Antioxidant and Antiacetylcholinesterase Activities of Some Commercial Essential Oils and Their Major Compounds

The commercial essential oils of Citrus aurantium L., Cupressus sempervirens L., Eucalyptus globulus Labill., Foeniculum vulgare Mill. and Thymus vulgaris L., isolated by steam distillation by a company of Morocco were evaluated in terms of in vitro antioxidant activity through several methods. In vitro acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity was also determined. Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f. oil was also studied, but it was obtained by peel expression. The best antioxidant was T. vulgaris oil, independent of the method used, mainly due to the presence of the phenolic monoterpenes thymol and carvacrol, which when studied as single compounds also presented the best activities. Concerning the acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity, E. globulus was the most effective. Nevertheless its main components 1,8-cineole and limonene were not the most active, a feature that corresponded to delta-3-carene

Insight on propolis from Mediterranean countries: Chemical composition, biological activities and application fields

This review updates the information upon the chemical composition of propolis from all Mediterranean countries as well as their biological properties and applications. The non-volatile fraction of propolis was characterized by the presence of phenolic acids and their esters and flavonoids. Nevertheless, in some countries, diterpenes were also present: Sicily (Italy), Croatia, Malta, Creta (Greece), Turkey, Cyprus, Egypt, Libya, Algeria and Morocco. The volatile fraction of propolis was characterized by the presence of benzoic acid and its esters, mono- and sesquiterpenes, being the oxygenated sesquiterpene beta-eudesmol characteristic of poplar propolis, whereas the hydrocarbon monoterpene alpha-pinene has been related with the presence of conifers. Regardless the chemical composition, there are common biological properties attributed to propolis. Owing to these attributes, propolis has been target of study for applications in diverse areas, such as food, medicine and livestock.Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia [UID/BIA/04325/2013]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Moroccan propolis: a natural antioxidant, antibacterial, and antibiofilm against Staphylococcus aureus with no induction of resistance after continuous exposure

This study was performed to evaluate the total phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activities of twenty-four propolis samples from different regions of Morocco. In addition, two samples were screened regarding the antibacterial effect against four Staphylococcus aureus strains. Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectra (GC-MS) analysis was done for propolis samples used in antibacterial tests. The minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentration (MIC, MBC) were determined. The potential to acquire the resistance after sequential exposure of bacterial strains and the impact of adaptation to propolis on virulence using the Galleria mellonella were evaluated. Additionally, the effects of propolis extract on the bacterial adherence ability and its ability to inhibit the quorum sensing activity were also examined. Among the twenty-four extracts studied, the samples from Sefrou, Outat el Haj, and the two samples marketed in Morocco were the best for scavenging DPPH, ABTS, NO, peroxyl, and superoxide radicals as well as in scavenging of hydrogen peroxide. A strong correlation was found between the amounts of phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activities. Propolis extract at the MIC value (0.36 mg/mL) significantly reduced (p < 0.001) the virulence potential of S. aureus ATCC 6538 and the MRSA strains without leading to the development of resistance in the sequence of continuous exposure. It was able to impair the bacterial biofilm formation. The results have revealed that sample 1 reduces violacein production in a concentration dependent manner, indicating inhibition of quorum sensing. This extract has as main group of secondary metabolites flavonoids (31.9%), diterpenes (21.5%), and phenolic acid esters (16.5%).Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) - Pest-OE/QUI/UI4023/2011info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Chemical characterization and biological properties of royal jelly samples from the mediterranean area

Royal jelly (RJ) is a bee product that has high nutritional value and is beneficial for the human health, earning importance as a functional food. Thus, the characterization of its main biological properties is with high importance. In this work, 6 RJ samples obtained in Morocco, Portugal, and Spain were evaluated in terms of total phenol and flavone/flavonol contents; total protein; 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA); volatiles composition; antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; and inhibition of tyrosinase, xanthine oxidase (XO), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities. Total phenolic content ranged from 3 to 9 mg gallic acid equivalent/g RJ, and flavone/flavonol content from 0.1 to 0.5 mg quercetin equivalent/g RJ. 10-Hydroxy-2-decenoic acid content varied from 0.9% to 1.2% and total protein from 5.5% to 29.7%. Gas chromatography-flame ionization detector and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed RJ volatiles dominated by linolenic acid, 2-decenoic acid, and octanoic acid in variable amounts. The antioxidant activity was monitored through nitric oxide (NO) scavenging activity and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging capacity, where the IC50 ranged from 2.3 to 3.4 and 0.2 to 1.5 mg/mL, respectively. Anti-AChE activity IC50 ranged from 0.7 to 4.6 mg/mL, while XO inhibition IC50 ranged from 3.3 to 11.9 mg/mL. The results showed that phenols and flavonoids highly contributed to the RJ biological properties in contrast to 10-HDA and proteins.UID/AMB/50017/2019 UIDB/05183/2020info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Antioxidant activity of thyme waste extract in O/W emulsions

Thymus vulgaris (thyme) is an aromatic plant and its essential oil has been applied as antimicrobial and antioxidant due to the presence of phenolic compounds. However, after steam distillation, the deodorized plant material is rejected, despite the possible presence of bioactive compounds. Ethanolic thyme waste extract revealed the presence of benzoic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, and sinapic acid. This waste thyme extract had the capacity for preventing the formation of primary and secondary lipid oxidation products in emulsions O/W (oil in water), constituted by diverse proportions of wheat and almond oils, without interfering with the viscosity parameters, for 10 weeks, at 37 °C. The increasing proportion of almond oil (≥50%) in the emulsion increases its resistance to oxidation, which is improved with the presence of an optimal concentration of tested thyme waste extract (0.02% and 0.04%). The waste thyme extract can, therefore, be used as an antioxidant either in food or pharmaceutical emulsions O/W, replacing the synthetic antioxidants.Agência financiadora Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia-FCT; Portugal UID/BIA/04325/2013-MEDTBIO UID/MAR/00350/2013info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Diuretic activity of carob (Ceratonia silique L.) Honey: comparison with furosemide

Background: Honey has wide range of biological activities. It has effect on renal function, and urinary nitric oxide and prostaglandins level. The present study was conducted to evaluate diuretic potential of carob honey, collected from Morocco, in normal rats and the results were compared with use of furosemide.Materials and methods: Adult male Wister rats weighing between 230 and 278 g were used. The animals were divided into three groups; group 1 received oral administration of distilled water (10 ml/kg BW), and served as control group, group 2 received oral administration of furosemide (10 mg/kg BW), and group 3 was treated with oral administration of carob honey (100 mg/kg BW). Urine volume, and urine and plasma sodium and potassium were measured after single dose of the interventions and after daily administrations of the interventions.Results: After the single dose of carob honey, urine output was significantly increased at all time intervals (1-6 hrs and at 24 hrs after administration). The daily dose of carob honey for nine days significantly increased urine volume as compared to control group. Carob honey increased urinary levels of sodium and potassium, and did not cause hypokalemia, while furosemide increased urinary sodium and potassium and caused hypokalemia.Conclusion: Carob honey has diuretic, natriuretic and kaliuretic activity without side effects of hypokalemia that was observed with use of furosemide.Key words: Carob honey, furosemide, diuresis, sodium, potassium, creatinine clearanc

Chemical composition, antioxidant activity, and diuretic effect of Moroccan fresh bee pollen in rats

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated. Aim: This study investigated the chemical composition, antioxidant activity, and diuretic effect of Moroccan aqueous extract of fresh bee pollen (AEFBP) in normal rats. Materials and Methods: The chemical composition of the extracted bioactive compounds was assessed using liquid chromatography with diode array detection coupled to electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry (LC/DAD/ ESI-MSn). 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and the reducing power were used to assess the antioxidant properties of the extract, together with the determination of total phenols and flavonoids. To assess the diuretic effect, 20 normal rats were divided into five groups: The first was a control group administered by distilled water (10 mL/kg body weight), the second group received furosemide (10 mg/kg body weight), the third group received 100 mg/kg body weight of AEFBP, the fourth group received 250 mg/kg body weight of AEFBP, and the fifth group received 500 mg/kg body weight of AEFBP for 30 days. Toward the end of this experiment, urine output was measured, and plasma and urine were sampled to analyze creatinine, potassium, chloride, and sodium levels. Results: N1,N5,N10-tri-p-coumaroylspermidine is a spermidine derivative and was the main compound in this sample, in a total of 19 compounds identified, including flavonoids, glucoside flavonoids, and methylated derivatives. Force feeding with the AEFBP induced a significant increase in urine output and urinary electrolyte levels with a dependent dose-effect without changes in plasma electrolytes, whereas furosemide decreased plasma potassium. Conclusion: Moroccan fresh bee pollen extract contains flavonols and spermidines that induce a potential antioxidant activity related to significant diuretic effect without changes in plasma composition.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support by national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020). National funding by FCTFoundation for Science and Technology, through the institutional scientific employment program-contract with Soraia I. Falcão and to the Laboratory of Natural Substances, Pharmacology, Environment, Modeling, Health and Quality of Life (SNAMOPEQ), Faculty of Sciences Dhar El Mehraz, University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdallah, Fez, Morocco for providing the facilities to carry out the present research work.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

IMPACT OF INSTANTANEOUS CONTROLLED PRESSURE PROP (DIC) TECHNOLOGY ON EXTRACTION OF TOTAL PHENOLS OF MOROCCAN SALVIA OFFICINALIS

The main objective of this study was to intensify the extraction of total phenols from Salvia officinalis L. using instant controlled pressure drop (DIC) as a texturing pre-treatment. The effect of solvent type on Total Phenolic Content (TPC) was also studied. TPC was determined using spectrophotometric Folin-Ciocalteau method and external calibration with Gallic acid. The obtained results showed that water was the most efficient solvent to extract total phenols from Salvia officinalis L. Moreover, texturing and expansion by DIC pretreatment had a great impact on polyphenol yields and revealed greater extraction kinetics. Likewise, drying kinetics of DIC-treated sage was enhanced compared to the raw material. DIC-assisted extraction can be considered as a promising technology to use in the case of the Moroccan Salvia officinalis L. as an important Mediterranean source of natural phenols