Cytoprotective properties of the ethyl acetate extracts from Anacyclus maroccanus Ball. e Anacyclus radiatus Loisel aerial parts

Anacyclus species (Fam. Asteraceae) are endemic plants from Morocco greatly exploited by the local population for primary health care, as inexpensive and available sources of drugs. They are traditionally used by Moroccan people to treat several ailments, among which digestive disorders, likely due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antimicrobial properties [1]. In our previous study we highlighted promising antioxidant, hypoglycemic, and antiglycative properties of the ethyl acetate extracts from the aerial parts of two Anacyclus ecotypes, namely A. maroccanus Ball. and A. radiatus Loisel, likely associated to their polyphenolic composition [1]. In line with this evidence, present study was aimed at evaluating the cytoprotective properties of the ethyl acetate extracts from A. maroccanus and A. radiatus towards the oxidative damage induced by the pro-oxidant agent tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBOOH, 500 μM) and hyperglycemia (6 mg/ml glucose) in human cell lines [2]. To this aim, pancreatic adenocarcinoma (Bx-PC3) and cholangiocarcinoma (Mz-ChA-1) cells, and noncancerous intrahepatic cholangiocytes (H69) were exploited. The cells were exposed to the treatments for 24 h under both pre-treatment and co-treatment protocols, then the the cytotoxicity was evaluated by the MTT assay and the intracellular ROS levels by the 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) test, according to Di Giacomo et al. [3]. Preliminary cytotoxicity assays highlighted the extracts were nontoxic up to 100 μg/ml in all the tested cells. Under our experimental conditions, tBOOH induced about a 50-60% reduction of cell viability in Mz-ChA-1, Bx-PC3, and H69 cells. As expected, the extracts of both ecotypes were able to counteract the tBOOH cytotoxicity up to 70-80% in Mz-ChA-1. The extracts also decreased the intracellular ROS levels, almost doubled by tBOOH, with a greater efficacy of A. radiatus in Bx-PC3 with respect to A. maroccanus (60% vs 40% increase of cell viability respectively); both samples reduced the ROS levels by about 52% and 65%, respectively. At last, A. maroccanus completely restored cell viability and lowered the ROS basal levels, despite a weak effect of A. radiatus in H69 cells. Regarding the hyperglycemia model, glucose (6 mg/ml) induced a 45% and 60% lowering of cell viability in Bx-PC3 and H69 cells. The A. maroccanus and A. radiatus extracts induced only a slight cytoprotection, in terms of cell viability and ROS levels in H69 cells. By contrast, they showed protective properties against 1° Congresso intersocietà sui prodotti vegetali per la salute: Il ruolo delle piante medicinali nella medicina moderna PADOVA, 15-17 Giugno 2023 Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco, Via Marzolo, 5 hyperglycemia damage in H69 cells, by inducing a 24% increase of cell viability and a 32% lowering ROS. Altogether, present results highlight a possible interest in these species as natural sources of bioactive compounds and/or phytocomplexes and suggest further studies in order to characterize their possible application for nutraceutical purposes, with possible benefits for Moroccan economy. References 1. Sissi et al., Molecules 2022;27(3):692. 2. Di Sotto et al., Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2018;2018:5919237. 3. Di Giacomo et al., Pharmaceuticals 15(8), 987, 2022

Chemical composition and anticandidal properties of the essential oil isolated from aerial parts of Cotula cinerea : a rare and threatened medicinal plant in Morocco

The chemical composition and anticandidal properties of the essential oil of Moroccan Cotula cinerea aerial parts have been examined. GC-MS data were used to identify 24 constituents. Oxygenated monoterpenes constituted the main fraction with trans-thujone (41.4%), cis-verbenyl acetate (24.7%), 1,8-cineole (8.2%) and camphor (5.5%) as the major components. The anticandidal activity of the essential oil was evaluated using a panel of human pathogenic fungi (Candida albicans CCMM L4 and CCMM L5, C. krusei CCMM L10, C. glabrata CCMM L7 and C. parapsilosis CCMM L18). The oil showed high anticandidal activity against all investigated strains with minimal inhibitory concentrations of 3.2 to 4.7 mg/mL depending on the tested yeast and 5.9 mg/mL as a minimal candidicidal concentration value. These findings add significant information to the pharmacological activity of Cotula cinerea essential oil, which may present a good alternative to antibiotics for the treatment of resistant strains of Candida

RECENSIONE AI DUE VOLUMI "TEORIA GENERALE DEL BILANCIO SOCIALE E APPLICAZIONI PRATICHE"Gianfranco Rusconi e Michele Dorigatti (a cura di) 2004, Franco Angeli

Hydro-distilled essential oils (EOs) from the aerial parts of wild and cultivated Salvia aucheri subsp. blancoana, an endemic and threatened medicinal species of Morocco, were analyzed by GC/MS and screened for their antioxidant and insecticidal activities. In total 23 compounds representing more than 98.7% of the total oils were identified. Camphor (26.6-57.3%), camphene (6.3-22.0%), α-pinene (4.1-20.6%) and (E)-caryophyllene (5.4-5.7%) were found as the main constituents of the two oils. The EOs of the wild and cultivated material differed significantly in both the percentage of the main components and their biological activity. Camphor was more dominant in wild Moroccan sage oil (57.3%) than in cultivated sage (26.6%), while camphene (22.0%) and α-pinene (20.6%) were more abundant in the cultivated material compared to 6.3% and 4.1% respectively in wild sage. Regarding the biological activity, cultivated Moroccan sage oil showed the highest antioxidant activity, while the wild plant EO was the most effective against adults of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum Herbst

Characterization of the Phytochemical Composition and Bioactivities of Anacyclus maroccanus Ball. and Anacyclus radiatus Loisel Aerial Parts: Preliminary Evidence for the Possible Development of Moroccan Plants

In the present study, the phytochemical composition and bioactivities of A. maroccanus (AM) and A. radiatus (AR), two ecotypes collected in the Demnate road and Essaouira regions, respectively, were studied to highlight a pharmacological interest and to enable possible pharmaceutical development. To this end, methanolic and ethyl acetate extracts were prepared for each ecotype by fractionation; next, their phytochemical composition was evaluated by spectrophotometric and chromatographic analysis. Moreover, in line with the available evidence for Anacyclus spp. and their traditional use, a screening of bioactivities, including antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antiglycative, chelating, and antibacterial activities, was performed. The extracts were characterized by high amounts of polyphenols, tannins, and flavonoids, especially in the methanolic extracts; these samples were also enriched in carotenoids despite a lower chlorophyll content. Chlorogenic acid and rutin were the major identified compounds. The extracts also showed interesting hypoglycemic, antiglycative, and antibacterial properties, although with differences in efficacy and potency. Present results provide more scientific basis to the ethnopharmacological uses of Anacyclus spp. and suggest a further interest in AM and AR ecotypes as natural sources of bioactive compounds and/or phytocomplexes for possible pharmaceutical and nutraceutical developments