Evaluation of the Impact of Different Management Methods on Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and Their Predators in Citrus Orchards

To evaluate the effectiveness of eco-friendly treatments based on detergents classified as non-hazardous and black soap on the pest Tetranychus urticae Koch 1836, and their predators (Euseius stipulatus Athias-Henriot, 1960, Typhlodromus sp., Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot, 1957), different treatments were applied to citrus orchards planted with Valencia late (Orange) in the Mechraa Belksiri region of Morocco (T0 = control experiment; T1 = spirodiclofen 0.5 L/Ha; T2 = 125 L/Ha (5%) of black soap; T3 = detergent; 4 L/Ha of Oni product + 2 L/Ha of Tide product). The results obtained during the whole monitoring period indicated that the three treatments used, namely spirodiclofen, black soap, and detergents, ensured a reduction in the rate of population of the pest T. urticae compared to the untreated plot. In the untreated plot, the average was 45.01 A± 4.90 mobile forms, while the plot treated with spirodiclofen it was only 21.10 C ± 2.71, the black soap 31.49 B ± 3.35, and in the plot treated with detergents, the average was similar to that obtained by spirodiclofen (22.90 C ± 2.18). On the predators (E. stipulatus, P. persimilis, and Typhlodropmus sp.), the black soap and the treatment with detergents were less harmful compared to the chemical spirodiclofen

Evaluation of the Impact of Different Management Methods on Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and Their Predators in Citrus Orchards

To evaluate the effectiveness of eco-friendly treatments based on detergents classified as non-hazardous and black soap on the pest Tetranychus urticae Koch 1836, and their predators (Euseius stipulatus Athias-Henriot, 1960, Typhlodromus sp., Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot, 1957), different treatments were applied to citrus orchards planted with Valencia late (Orange) in the Mechraa Belksiri region of Morocco (T0 = control experiment; T1 = spirodiclofen 0.5 L/Ha; T2 = 125 L/Ha (5%) of black soap; T3 = detergent; 4 L/Ha of Oni product + 2 L/Ha of Tide product). The results obtained during the whole monitoring period indicated that the three treatments used, namely spirodiclofen, black soap, and detergents, ensured a reduction in the rate of population of the pest T. urticae compared to the untreated plot. In the untreated plot, the average was 45.01 A± 4.90 mobile forms, while the plot treated with spirodiclofen it was only 21.10 C ± 2.71, the black soap 31.49 B ± 3.35, and in the plot treated with detergents, the average was similar to that obtained by spirodiclofen (22.90 C ± 2.18). On the predators (E. stipulatus, P. persimilis, and Typhlodropmus sp.), the black soap and the treatment with detergents were less harmful compared to the chemical spirodiclofen

ANTICANCER POTENTIAL OF PLANT EXTRACTS FROM RIYADH (SAUDI ARABIA) ON MDA-MB-231 BREAST CANCER CELLS

Background: Medicinal plants have been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of numerous diseases worldwide. There is a dire need for new anticancer agents and plants used in traditional medicine are a particularly useful source. Materials and methods: In this study, extracts of five different plants that grow in the desert of Saudi Arabia were evaluated to assess their cytotoxicity against the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. Soxhlet extraction was carried out on the leaves and stems using different solvents. The cytotoxicity of these extracts against MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells was assessed using the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays. The apoptotic cellular morphological changes were observed using inverted and fluorescence microscopes. Results: Our results showed that two of the five different medicinal plants (Rumex vesicarius and Malva parviflora) exhibited strong anticancer activity against the breast cancer cells. Specifically, 2 of the 40 extracts (from the five studied plants) showed promising activity. The chloroform extract of the stem of R. vesicarius (RSV CHCL3) exhibited moderate anticancer activity with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 230 µg/mL while that of the hexane extract of M. parviflora stems (MPS Hex) was 248 µg/mL. Loss of cell integrity, shrinkage of the cytoplasm, and cell detachment were observed in the extract-treated MDA-MB-231 cells. Conclusion: R. vesicarius and M. parviflora chloroform and n-hexane stem extracts showed significant cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma cells

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Thymus broussonetii Boiss and Thymus capitatus (L.) Hoffmann and Link Essential Oils

Thymus capitatus and Thymus broussonnetii are two Moroccan endemic medicinal plants used traditionally by the local population. The present study aims to investigate their essential oil chemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The chemical composition of the essential oils was determined using the GC-MS analysis, the antioxidant activity assessed using DPPH and FRAP methods while the antimicrobial activity was evaluated against nine bacteria species tested (Enterococcus faecalis, Serratia fonticola, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella oxytoca, sensitive Klebsiella pneumoniae, sensitive Escherichia coli, resistant Escherichia coli, resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter aerogenes). The major identified compounds of T. capitatus essential oil where carvacrol (75%) and p-cymene (10.58%) while carvacrol (60.79%), thymol (12.9%), p-cymene (6.21%) and γ-terpinene (4.47%) are the main compounds in T. broussonnetii essential oil. The bioactivity of the essential oils of the two species of thyme was explained by their richness in oxygenated monoterpenes known for their great effectiveness with an IC50 of 3.48 ± 0.05 and 4.88 ± 0.04 μL/mL and EC50 of 0.12 ± 0.01 and 0.20 ± 0.02 μL/mL in the DPPH and FRAP assays, respectively, with an important antibacterial activity. These results encourage the use of these plants as a source of natural antioxidants, and antibacterial additives, to protect food from oxidative damage and to eliminate bacteria that are responsible for nosocomial infections

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Thymus broussonetii Boiss and Thymus capitatus (L.) Hoffmann and Link Essential Oils

Thymus capitatus and Thymus broussonnetii are two Moroccan endemic medicinal plants used traditionally by the local population. The present study aims to investigate their essential oil chemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The chemical composition of the essential oils was determined using the GC-MS analysis, the antioxidant activity assessed using DPPH and FRAP methods while the antimicrobial activity was evaluated against nine bacteria species tested (Enterococcus faecalis, Serratia fonticola, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella oxytoca, sensitive Klebsiella pneumoniae, sensitive Escherichia coli, resistant Escherichia coli, resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter aerogenes). The major identified compounds of T. capitatus essential oil where carvacrol (75%) and p-cymene (10.58%) while carvacrol (60.79%), thymol (12.9%), p-cymene (6.21%) and γ-terpinene (4.47%) are the main compounds in T. broussonnetii essential oil. The bioactivity of the essential oils of the two species of thyme was explained by their richness in oxygenated monoterpenes known for their great effectiveness with an IC50 of 3.48 ± 0.05 and 4.88 ± 0.04 μL/mL and EC50 of 0.12 ± 0.01 and 0.20 ± 0.02 μL/mL in the DPPH and FRAP assays, respectively, with an important antibacterial activity. These results encourage the use of these plants as a source of natural antioxidants, and antibacterial additives, to protect food from oxidative damage and to eliminate bacteria that are responsible for nosocomial infections

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Thymus broussonetii Boiss and Thymus capitatus (L.) Hoffmann and Link Essential Oils

Thymus capitatus and Thymus broussonnetii are two Moroccan endemic medicinal plants used traditionally by the local population. The present study aims to investigate their essential oil chemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The chemical composition of the essential oils was determined using the GC-MS analysis, the antioxidant activity assessed using DPPH and FRAP methods while the antimicrobial activity was evaluated against nine bacteria species tested (Enterococcus faecalis, Serratia fonticola, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella oxytoca, sensitive Klebsiella pneumoniae, sensitive Escherichia coli, resistant Escherichia coli, resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter aerogenes). The major identified compounds of T. capitatus essential oil where carvacrol (75%) and p-cymene (10.58%) while carvacrol (60.79%), thymol (12.9%), p-cymene (6.21%) and gamma-terpinene (4.47%) are the main compounds in T. broussonnetii essential oil. The bioactivity of the essential oils of the two species of thyme was explained by their richness in oxygenated monoterpenes known for their great effectiveness with an IC50 of 3.48 +/- 0.05 and 4.88 +/- 0.04 mu L/mL and EC50 of 0.12 +/- 0.01 and 0.20 +/- 0.02 mu L/mL in the DPPH and FRAP assays, respectively, with an important antibacterial activity. These results encourage the use of these plants as a source of natural antioxidants, and antibacterial additives, to protect food from oxidative damage and to eliminate bacteria that are responsible for nosocomial infections.Peer reviewe

Artemisia absinthium L. Aqueous and Ethyl Acetate Extracts: Antioxidant Effect and Potential Activity In Vitro and In Vivo against Pancreatic α-Amylase and Intestinal α-Glucosidase

Artemisia absinthium L. is one of the plants which has been used in folk medicine for many diseases over many centuries. This study aims to analyze the chemical composition of the Artemisia absinthium ethyl acetate and its aqueous extracts and to evaluate their effect on the pancreatic α-amylase enzyme and the intestinal α-glucosidase enzyme. In this study, the total contents of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and condensed tannins in ethyl acetate and the aqueous extracts of Artemisia absinthium leaves were determined by using spectrophotometric techniques, then the antioxidant capacity of these extracts was examined using three methods, namely, the DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging method, the iron reduction method FRAP, and the β-carotene bleaching method. The determination of the chemical composition of the extracts was carried out using high-performance liquid chromatography—the photodiode array detector (HPLC-DAD). These extracts were also evaluated for their ability to inhibit the activity of the pancreatic α-amylase enzyme, as well as the intestinal α-glucosidase enzyme, in vitro and in vivo, thus causing the reduction of blood glucose. The results of this study showed that high polyphenol and flavonoid contents were obtained in ethyl acetate extract with values of 60.34 ± 0.43 mg GAE/g and 25.842 ± 0.241 mg QE/g, respectively, compared to the aqueous extract. The results indicated that the aqueous extract had a higher condensed tannin content (3.070 ± 0.022 mg EC/g) than the ethyl acetate extract (0.987 ± 0.078 mg EC/g). Ethyl acetate extract showed good DPPH radical scavenging and iron reduction FRAP activity, with an IC50 of 0.167 ± 0.004 mg/mL and 0.923 ± 0.0283 mg/mL, respectively. The β-carotene test indicated that the aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts were able to delay the decoloration of β-carotene with an inhibition of 48.7% and 48.3%, respectively, which may mean that the extracts have antioxidant activity. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of naringenin and caffeic acid as major products in AQE and EAE, respectively. Indeed, this study showed that the aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts significantly inhibited the pancreatic α-amylase and intestinal α-glucosidase, in vitro. To confirm this result, the inhibitory effect of these plant extracts on the enzymes has been evaluated in vivo. Oral intake of the aqueous extract significantly attenuated starch- and sucrose-induced hyperglycemia in normal rats, and evidently, in STZ-diabetic rats as well. The ethyl acetate extract had no inhibitory activity against the intestinal α-glucosidase enzyme in vivo. The antioxidant and the enzyme inhibitory effects may be related to the presence of naringenin and caffeic acid or their synergistic effect with the other compounds in the extracts

Artemisia absinthium L. Aqueous and Ethyl Acetate Extracts: Antioxidant Effect and Potential Activity In Vitro and In Vivo against Pancreatic α-Amylase and Intestinal α-Glucosidase

Artemisia absinthium L. is one of the plants which has been used in folk medicine for many diseases over many centuries. This study aims to analyze the chemical composition of the Artemisia absinthium ethyl acetate and its aqueous extracts and to evaluate their effect on the pancreatic α-amylase enzyme and the intestinal α-glucosidase enzyme. In this study, the total contents of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and condensed tannins in ethyl acetate and the aqueous extracts of Artemisia absinthium leaves were determined by using spectrophotometric techniques, then the antioxidant capacity of these extracts was examined using three methods, namely, the DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging method, the iron reduction method FRAP, and the β-carotene bleaching method. The determination of the chemical composition of the extracts was carried out using high-performance liquid chromatography—the photodiode array detector (HPLC-DAD). These extracts were also evaluated for their ability to inhibit the activity of the pancreatic α-amylase enzyme, as well as the intestinal α-glucosidase enzyme, in vitro and in vivo, thus causing the reduction of blood glucose. The results of this study showed that high polyphenol and flavonoid contents were obtained in ethyl acetate extract with values of 60.34 ± 0.43 mg GAE/g and 25.842 ± 0.241 mg QE/g, respectively, compared to the aqueous extract. The results indicated that the aqueous extract had a higher condensed tannin content (3.070 ± 0.022 mg EC/g) than the ethyl acetate extract (0.987 ± 0.078 mg EC/g). Ethyl acetate extract showed good DPPH radical scavenging and iron reduction FRAP activity, with an IC50 of 0.167 ± 0.004 mg/mL and 0.923 ± 0.0283 mg/mL, respectively. The β-carotene test indicated that the aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts were able to delay the decoloration of β-carotene with an inhibition of 48.7% and 48.3%, respectively, which may mean that the extracts have antioxidant activity. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of naringenin and caffeic acid as major products in AQE and EAE, respectively. Indeed, this study showed that the aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts significantly inhibited the pancreatic α-amylase and intestinal α-glucosidase, in vitro. To confirm this result, the inhibitory effect of these plant extracts on the enzymes has been evaluated in vivo. Oral intake of the aqueous extract significantly attenuated starch- and sucrose-induced hyperglycemia in normal rats, and evidently, in STZ-diabetic rats as well. The ethyl acetate extract had no inhibitory activity against the intestinal α-glucosidase enzyme in vivo. The antioxidant and the enzyme inhibitory effects may be related to the presence of naringenin and caffeic acid or their synergistic effect with the other compounds in the extracts

Anxiolytic, Antidepressant-Like Proprieties and Impact on the Memory of the Hydro-Ethanolic Extract of Origanum majorana L. on Mice

Marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) infusion has been used as folk medicine against depression and anxiety. However, no studies have been carried out yet to prove those activities scientifically. In this study, the anxiolytic, antidepressant-like effects, and memory impact of the hydro-ethanolic extracts of marjoram were evaluated in mice. The hydro-ethanolic extracts (250 and 500 mg/kg) were evaluated for their central nervous effect using six different behavioral tests such as light–dark box (LDB) and open field (OF) for anxiety, forced swim test (FST), and tail suspension test (TST) for depression, and object recognition test (ORT), Morris water maze (MWM) for the impact on memory. The experiments were realized on days 1, 7, 14, and 21 of treatments and compared with bromazepam for anxiety (1 mg/kg) and paroxetine for depression (11.5 mg/kg). The phytochemical screening was performed by HPLC, and the acute and sub-acute toxicities were performed following OCED guidelines (N°423 and 407) with biochemical parameters evaluation and histopathological analysis. Oral administration of marjoram hydro-ethanolic extract induced significant anxiolytic and antidepressant-like effects without memory impairment, increasing the exploration and time spent in the light area in the LDB test in a similar way to that of bromazepam. In the FST and TST, the extract was as effective as paroxetine (11.5 mg/kg, p.o.) in reducing immobility. The phytochemical screening showed the presence of ferulic acid, naringin, hydroxytyrosol, geraniol, and quercetin. This study approves the traditional use of this plant and encourages further investigation on its bioactive compounds