In the present work, phytochemical contents (total phenolic content, total flavonoids, and condensed tannins), antioxidant potentials, and antimicrobial activities of three plants in the Mediterranean genus Erodium (Erodium glaucophyllum, Erodium hirtum, and Erodium guttatum) from the Tunisia region were analyzed. The results showed that E. glaucophyllum contained high levels of polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins. Therefore, E. glaucophyllum possesses high antioxidant activities (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and ferric reducing antioxidant power scavenging activities), and high inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation. All three plants exhibited high antimicrobial activities. This study highlights tree plants' importance as dietary sources for natural antioxidants can be used in traditional medicine and the pharmaceutical industry.

Functional beverages obtained using medicinal plants and fermented with lactic acid bacteria are gaining much interest from the scientific community, driven by the growing demand for food and beverages with beneficial properties. In this work, three different batches of medicinal plants and organic sugarcane molasses, named FB-lc, FB-sp and FB-lcsp, were prepared and fermented by using Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 43121, Bifidobacterium breve B632 and a mix of both strains’ culture, respectively. The three fermented beverages revealed a high level of polyphenols (expressed as gallic acid equivalent), ranging from 182.50 to 315.62 µg/mL. The highest content of flavonoids (152.13 µg quercetin equivalent/mL) and tannins (93.602 µg catechin equivalent/mL) was detected in FB-lcsp trial. The IR spectroscopy analysis showed a decrease in sugar (pyranose forms, D-glucopyranose and rhamnosides). In addition, the aromatic compounds of the fermented beverages, detected by GC-MS headspace analysis, showed twenty-four interesting volatile compounds, which could give positive aroma attributes to the flavor of the beverages. The highest antioxidant activity was observed in the beverage obtained by the mix culture strains. Accordingly, the production of these beverages can be further investigated for considering their well-being effects on human health.

Bioavailability prediction remains a significant challenge in early-stage drug development, where conventional experimental approaches are time-consuming and resource-intensive. This study explores the application of machine learning techniques to enhance the efficiency of bioavailability prediction. By leveraging computational workflows within the KNIME Analytics Platform, we aim to automate bioavailability assessment and reduce dependence on costly in vitro and in vivo studies.A dataset comprising 475 drug-like compounds characterized by key molecular descriptors was analyzed using multiple machine learning models, including Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, Decision Trees, k-Nearest Neighbors, and neural networks. Model performance was assessed through 5-fold cross-validation, with ensemble models outperforming linear and neural network-based approaches. Random Forestdemonstrated the highest predictive performance (R² = 0.87, RMSE = 0.08). Feature importance analysis identified topological polar surface area and solubility as the most influential factors in bioavailability prediction.The findings underscore the potential of integrating open-source tools and machine learning methodologies in pharmaceutical research, improving workflow efficiency while adhering to FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data principles. This approach facilitates rapid and cost-effective bioavailability assessment, supporting AI-driven predictive modeling and digital health applications in drug development.

Erodium glaucophyllum, Erodium hirtum and Erodium guttatum were medicinal herbs from a southern Mediterranean known for its health benefits. There is a strong demand for the find of new anti-pathogenic bacteria metabolites. In the present study, the different ethanolic extracts of leaves, flowers, and Roots from the three plants were evaluated. The phenolics contents (total phenolic content, total flavonoids, and condensed tannins), antioxidant potentials, and in microbiological media to determine their effects on bacteria (Escherichia coli K12, pseudomonas aeruginosa DSM1128, Staphylococcus aureus 29213 ATCC, Enterococcus aerogenes 13048 ATCC, Enterococcus faecalis 40589, and Proteus mirabilis 3128) were investigated. The results showed that, the different extracts of the three species exhibited high content in polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins. The leaves extract of Erodium glaucophyllum has the highest levels of polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins; 154.2 ± 0.5 µg GAE/g DR, 68.2 ± 3.6 µg RE/g DR, and 36.2 ± 1.4 µg CE/g DR, respectively. In addition, the leaves extract of Erodium glaucophyllum possesses highest antioxidant activities (totals antioxidant capacity, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)) to compare with the other extracts. Furthermore, the three medicinal plants exhibited a high antimicrobial potential against pathogenic bacteria. The maximum inhibition showed in the Erodium glaucophyllum leaves extract against Enterococcus aerogenes 13048 ATCC, pseudomonas aeruginosa DSM1128, and Proteus mirabilis 3128. A significant positive correlation was found between the polyphenols content, antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity of the different extracts.