Traditional uses, phytochemical study and morphological characterization of Pistacia lentiscus L. fruits from three areas of northern Algeria

Objectives: The present study aimed at the valorization of Pistacia lentiscus L. (lentisk, mastic tree), hence, an ethnobotanical investigation, phytochemical screening and morphological study of fruits from three areas of northern Algeria was carried out.Methodology and Results: Ethnobotanical data were recorded from herbalists, pharmacists and people living in contact with medicinal plants in the three study areas (Boumerdes, Tizi-Ouzou and Bouira), using a questionnaire to collect as much information on traditional uses and virtues of lentisk. Screening was performed for various biochemical compounds. Biometric measurements and the weight of 1000 seeds from three locations were conducted and compared. According to the data collected, over 90% of the surveys in the three regions have knowledge of lentisk. The consensus value for a part of the plant (CPP) revealed that P. lentiscus fruit represented by the fixed oil is most used in the region of Bouira. However, leaves represent the highest use values in the other regions. A number of diseases treated with P. lentiscus have been identified. These are mainly respiratory and digestive disorders. Lentisk was also indicated for the treatment of circulatory disorders and skin allergies, with varying percentages depending on the region. Phytochemical screening of this plant showed that fruits from different areas were rich in anthocyanins, condensed tannins, Gallic tannins and flavonoids. While they were free of saponosides and alkaloids. A significant difference in the weight of the 1000 seeds and the average seed weight was obtained between the fruits of the three zones, which may be due to climatic factors.Conclusions and application of findings: The results obtained constitute a valuable source of information, which should be the subject of additional pharmacological studies as antimicrobial, antinflamatory, hepatoprotective, and antiatherogenic activities, to validate their popular use and to isolate bioactive compounds that can also be used as ingredients of functional foods.Keywords: Ethnobotany, Pistacia lentiscus L., phytochemical screening, Morphological stud

Aptitudes technologique de quelques variétés communes de dattes : formulation d'un yaourt naturellement sucré et aromatisé

131 p. ; ill. ; 30 cmLe palmier dattier est pour les populations du Sahara ce que l’olivier est pour les méditerranéens un fruit providentiel. Les dattes des variétés sèches, improprement appelées «dattes communes» sont des dattes de texture farineuse qui durcissent sur l’arbre. C’est le cas justement des variétés Mech-Degla, Degla-Beïda et Frezza (Deglet Nour sèche), matériel végétal de la présente étude. Ces dattes ont une valeur réelle ce qui justifie dans une certaine mesure le choix du thème. Contrairement à tous les travaux consacrés aux dattes, il nous a paru intéressant de parler distinctement de tissu pigmenté et de tissu blanc s’agissant du mésocarpe et de l’endocarpe respectivement. La finalité étant de détecter d’éventuelles différences du point de vue composition proprement dite ainsi que l’aptitude technologique (séchage notamment). Le présent travail a montré que la valorisation des dattes sèches en général et de Mech-Degla, Degla-Beïda et Frezza en particulier, en vue de leur éventuelle transformation en poudre après séchage sous vide est possible. Le traitement appliqué ici peut être considéré comme un traitement d’appoint vu la texture naturellement sèche du fruit. Le but de l’opération (ramener la teneur en eau de 15 à 5g/100g de matière sèche, valeur caractéristique des poudres de fruits) a été atteint. Les poudres de dattes obtenues ont été utilisées avantageusement dans un produit laitier comme ingrédient naturel de substitution du sucre blanc, du colorant, de gélifian