v)). The results obtained in this study show that the biological properties of CEEO are mainly depending to phenological stages, during which volatile bioactive synthesis occurs.

Essential oils possess remarkable biological properties, which constitute an important source for the development of bioactive compounds used in alternative medicine. This work aimed to determine the volatile compounds Pistacia lentiscus L. essential oils extracted from leaves and fruits and to evaluate their anticancer, antioxidant, antibacterial and antiparasitic activities. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis allowed the identification of 22 compounds in P. lentiscus essential oils. The main components of P. lentiscus leaves essential oils are myrcene (33.46%) and α-pinene (19.20%), while limonene (18.26%) and α-pinene (20.46%) were the major components of P. lentiscus fruits essential oils. The antioxidant activity was determined by ABTS, FRAP and DPPH tests. P. lentiscus fruits essential oils showed interesting antioxidant effects than P. lentiscus leaves essential oils by an antioxidant capacity values of IC50 = 29.64 ± 3.04 μg/mL, IC50 = 38.57 ± 4.22 μg/mL, and IC50 = 73.80 ± 3.96 μg/mL revealed by DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS assay respectively. The anticancer effect was investigated on RD and L20b adenocarcinoma cancerous cell lines. P. lentiscus fruits essential oils showed remarkable cytotoxic effects on RD and L20B cell lines at IC50 values of 26.43 ± 2.18 μg/mL and 33.02 ± 2.84 μg/mL, respectively. The antiparasitic effects were assessed against three Leishmania species (Leishmania infantum, Leishmania major, and Leishmania tropica) using MTT assay. P. lentiscus leaves essential oils showed an important cytotoxicity against L. major (IC50 = 17.52 ± 1.26 μg/mL) than P. lentiscus fruits essential oils IC50 = 21.42 ± 2.92 μg/mL, while, P. lentiscus fruits essential oils showed more activity against L. infantum (IC50 = 08 ± 0.83 μg/mL) than P. lentiscus leaves essential oils (IC50 = 11.28 ± 1.63 μg/mL). Furthermore, P. lentiscus essential oils were tested against six reference strains. Pistacia lentiscus essential oils exhibited the highest antibacterial inhibition on Proteus mirabilis by diameters values of 35 ± 1.33 mm and P. lentiscus fruits essential oils 33 ± 2.5 mm, respectively. However, P. lentiscus fruits essential oils was exhibited the lowest MIC against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (0.125% (v/v)). Moreover, the action of P. lentiscus essential oils against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was investigated by membrane permeability and membrane integrity assays. P. lentiscus leaves essential oils showed interesting bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects against P. aeruginosa (MIC = MBC = 0.25% (v/v)). P. lentiscus essential oils showed remarkable anticancer, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. However, further investigations are needed to validate the medicinal applications of these essential oils and their main compounds.

This work aims to determine the antioxidant, antibacterial properties and chemical profile of the essential oil (EO) of Lavandula multifida (LM) at the flowering stage collected in northwestern Morocco. So far, information on essential oils of L. multifida remains limited. The extraction yield of the essential oil was 0.46%. The composition was determined by GC-MS-FID. Twenty compounds were identified and the major phytochemicals were carvacrol, ß-bisabolene, and careophyllene oxide (44.3%, 31.9%, and 5.8% respectively). In addition, information on the essential oil of L. multifida collected in the Rabat region is reported for the first time in this study. DPPH and FRAP tests were used to evaluate its antioxidant activity. Antibacterial activities were also studied. Indeed, the essential oil of L. multifida exhibited inhibition effects on the growth of various microorganisms, including S. aureus where the MIC and MBC were equal to 0.5 and 2μg/ml, respectively. Therefore, the use of Lavandula multifida essential oil shows great promise in various fields.

Origanum compactum Benth., is a Moroccan medicinal plant known by its local name as Zaatar. In Morocco, it has various traditional applications such as the use to treat diabetes, metabolic disorders, digestive, and respiratory problems. In this review, we critically highlighted current investigations on the ethnopharmacological studies, the phytochemistry, pharmacological investigations, biotechnological applications, and future perspective of O. compactum. A bibliometric electronic search in worldwide accepted scientific databases such as ScienceDirect, PubMed, SpringerLink, Web of Science, Scopus, Wiley Online, and Google Scholar was carried out to gather on O. compactum. Chemical analysis using GC-MS and/or HPLC allowed the identification of several bioactive compounds such as terpenoids and phenolic acids. Furthermore, O. compactum extracts and essential oils have been tested for various biological activities such as antibacterial, antioxidant, antiparasitic, antifungal, and anticancer effects. Moreover, an alignment between traditional use and biological effects was demonstrated, in particular for the antimicrobial activity. These properties are related to O. compactum bioactive components, especially the volatile compounds such as thymol and carvacrol. The pharmacological mechanisms involve several cellular and molecular targeted actions. Moreover, the biological potential of this species had led some laboratories to apply the biotechnological tools for its regeneration. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Origanum compactum is applied as traditional drug against different illnesses and for food preservation. Scientific investigations proved the application of O. compactum essential oils in food industries as antioxidants and antimicrobials. These volatile compounds could be applied also in pharmaceutical industries, in particular as antibacterial, antifungal, and antileishmanial drugs. Moreover, further investigations concerning toxicological evidences and pharmacokinetic as well as pharmacodynamic mechanistic targets and clinical trials could develop anticancer, antimalaria and anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic drugs. Finally, the results of the findings of these purposes encourage other research groups to carry out further investigations on the pharmacological properties of O. compactum.

Two approaches for sulfonamides (SA's) determination, based on carbonic anhydrase enzyme inhibition have been investigated in this work. In the first method, nine different SA's have been screened using simultaneous multiphotometric measurement in multiwell plates. The sulfanilamide (SAD) showed significant inhibition compared to other sulfonamides. The carbonic anhydrase (CA) kinetic interactions reveal noncompetitive binding of SAD. Interferences from other inhibitors with enzyme were studied and the results showed very good selectivity toward SAD. In the second approach, an electrochemical enzyme inhibition biosensor, based on CA entrapped in a carbon paste electrode using carbon black nanoparticles and solid paraffin, was successfully applied to SAD measurements. Results from the quantitative analysis of SAD are discussed in terms of detection limit, linear range and sensitivity using multiphotometric and biosensor-based methods The biosensor developed was successfully applied to the determination of SAD at submicromolar levels and it is recommended for application for in situ analysis.

The aim of this study was the investigation of the in vitro antioxidant, antidiabetic, dermatoprotective, antidermatophyte, and antibacterial properties of Mentha viridis essential oil (MVEO). Chemical composition of MVEO was determined using GC-MS analysis. Antioxidant activity was estimated by three complementary methods: DPPH, FRAP and ABTS. The in vitro antidiabetic effect was evaluated by the inhibition of α-Amylase and α-Glucosidase. Inhibitory effects of tyrosinase and elastase were used to reveal the dermatoprotective property of MVEO. Antibacterial activity was tested against five strains using agar well diffusion assay and microtitration method. The chemical composition determination of MVEO revealed the presence of carvone (37.26), 1.8-Cineole (11.82), and Terpinen-4-ol (08.72%) as the main compounds. MVEO presented remarkable antioxidant effects by IC50 values of 80.45 ± 1.86 μg/mL, 101.78 ± 3.14 μg/mL, and 139.59 ± 3.12 μg/mL obtained by DPPH, FRAP and ABTS tests respectively. In vitro inhibition of enzymes implicated in hydrocarbures degradation showed that MVEO exhibited important inhibitory effects against α-Amylase (IC50 = 101.72 ± 1.86 μg/mL) and α-Glucosidase (IC50 = 86.93 ± 2.43 μg/mL). Moreover, MVEO demonstrated remarkable inhibition of tyrosinase (IC50 = 55.13 ± 1.01 μg/mL) and elastase (IC50 = 114.24 ± 1.22 μg/mL). The antifungal activity showed important inhibitions of three dermatophyte species (T. mentagrophytes, T. tonsurans and T. violaceum). The antibacterial activity showed an important bactericidal action against tested strains, especially, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes (MIC = MBC = 0.25%). The findings of this work showed that volatile components of MVEO could constitute a new source for antioxidant, antidiabetic, dermatoprotective, antidermatophyte and antibacterial properties. However, further investigations regarding the isolation of MVEO main compounds and investigations of their biological properties are required.

A commercial kit (Gly-Pro), usually used for clinical diagnosis relative to diabetes, was employed to estimate the effect of heat treatment applied to food and also protein–sugar model systems. The assay employs two enzymatic reagents that react with glycated proteins that result from the Maillard reaction; the hydrogen peroxide produced is then consumed in a colorimetric reaction. Food samples and model systems were heated and incubated at different temperatures and holding times. The enzymatic method was demonstrated to be useful for detecting early products of the Maillard reaction. However, the Gly-Pro kit seems to be specific for glucose binding proteins.

A new method based on the use of a two-phase separation system is proposed for the clean-up of aflatoxins after their extraction from food samples. After extraction from the sample with an appropriate solvent, aflatoxins contained in organic solvent diffuse to the aqueous phase. At that stage their relative concentration is measured fluorimetrically at 350 nm (λexc). Different organic solvents were tested, and the composition of the aqueous phase was varied. The data obtained showed that the best efficiencies were observed with toluene and PBS-65% methanol. The method was simpler and shorter, and capable of monitoring aflatoxins in samples with a LOD equal to 0.3 µg kg−1 (AFB1). However, the proposed method shows limited selectivity and could thus serve as a screening method for total aflatoxins or be combined with chromatographic techniques for individual aflatoxin determination.

A novel method of extraction has been developed to avoid the presence of heavy metals during the measurement of pesticides based on acetylcholinesterase (AchE) inhibition. Heavy metals have been in fact demonstrated in this article to interfere when the assay is performed by using the classic spectrophotometric Ellman's method. We present the results obtained with an assay system using two different phases, one organic and the other aqueous, in which the pesticide and the enzyme are, respectively, solubilized. In a first step, the concentration of the substrate acetylthiocholine (1mM), of the enzyme (7mUmL 21 ), and the reaction time (20min) for measurement of enzyme activity were optimized in aqueous solution. Next, the effect of an organic phase on the enzyme activity was studied by the addition of various solvents with the activity being evaluated after 10min of mixing. It was found that by using hexane, the enzyme retained almost 100% of its

The electrocatalytic activity of copper‐modified gold electrodes has been investigated for the simultaneous detection of glucose and starch using α‐amyloglucosidase in solution. The amperometric response of glucose at the modified gold electrode was monitored for different copper loadings (0.04, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 mg cm−2), that of 0.2 mg cm−2 deposited on the electrode surface being chosen for further investigation. The surface characteristics were confirmed by the electrochemical impedance spectra. The oxidation of glucose and starch was studied by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) in order to determine the best applied potential for measuring glucose in the presence of starch, a value of +0.4 V vs. SCE being selected. The glucose detection limit at +0.4 V is equal to 0.64 mg L−1 in the absence of starch. The same detection limit was found after adding 200 mg L−1 starch to the cell. The properties of the copper‐deposited films were investigated in 0.15 M NaOH solution for the determination of α‐amy...

Analytical technology based on sensors is an extremely broad field which impacts on many major industrial sectors such as the pharmaceutical, healthcare, food, and agriculture industries as well as environmental monitoring. This review will highlight the research carried out during the last 5 years on biosensors that are based on enzyme inhibition for determination of pollutants and toxic compounds in a wide range of samples. Here the different enzymes implicated in the inhibition, different transducers forming the sensing devices, and the different contaminants analyzed are considered. The general application of the various biosensors developed, with emphasis on food and environmental applications, is reviewed as well as the general approaches that have been used for enzyme immobilization, the enzyme catalysis, and the inhibition mechanism.