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This study aimed to enhance antioxidant extraction from the aquatic plant Cymodocea nodosa for cosmetic formulation through optimized ultrasound-assisted extraction using response surface methodology. The optimized conditions—30 min of extraction time, 30% ultrasonic power, and 25% hydro-ethanolic solvent—resulted in a high total phenolic content of 113.07 mg EAG/g DM and antioxidant activity of 67.02%. Chromatographic analysis revealed a rich profile of phenolic compounds, including sinapic acid (0.741 mg/g), myricetin (0.62 mg/g), and quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (0.3 mg/g), demonstrating the extract’s potent therapeutic properties. While the extract exhibited limited anti-inflammatory activity, it showed no cytotoxic effects on RAW 267.4 cells, ensuring its safety for cosmetic applications. The formulated cream maintained stable pH (6.58 to 6.6), consistent viscosity (5966.38 to 5980.6 cp), and minimal color changes over a 30-day period, indicating robust stability across various temperatures (4 °C, 25 °C, and 40 °C). These results confirm the potential of C. nodosa extracts to develop effective, stable, and eco-friendly cosmetic products, offering substantial benefits for skin health and emphasizing the importance of sustainable extraction processes in the cosmetics industry.

Nitraria retusa is an edible halophyte shrub that is known for its high importance in folk medicine and ecology. . The fruits are tasty, eaten by humans and birds and are used to prepare a refreshing juice. The fleshy and bitter leaves of N. retusa, mixed with water, were used to make poultices, which are applied to reduce swellings. The dry leaves are used, in decoction, as a substitute for tea. Many phytochemical studies on this plant showed its diversity in active compounds such as phenolic compounds. In this work, the biochemical analysis and biological effects were investigated for water-ethanol/methanol/acetone extracted from leaves, flowers, stems, and fruits using two different extraction methods. Results revealed that polyphenol amounts were highest in leaves extracted by hydroethanolic decoction method with 46.97 mg GAE/g DW. Ethanol 70% leaves extracts has the highest contents of condensed tannins with 26.06 mg Cat/g DW by decoction, followed by methanol 70% water. Furthermore, four flavonoids were identified by HPLC-DAD: Luteolin 7-O-glucoside, Rutin, Kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside, and Isorhamnetin 3-O-rutinoside. For antioxidant activity, ethanol fraction was renowned for a high total antioxidant activity with 45.82 mg GAE/g DW and an important antiradical activity with an IC50 of 22.05 µg/mL. The ethanolic extract showed the best activity inhibiting the production of NO• at an IC50 of 36.60 µg/mL. These results show that this plant could be a promising source of bioactive substances and can be used for the production of juices and functional food supplements.

This study employed the mixture design method to determine optimal solvent combinations, aiming to obtain refined extracts from squash peels with enhanced antioxidant properties. We optimized extraction solvents, focusing on recovering the total phenolic compounds (TPC) and increased antioxidant properties using a second-order polynomial equation through the response surface methodology (RSM). Six solvents (MeOH, Hexane, DCM, EtOAc, BuOH, and water) were assessed for their effects on TPC and antioxidant activity in preliminary experiments. The refined extracts underwent a HPLC analysis for a phenolic composition determination and were further evaluated for their antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity. The results revealed a rich phenolic content in the refined extract from peels of Bejaoui landrace, primarily catechin (8.06 mg/g dry extract (DE)), followed by epicatechin and kaempferol (5 mg/g DE). Antibacterial tests against Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus showed significant antimicrobial activities, especially for Karkoubi and batati landraces, where the growth inhibitions were 99%, 96%, 97%, and 80% and 94%, 89%, 98%, and 96% for the respective bacteria. The peel extracts exhibited a negligible cytotoxicity on the RAW264.7 cell line, even at high concentrations. Our findings emphasize the potential antioxidant and antibacterial properties of peel extracts due to diverse phenolic compounds, suggesting the potential use of squash peels in the food and nutraceuticals industries as sources of natural antimicrobial agents.

The present study aimed to investigate the qualitative and quantitative performance of five green solvents, namely 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (MeTHF), cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME), p-cymene, d-limonene and ethanol to substitute n-hexane, for sesame seed oil extraction. In fact, both CPME and MeTHF gave higher crude yields than n-hexane (58.82, 54.91 and 50.84%, respectively). The fatty acid profile of the sesame seed oils remained constant across all the solvent systems, with a predominance of oleic acid (39.27–44.35%) and linoleic acid (38.88–43.99%). The total sterols gained the upmost amount with CPME (785 mg/100 g oil) and MeTHF (641 mg/100 g oil). CPME and MeTHF were also characterized by the optimum content of tocopherols (52.3 and 50.6 mg/100 g oil, respectively). The highest contents of total phenols in the sesame seed oils were extracted by CPME (23.51 mg GAE/g) and MeTHF (22.53 mg GAE/g) as compared to the other solvents, especially n-hexane (8 mg GAE/g). Additionally, sesame seed oils extracted by MeTHF and CPME also had the highest antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as compared to the other green solvents and n-hexane, encouraging their manufacturing use for sesame seed oil extraction.

Phenolic compounds are valuable cosmetic ingredients. They display skin protective potential and play an important role in preserving cosmetic formulations due to their ability to neutralize free radicals. Considering this fact, the current study aims to obtain a phenolic-enriched fraction from Arbutus unedo for topical application in cosmeceutical products. The chemical composition and the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tyrosinase activities of different extracts from the plant were investigated and compared. Samples were obtained by maceration, reflux, and ultrasound using water and ethanol. The findings indicated that the extraction methods impacted the phytochemical composition of the extracts. The high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC–DAD) analysis showed a wide range of phenolic compounds, comprising phenolic acids and flavonoids. Among the extracts, the water reflux had significant levels of both total polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins and possessed the most important content on hyperoside. It displayed the most significant antioxidant activities with high antiradical and reducing power, as well as strong total antioxidant activity. It possesses a promising whitening effect with high anti-tyrosinase activities. Furthermore, it shows no cytotoxicity and moderate anti-inflammatory activity. Finally, due to its high yield efficiency and activities, water reflux was selected to formulate a cosmeceutical oil-in-water nanoemulsion that displayed optimal pH and stability.

Pistacia lentiscus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Erica multiflora, Calicotome villosa, and Phillyrea latifolia were considered important medicinal herbs and were used to treat various ailments. The present study was designed to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of ethanolic extracts (EEs). P. lentiscus and R. officinalis were the richest species in phenolic compounds. Similarly, both species showed the highest values of flavonoids. While the EEs of P. lentiscus, E. multiflora, and C. villosa had higher amounts of tannins. These phenolic compounds were evaluated by two different tests, namely diphenyl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric iron-reducing power (FRAP). The IC50 values were found to be significant (p < 0.05) for P. lentiscus and E. multiflora. Similarly, both plants showed the highest ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). This study has been conducted to evaluate the antibacterial potential of EEs against selected bacteria—Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Salmonella typhimurium NCTC 6017)—and determine their modes of action. The ethanolic extracts inhibited bacterial growth by producing concentration-dependent zones of inhibition. Treatment with these extracts at their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) showed a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the viability of bacteria. The extracts did not induce total lysis. Bacteria organisms treated with EEs at MICs showed a significant (p < 0.05) loss of tolerance to NaCl (5%). Our results highlighted the use of plant extracts as natural antibacterials that can be safely used in health care and led to the understanding of the antibacterial mechanism of plant extracts.

In Tunisia, the oak forest is essentially restricted to the north-west (Kroumirie and Mogods), which is the wettest zone of the country. It forms ecosystems of great ecological and socio-economic interest. This is a significant source of income for local population. In addition, it contributes to soil conservation and is home to a rich and diversified fauna and flora and offers the region a picturesque landscape. This precious and fragile forest capital is currently threatened under the effect of various pressures, mainly the browsing of young plants being reconstituted and vegetative competition regarding resources of the environment. Hence the interest in studying the intra and interspecific variability of the oak, this study is essentially based on the morphological and physiological comparison of the two species of oak, Quercus suber and Quercus canariensis with their cohabitation in the same area, this variability was carried out by multivariate biostatistical analyzes using a set of data including morphological traits, isotopic analysis of the leaves, water use efficiency, as well as the phenolic composition and antioxidant activities of the leaves extracts. The results showed that leaf morphology and water use efficiency are discriminating factors for differentiation to choose the right specie that will be used for reforestation. The Q. canariensis specie growing in the Bni Mtir region was characterized by a high intrinsic water-use efficiency and high biomass recovery. These results let us suppose that Q. canariensis was the perfect specie for reforestation given its ability to produce a large amount of biomass with less water, which is what environmentalists demand.

This research aimed to study the chemical composition of Aloysia citrodora methanolic extract and its biological activities as an antioxidant, and its antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory activities based on four bioclimatic collection stages. The contents of total phenols, total flavonoids and total tannins were determined. Nine phenolic compounds were identified by LC-DAD–ESI-MS/MS. The major compound was acteoside, a phenylpropanoid which represented about 80% of the methanolic fraction in the various regions. The antioxidant activities of different locations were measured by different analytical assays, such as DPPH, ABTS and iron reducing power. The results showed that phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities varied with climatic and environmental factors. Moreover, there was a significant dependency between regions and biological activities. The use of a principal component analysis showed that there was a close relationship among phenylpropanoids, phenolic compounds and the studied biological activities.

A comparative study of bioactive lipids extraction from black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) and basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) seeds using conventional petroleum-based solvent and green solvent 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (MeTHF) was performed. MeTHF extraction allowed obtaining the highest oil yield in black cumin (34%). Regarding fatty acids composition, linoleic acid (61%) and α-linolenic (78%) were relevant in black cumin and basil green and conventionally extracted oils, respectively. Besides, MeTHF allowed obtaining higher tocopherols and total phenolics contents in black cumin (400 mg/kg of oil and 12 mg EGA/g oil) and basil (317 mg/kg oil and 5 mg EGA/g oil) compared to hexane-extracted ones. The content of major phenolic compounds in the two seed oils, trans-hydroxycinnamic acid, rosmarinic acid, and thymol was enhanced by MeTHF extraction. Furthermore, MeTHF-extracted oils possess stronger antioxidant activities (radical scavenging, total antioxidant, and β-carotene bleaching activities) and high and similar anti-inflammatory capacity to hexane-extracted oils. In conclusion, the results revealed that MeTHF is efficient to replace hazardous solvents to extract oil from black cumin and basil seeds rich in compounds relevant to the human diet, including essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6 and n-3), tocopherols, and phenolic compounds with improved biological activities.

This study aimed to enhance antioxidant extraction from the aquatic plant Cymodocea nodosa for cosmetic formulation through optimized ultrasound-assisted extraction using response surface methodology. The optimized conditions—30 min of extraction time, 30% ultrasonic power, and 25% hydro-ethanolic solvent—resulted in a high total phenolic content of 113.07 mg EAG/g DM and antioxidant activity of 67.02%. Chromatographic analysis revealed a rich profile of phenolic compounds, including sinapic acid (0.741 mg/g), myricetin (0.62 mg/g), and quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (0.3 mg/g), demonstrating the extract's potent therapeutic properties. While the extract exhibited limited anti-inflammatory activity, it showed no cytotoxic effects on RAW 267.4 cells, ensuring its safety for cosmetic applications. The formulated cream maintained stable pH (6.58 to 6.6), consistent viscosity (5966.38 to 5980.6 cp), and minimal color changes over a 30-day period, indicating robust stability across various temperatures (4 °C, 25 °C, and 40 °C). These results confirm the potential of C. nodosa extracts to develop effective, stable, and eco-friendly cosmetic products, offering substantial benefits for skin health and emphasizing the importance of sustainable extraction processes in the cosmetics industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the chemical compositions and the biological activity of coriander and lavender and their combinations. Results showed that coriander and lavender essential oils (EOs) were dominated by oxygenated monoterpenes (79.91-91.89%) owing to the predominance of linalool (25.83-86.63%). Lavender EO had the potent antioxidant (IC50DPPH = 48.53 µg/ml and IC50ABTS = 195.84 µg/ml), anticancer (IP = 54.07%) and anti-inflammatory (IC50 = 64.73 µg/ml) capacities while C. sativum EO was the most effective antidiabetic agent (IC50 = 643.57 µg/ml). The combination of coriander and lavender EOs had enhanced the antiradical ABTS (IC50 = 048.53-187.34 µg/ml) and anti-inflammatory (IC50 = 40.90-60.10 µg/ml) activities. Neutral interaction was detected between coriander and lavender EOs for antiradical DPPH (IC50 = 58.89-82.26 µg/ml) and antidiabetic (IC50 = 690.64-756.94 µg/ml) activities. However, an antagonist effect was produced between coriander and lavender EOs against HT-29 (IP = 11.13-21.52%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stages of maturity have decisive roles in determining the quality and quantity of essential oil (EO). In this regard, EO yield and composition and their antioxidant activity of citron fruit at four fruit maturity stages, i.e. the green mature (GM), intermediate (INT), yellow ripe (MAT) and overripe stage (OR) were studied. Obtained results showed significant effect of fruit maturity on most measured properties. The concentration of EO varied between 0.60 and 0.77% (v/w). The highest amount of limonene was 89.39% related to GM stage. The limonene decreased significantly during maturity. The highest antioxidant activity (76.08%) was measured at the OR stage, which is probably due to the presence of specific compounds in the EO and their synergistic effects. The phytochemical behaviors of this citron variety were different as relation to stages of fruit maturity. We can determine the ideal harvest period for maximum bioactive substances by recognizing these actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employed the mixture design method to determine optimal solvent combinations, aiming to obtain refined extracts from squash peels with enhanced antioxidant properties. We optimized extraction solvents, focusing on recovering the total phenolic compounds (TPC) and increased antioxidant properties using a second-order polynomial equation through the response surface methodology (RSM). Six solvents (MeOH, Hexane, DCM, EtOAc, BuOH, and water) were assessed for their effects on TPC and antioxidant activity in preliminary experiments. The refined extracts underwent a HPLC analysis for a phenolic composition determination and were further evaluated for their antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity. The results revealed a rich phenolic content in the refined extract from peels of Bejaoui landrace, primarily catechin (8.06 mg/g dry extract (DE)), followed by epicatechin and kaempferol (5 mg/g DE). Antibacterial tests against Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus showed significant antimicrobial activities, especially for Karkoubi and batati landraces, where the growth inhibitions were 99%, 96%, 97%, and 80% and 94%, 89%, 98%, and 96% for the respective bacteria. The peel extracts exhibited a negligible cytotoxicity on the RAW264.7 cell line, even at high concentrations. Our findings emphasize the potential antioxidant and antibacterial properties of peel extracts due to diverse phenolic compounds, suggesting the potential use of squash peels in the food and nutraceuticals industries as sources of natural antimicrobial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the qualitative and quantitative performance of five green solvents, namely 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (MeTHF), cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME), p-cymene, d-limonene and ethanol to substitute n-hexane, for sesame seed oil extraction. In fact, both CPME and MeTHF gave higher crude yields than n-hexane (58.82, 54.91 and 50.84%, respectively). The fatty acid profile of the sesame seed oils remained constant across all the solvent systems, with a predominance of oleic acid (39.27–44.35%) and linoleic acid (38.88–43.99%). The total sterols gained the upmost amount with CPME (785 mg/100 g oil) and MeTHF (641 mg/100 g oil). CPME and MeTHF were also characterized by the optimum content of tocopherols (52.3 and 50.6 mg/100 g oil, respectively). The highest contents of total phenols in the sesame seed oils were extracted by CPME (23.51 mg GAE/g) and MeTHF (22.53 mg GAE/g) as compared to the other solvents, especially n-hexane (8 mg GAE/g). Additionally, sesame seed oils extracted by MeTHF and CPME also had the highest antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as compared to the other green solvents and n-hexane, encouraging their manufacturing use for sesame seed oil extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to investigate the variation regarding the chemical composition and biological activities of needles essential oils (EOs) of P. halepensis. Chemical profiles demonstrated a significant (P < 0.05) variability among the different EOs. The main identified compounds were caryophyllene (48.77 ± 2.26), phenyl isovalerate (22.22 ± 2.26), β-myrcene (15.55 ± 5.65) and α-pinene (14.52 ± 2.26). Further, it was shown that EO from Tabouba (Tab) displayed the highest DPPH scavenging (IC50 = 73.03 mg/mL), anti-inflammatory (IC50 = 23.29 µg/mL) and α-glucosidase inhibition activities (IC50 = 254.45 µg/mL). While Elmahres (Elm) exhibited the most potent ABTS radical's inhibition (IC50 = 197.87 mg/mL). For the cytotoxic capacities, Kettana (Ket) was the most efficient against breast cancer MCF-7 cell line with IC50 value better than doxorubicin used as positive control. Obtained results suggest that EO of P. halepensis could be used as a source of bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenolic compounds are valuable cosmetic ingredients. They display skin protective potential and play an important role in preserving cosmetic formulations due to their ability to neutralize free radicals. Considering this fact, the current study aims to obtain a phenolic-enriched fraction from Arbutus unedo for topical application in cosmeceutical products. The chemical composition and the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tyrosinase activities of different extracts from the plant were investigated and compared. Samples were obtained by maceration, reflux, and ultrasound using water and ethanol. The findings indicated that the extraction methods impacted the phytochemical composition of the extracts. The high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC–DAD) analysis showed a wide range of phenolic compounds, comprising phenolic acids and flavonoids. Among the extracts, the water reflux had significant levels of both total polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins and possessed the most important content on hyperoside. It displayed the most significant antioxidant activities with high antiradical and reducing power, as well as strong total antioxidant activity. It possesses a promising whitening effect with high anti-tyrosinase activities. Furthermore, it shows no cytotoxicity and moderate anti-inflammatory activity. Finally, due to its high yield efficiency and activities, water reflux was selected to formulate a cosmeceutical oil-in-water nanoemulsion that displayed optimal pH and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pistacia lentiscus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Erica multiflora, Calicotome villosa, and Phillyrea latifolia were considered important medicinal herbs and were used to treat various ailments. The present study was designed to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of ethanolic extracts (EEs). P. lentiscus and R. officinalis were the richest species in phenolic compounds. Similarly, both species showed the highest values of flavonoids. While the EEs of P. lentiscus, E. multiflora, and C. villosa had higher amounts of tannins. These phenolic compounds were evaluated by two different tests, namely diphenyl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric iron-reducing power (FRAP). The IC50 values were found to be significant (p < 0.05) for P. lentiscus and E. multiflora. Similarly, both plants showed the highest ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). This study has been conducted to evaluate the antibacterial potential of EEs against selected bacteria—Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Salmonella typhimurium NCTC 6017)—and determine their modes of action. The ethanolic extracts inhibited bacterial growth by producing concentration-dependent zones of inhibition. Treatment with these extracts at their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) showed a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the viability of bacteria. The extracts did not induce total lysis. Bacteria organisms treated with EEs at MICs showed a significant (p < 0.05) loss of tolerance to NaCl (5%). Our results highlighted the use of plant extracts as natural antibacterials that can be safely used in health care and led to the understanding of the antibacterial mechanism of plant extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six Tunisian medicinal plants were screened for their phenolic pools, antioxidant activities as well as for their anti-inflammatory and gastro-protective effects. A significant variability in phenolic composition and antioxidant capacities between species were observed. Myrtus communis L. exhibited the highest phenolic contents and composition as well as the best potential antioxidant capacities as rescued by the lowest IC50 and EC50 values. On other hand, the common species excepting Juniperus phoenicea L. showed a noteworthy to moderate anti-inflammatory activity inhibiting NO• release with an IC50 values ranging from 26 to 240 µg/mL. In turn, in vivo gastro-protective effect following HCl/EtOH induced ulcer models displayed that M. communis extract had an important inhibition of gastric lesions correlated to high healing and protection percentages. The visualized data were treated by PCA and Bi-plot analysis which highlighted a positive correlation among phenolic pools and antioxidant activities particularly in M. communis. Besides, statistic clustering allowed us to detect a strong contribution of phenol and flavonoid pools with anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcerogenic effects. Overall, the results obtained in this work indicated that the studied species, particularly Myrtus communis, represent a valuable source of natural agents beneficial for human health in particular for inflammation and gastric diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitraria retusa is an edible halophyte shrub that is known for its high importance in folk medicine and ecology.. The fruits are tasty, eaten by humans and birds and are used to prepare a refreshing juice. The fleshy and bitter leaves of N. retusa, mixed with water, were used to make poultices, which are applied to reduce swellings. The dry leaves are used, in decoction, as a substitute for tea. Many phytochemical studies on this plant showed its diversity in active compounds such as phenolic compounds. In this work, the biochemical analysis and biological effects were investigated for water-ethanol/methanol/acetone extracted from leaves, flowers, stems, and fruits using two different extraction methods. Results revealed that polyphenol amounts were highest in leaves extracted by hydroethanolic decoction method with 46.97 mg GAE/g DW. Ethanol 70% leaves extracts has the highest contents of condensed tannins with 26.06 mg Cat/g DW by decoction, followed by methanol 70% water. Furthermore, four flavonoids were identified by HPLC-DAD: Luteolin 7-O-glucoside, Rutin, Kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside, and Isorhamnetin 3-O-rutinoside. For antioxidant activity, ethanol fraction was renowned for a high total antioxidant activity with 45.82 mg GAE/g DW and an important antiradical activity with an IC50 of 22.05 µg/mL. The ethanolic extract showed the best activity inhibiting the production of NO• at an IC50 of 36.60 µg/mL. These results show that this plant could be a promising source of bioactive substances and can be used for the production of juices and functional food supplements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study highlighted the chemical composition of Tunisian Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) essential oil and its biological activities as allelopathic, antioxidant and antibacterial capacities depending on the collection region. The highest essential oil yield was obtained in Boukornine (0.67%) followed by Bizerte (0.50%) and Djerissa (0.25%). The analysis of the chemical composition of Aleppo pine essential oils showed considerable qualitative variability of major components, namely β-caryophyllene (12.27-14.26%), myrcene (11.51-14.26%), p-cymene (8.07-10.57%) and α-pinene (6.57-9.37%). The essential oil of Djerissa had stronger allelopathic effect against Triticum aestivum than Bizerte and Boukornine owing to its richness in monoterpenes, especially myrcene. However, the essential oils of Bizerte and Boukornine had higher antioxidant and antibacterial capacities than Djerissa which could be related to the synergistic property associated with the high level of the sesquiterpene β-caryophyllene with the other essential oil constituents. These results suggested that Aleppo pine essential oil could give a hope toward production of eco-friendly bio-herbicides at least against Triticum aestivum and also as a source of natural antioxidant and antibacterial agents that could be used as food additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The consumption of health‐promoting products such as oil seeds may improve human health and prevent certain diseases. Carvi seeds have the potential to produce oil with nutritional and functional properties rich in active compounds. Objective: To extract bioactive lipids from Carum carvi seeds using green methodologies. Material and methods: Supercritical‐carbon dioxide (Sc‐CO2) and ethanol as co‐solvent and bio‐based solvent 2‐methyltetrahydrofuran (MeTHF) were used to extract the oil from Carum carvi. The yield, the chemical composition, as well as antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities of green extracted oils were investigated and compared to those obtained with conventional methods (hexane and Folch system). Results: MeTHF extraction gave higher oil yield than that obtained by hexane. Fatty acids composition of the two obtained green extracted oils was similar to conventional extracted ones where petroselinic (39–43%), linoleic (29–31%) and oleic (19–21%) acids were the major compounds. Furthermore, MeTHF and Sc‐CO2 green extracted oils were enriched of bioactive compounds including sterols (5.4 and 7.3 mg/g oil) and total polyphenols (9.3 and 7.6 mg GAE/g oil) which were correlated to enhanced antiradical capacity. Moreover, the green extracted oils exhibited high anti‐inflammatory capacity inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) release in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced RAW 264.7 macrophages with IC50 values of 28 and 24 μg/mL. Conclusion: Green solvents are a good alternative to petroleum solvents to recover oil from carvi seeds with high amount of nutritionally important fatty acids, along with significant antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory potential. This study showed that supercritical CO2 and bio‐based solvent 2‐methyltetrahydrofuran (MeTHF) are green alternative for lipid extraction from carvi seeds. Green extracted oils are a source of sterols and polyphenols and exhibited enhanced antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glaucium flavum (Papaveraceae) is a halophyte which is known for its high importance in phytomedicine and ecology. In this work, phytochemical analysis, as well as antioxidant, antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects were investigated for EOH, EA and PE fractions of G. flavum shoots. Results showed that total polyphenol amounts were highest in EOH fraction (158.3 mg GAE/g DR) followed by EA and PE. This latter fraction was rich in flavonoids (128.43 mg CE/g DR), however EA produced more condensed tannins (19.83 mg CE/g DR) than other fractions. In addition, seven molecules (phenolics) have been identified: kaempferol, caffeic acid, catechin hydrate, syringic acid, chlorogenic acid, isoquercitrin, and trans-hydroxycinnamic acid. Concerning antioxidant effects, ethanol fraction was distinguished by a high total antioxidant activity (432.58 mg GAE/g DR), a lower iron reducing power (EC50 = 800 µg/ml), a capacity to inhibit the β-carotene bleaching (IC50 = 48.78 µg/ml), and an important antiradical activity (IC50 = 140 µg/ml). In addition, PE, EA and EOH fractions have strong antiproliferative effect against MCF-7 cells but with superiority of EA fraction (IC50 = 135 µg/ml). EA showed also a high anti-inflammatory effect with an amount of NO which is equal to around 29 and 20 µM/ml NO at 50 and 100 µg/ml, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to study the chemical composition of Aloysia citrodora methanolic extract and its biological activities as an antioxidant, and its antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory activities based on four bioclimatic collection stages. The contents of total phenols, total flavonoids and total tannins were determined. Nine phenolic compounds were identified by LC-DAD–ESI-MS/MS. The major compound was acteoside, a phenylpropanoid which represented about 80% of the methanolic fraction in the various regions. The antioxidant activities of different locations were measured by different analytical assays, such as DPPH, ABTS and iron reducing power. The results showed that phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities varied with climatic and environmental factors. Moreover, there was a significant dependency between regions and biological activities. The use of a principal component analysis showed that there was a close relationship among phenylpropanoids, phenolic compounds and the studied biological activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparative study of bioactive lipids extraction from black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) and basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) seeds using conventional petroleum-based solvent and green solvent 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (MeTHF) was performed. MeTHF extraction allowed obtaining the highest oil yield in black cumin (34%). Regarding fatty acids composition, linoleic acid (61%) and α-linolenic (78%) were relevant in black cumin and basil green and conventionally extracted oils, respectively. Besides, MeTHF allowed obtaining higher tocopherols and total phenolics contents in black cumin (400 mg/kg of oil and 12 mg EGA/g oil) and basil (317 mg/kg oil and 5 mg EGA/g oil) compared to hexane-extracted ones. The content of major phenolic compounds in the two seed oils, trans-hydroxycinnamic acid, rosmarinic acid, and thymol was enhanced by MeTHF extraction. Furthermore, MeTHF-extracted oils possess stronger antioxidant activities (radical scavenging, total antioxidant, and β-carotene bleaching activities) and high and similar anti-inflammatory capacity to hexane-extracted oils. In conclusion, the results revealed that MeTHF is efficient to replace hazardous solvents to extract oil from black cumin and basil seeds rich in compounds relevant to the human diet, including essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6 and n-3), tocopherols, and phenolic compounds with improved biological activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triterpenoids, tocopherols, and phytosterols presented in unsaponifiable fraction of grape seed oil have several beneficial effects comprising antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and antitumor capacities. In this study, the unsaponifiable fraction of three Tunisian grape seed varieties (Vitis vinifera L.), namely Merlot, Carignan, and Syrah, was investigated. The identified compounds were two triterpenic compounds (β‐amyrin, lanosterol), six phytosterols (campesterol, ∆7‐avenasterol, stigmasterol, β‐sitosterol, β‐sitostanol, cholesterol), and three tocopherols (α, β, and γ tocopherols). The unsaponifiable fraction had significant protection against oxidative damage by modulating NO production and antioxidant activity. Statistical analysis showed the presence of three clusters of varieties associated to specific composition patterns. These results clearly demonstrated that unsaponifiable fraction profiles of grape species could be considered as a complementary data to the existing taxonomic evidence and classification purposes. Practical applications: Recently, much attention has been focused to substitute artificial antioxidant by others originating from natural products as plant matrices. The unsaponifiable fraction of grape seed oils is an interesting source of bioactive components like phytosterols, tocopherols, triterpenoids, and other various components. These components are known for their antitumor, anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]