Comparative Histological Study on the Algerian Thymus Ciliatus at Different Phenological Stages

The aim of the current study was to compare the histological observations of stems, leaves, and different secretory structures of Thymus ciliatus at three phenological stages. The anatomical observations of stems, leaves, and glandular trichomes were carried out by light microscopy. The results showed that phenological stages do not affect significantly the anatomical, whereas there was a significant increase in secretory trichomes. The glandular trichomes are distributed on the surface of the stems and the leaves. There are only two distinct types of secretory trichomes, Peltate consisting of a basal cell, a stalk cell, and an 8-celled head type, which are distributed more diffusely on the leaf than on the stem, while capitate trichomes were present only on the surface stem samples. Accumulation of essential oils varies according to the seasons with high sizes of trichomes secretory at the flowering period

Effect of Drying Method on Biochemical Composition and Nutritional Quality of Sandfish (Scincus Scincus) Consumed in South-East Algeria

Sandfish is highly consumed in South-East of Algeria for its gustative and nutritional qualities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of drying methods on fatty acids and amino acids sandfish quality. Biochemical analyzes were performed using the analytical methods adopted by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) method. The fatty acid composition was evaluated using the gas chromatography and the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was used for the amino acids analysis. Significant differences were found in the moisture, ash, protein and fat content. Chromatogram analysis revealed the existence of nine (9) fatty acids the highest saturated fatty acid concentration was shown in the sample at 28.9 g/100 g of lipids followed by traditional method at 28.1 g/100 g. However, for monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, the highest content was reported in batch at 68.8 g/100 g and 10.1 g/100 g, respectively. These findings indicate that experimental dried sandfish is a good source of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids. The composition of fresh and dried sandfish in amino acids shows the richness of sandfish in essential amino acids especially lysine (1.576 g / 100 g) and threonine (0.876 g / 100 g). Important variations in amino acid content (P \u3c 0.05) were observed according to the drying process. The best method of preserving sandfish from a nutritional quality standpoint was to dry in the oven

Biological activity of ethanol extract from leaves of Rosmarinus eriocalyx

Aging or senescence is a complex and inevitable process, which is not only attributed to individual genetic variation but also to external factors such as environmental conditions, nutrition, alcohol, and diseases [1]. The most widely accepted theory, that have been proposed to explain aging, is the free radical theory [2]. Aging and related diseases result from accumulated oxidative damage to cell constituents and tissues caused by excessive exposure to free radicals. Antioxidants, which mediate the imbalance between intracellular antioxidant defenses and oxidative damage by reducing the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, are believe to be able to reduce stress-induced premature senescence or slow down replicative senescence [3]. Rosmarinus eriocalyx (Jord. & Fourr.) is an aromatic evergreen bush belonging to Lamiaceae family and endemic to Algeria, Morocco and Spain, where it is used as a condiment to flavor soup and meat and as a traditional remedy [4]. The plant volatile fraction is characterized by the monoterpene ketone camphor, whereas its ethanolic extracts are rich sources of phenolic acids and diterpenes such as rosmarinic acid, carnosic acid and carnosol that are the main responsible for the noteworthy antioxidant activity [5]. In this setting, we aimed to evaluate R. eriocalyx biological activity in order to propose the plant as an anti-aging agent. For this purpose, we determined the cytotoxic activity of polar extracts obtained from leaves, flowers, and stems of R. eriocalyx on human fibroblast and human tumor cell lines (A375, MDA-MB 231, and T98G) by MTT assay [6]. Results showed that the ethanolic extract of leaves resulted the most active against A375 human melanoma cell line (IC50 value of 17.8 µg/ml). The total phenolic content values reported for R. eriocalyx ethanolic and aqueous extracts showed slight differences and free radical scavenging activity was stronger for ethanolic extracts than aqueous ones. On this basis, we selected the R. eriocalyx ethanolic extract to determine the antioxidant activity on human fibroblast by measuring its ability to prevent oxidation in cells using a ROS fluorescent probe (DCFH-DA) [7]. Results showed a remarkable activity in preventing oxidation of cells induced by 2.2’-azobis -2-amidinopropane (ABAP). Afterwards, we tested the same extract on the H2O2-induced premature senescence in young fibroblast cells where -galactosidase (SA--gal) activity was used to measure cell senescence [8]. Preliminary data showed a reduction of H2O2 stress-induced premature senescence indicating the potential of R. eriocalyx leaf extract to be formulated as an anti-aging agent. References [1] N. Getoff. Anti-aging and aging factors in life. The role of free radicals. Radiat. Phys. Chem. 2007, 76,1577-1586. [2] D. Harman. Aging: a theory based on free radical and radiation chemistry. J. Gerontol. 1956, 11, 298-300. [3] D. Fusco, G. Colloca, M.R. Lo Monaco, M. Cesari. Effects of antioxidant supplementation on the aging process. Clin. Interv. Aging. 2007, 2, 377-387. [4] M.S. Bendeddouche, H. Benhassaini, Z. Hazem, A. Romane. Essential oil analysis and antibacterial activity of Rosmarinus tournefortii from Algeria. Nat. Prod. Commun. 2011, 6, 1511-1514. [5] H. Bendif, M. Boudjeniba, M. Djamel Miara, L. Biqiku, M. Bramucci, G. Caprioli, G. Lupidi, L. Quassinti, G. Sagratini, L.A. Vitali, S. Vittori, F. Maggi. Rosmarinus eriocalyx: An alternative to Rosmarinus officinalis as a source of antioxidant compounds. Food Chem. 2017, 218, 78-88. [6] L. Quassinti, G. Lupidi, F. Maggi, F. Papa, S. Vittori, A. Bianco, M. Bramucci . Antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of Hypericum hircinum L. subsp. majus (Aiton) N. Robson essential oil. Nat. Prod. Res. 2013, 27, 862-868. [7] K.L. Wolfe, R.H. Liu. Cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assay for assessing antioxidants, foods, and dietary supplements. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2007, 55, 8896-8907. [8] D.J. Kurz, S. Decary, Y. Hong, J.D. Erusalimsky. Senescence-associated -galactosidase reflects an increase in lysosomal mass during replicative ageing of human endothelial cells. J. Cell Sci. 2000, 113, 3613–3622

In Vitro Anti-Helicobacter Pylori and Antioxidant Activities of Plants used in Algerian Traditional Medicine for Gastrointestinal Disorders

It has been recognized that gastric colonization with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) induces a risk of developing ulcer disease and gastric cancer. The interest of this research relates for the first time to the study of the Anti-Helicobacter pylori activities of three medicinal plants methanolic extracts, namely Allium sativum, Allium cepa and Foeniculum vulgare. The activity of the methanolic extracts was assessed against two strains of H. pylori (SAN158 and 26659) by the disc diffusion method on Muller Hinton agar. The content of phenolic compounds (TPC) was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu test and the antioxidant activity was evaluated through the FRAP method (Ferric reducing antioxidant power). All plants extract were inhibitory towards both strains, with F. vulgare’s showing the strongest activity. The highest TPC, along with the best antioxidant capacity, was exhibited by the F. vulgare methanolic extract (1.44 mg GAE (gallic acid equivalents) / g ± 0.2 and 0.009 mg EAA (ascorbic acid equivalent) / g ± 0.001, respectively). This study showed that Allium sativum, Allium cepa and Foeniculum vulgare bioactive substances may be effective against Helicobacter pylori

Assessment of polyphenols contents, antibacterial and antioxidant activities of Origanum majorana extracts

The Algerian flora contains many species of vascular plants, including aromatic and medicinal plants, which can be very used for the treatment of diseases and health care. Origanum majorana is an Algerian medicinal plant used in the traditional pharmacopoeia. This work was conducted to evaluate the total polyphenolic content, antibacterial effect, and antioxidant capacity of O. majorana extracts. The extraction was carried out using the aerial parts of O. majorana with water and methanol to produce the aqueous extract (Aq.E) and the methanolic extract (Met.E). The total polyphenolic and flavonoids contents of the extracts were estimated using colorimetric method. The antibacterial effect was evaluated by the method of disc diffusion. ABTS, DPPH radical scavenging, and reducing power were used to determine the antioxidant capacity of the extracts. So, the results showed that the highest concentrations of polyphenolic amounts and flavonoids were recorded in the Met.E with values of 68.66 µg EAG/mg E and 11.71 µg EQ/mg E, respectively. Moreover, all extracts showed a good antibacterial effect against B. cereus with inhibition zones ranging from 9 to 13 mm, and moderate activity against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. In addition, the Met.E showed the highest effect in case of DPPH and ABTS free radical (EC50=16.15±0.2 µg/ml and 19.66±0.56 µg/ml, respectively). This study demonstrated that the Met.E of O. majorana contains bioactive compounds that are related to potential biological activities, such as antioxidant and antibacterial effect. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.560851

Ethnobotanical Study of Antihemorrhagic Plants in the Skikda Region (North East Of Algeria)

Our survey was carried out at the level of 17 Municipalities of the Province of Skikda. Questionnaire sheets were distributed to 55 herbalists and 350 locale population (informants). The processing of survey data with the local population shows us that women (52 %) have more knowledge of phytotherapy compared to men (48 %) with a fairly high level of education. For the herbalists, we found that most are men (85.45 %) aged between 31-40 years (29.09 %) and 41-50 years (25.45 %), and with level of university study (36.36 %). On the other hand, 52.73 % of herbalists said they inherited their knowledge from their families and only 20 % of them were trained in institutes. From a pharmacological point of view, the leaves are the most used part of the plant (81.76 %), prepared in the form of different recipes generally intended for local use (66.65 %), while some plants can be used alone, or with honey and olive oil. Regarding the diversity of species, we have identified 24 antihemorrhagic species among them the most cited are; Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter. (Asteraceae) (137 citations), Chamaecytisus triflorus (Lam.) Skalická (Fabaceae) (81 citations) and Angelica archangelica L. (Apiaceae) (72 citations). Finally, this study is interesting and forms a starting point for researchers and must be completed by in vitro and in vivo antihemorrhagic tests

Streptomyces Secondary Metabolites

Actinobacteria are found spread widely in nature and particular attention is given to their role in the production of various bioactive secondary metabolites. Tests on soil samples show that there can be a diversity of actinomycetes depending on the climate, the area it is growing in, how dry the soil is, and the quality of the soil. However, it was agreed after tests in Yunnan, China, that the genus Streptomyces sp. is most important in ecological function, representing up to 90% of all soil actinomycetes, and therefore helping to show the important characteristics needed of the soil actinomycete population. Streptomycete compounds are used for other biological activities, not just for antibiotics. It has been found that metabolites can be broadly divided into four classes: (1) regulatory activities in compounds, these include consideration of growth factors, morphogenic agents and siderophores, and plants promoting rhizobia; (2) antagonistic agents, these include antiprotozoans, antibacterials, antifungals, as well as antivirals; (3) agrobiologicals, these include insecticides, pesticides, and herbicides; and (4) pharmacological agents, these include neurological agents, immunomodulators, antitumorals, and enzyme inhibitors. It is found that Streptomyces hygroscopicus is one of the very best examples because it secretes in excess of 180 secondary metabolites to locate simultaneous bioactivities for a given compound. Increasingly, both its agricultural and pharmacological screenings are being used in conjunction with antimicrobial tests and have revealed several unusual aerobiological and therapeutic agents, which were hitherto unknown for biological use as antibiotics. Since streptomycetes are now being used increasingly to screen for antimicrobial activity, reports show the existence of secondary metabolites with other activities that may have been missed. Currently, nearly 17% of biologically active secondary metabolites (nearly 7600 out of 43,000) are known from streptomycetes. It has been found that soil streptomycetes are the main source used by bioactive secondary metabolites. However, recently there have been many and varied types of structurally unique and biologically active secondary metabolites found and obtained from marine actinomycetes, including those from the genus Streptomyces. Also, compounds that are synthesized by streptomycetes exhibit extreme chemical diversity. Diverse form made from from simple amino acid derivatives to high molecular weight proteides, and macrolactones from simple eight membered lactones to different condensed macrolactones. Berdy (1974) introduced the first classification scheme for antibiotics referring to the chemical structure. On the basis of Berdy’s scheme, (1996) recognized that both low and high molecular weight compounds from 63 different chemical classes are produced by streptomycetes

Study of Production and Adaptation Characters of Some Newly Obtained Genotypes of Durum Wheat (Triticum Durum Desf.) in Sub-Humid Region (El Harrouch North-Eastern of Algeria)

The experiment was carried out at DAOUDI Larbi pilot farm in El Harrouch, during the 2021/2022 crop year, under sub-humid weather conditions. The main objective of this research is based on the study of production and adaptation characters of seven durum wheat newly obtained genotypes (Triticum durum Desf.). The results of descriptive sheets according to UPOV recommendations (2014-2017), showed diversity between the varieties studied, such as: plant height, straw section, awns (presence, disposition, anthocyanin pigmentation, color, and length), ear (density, color, shape, length and glaucescence), lower glume (shape, color, weight and shape of shoulder, length and curvature of beak), neck glaucescence, length of rachis… According to the results obtained of production and adaptation characters we find that Numidia presented the high value of number of Plant/m2 (350 ± 4.58), Emilio Lepido showed a high level of Number of Herbaceous tillers/Plant (2.70 ± 0.52), number of Grains/Ear (37.1 ± 6.85), and Harvest index (35.62 Qunitals/Acres). While, the number of Ears tillering/Plant, number of Ears/m2, thousand grains weight, grain yield, biomass aerial, and economic yield (1.67 ± 0.31, 423.33 ± 15.95, 48.6 g, 62.13 ± 2.34 Qunitals/Acres, 184.6 ± 1.7 Qunitals/Acres and 98.88 ± 2.01 Qunitals/Acres). According to the results obtained the Shannon and Weaver relative diversity index showed a low diversity in all accessions studied (H’Mean=0.41). Finally, we concluded that the creation of descriptive sheets, the knowledge of production and adaptation parameters are considered as precursors of high yield, they allow us to better exploit these species according to economic needs, agro-ecological conditions, and mastery of production techniques in improvement programs