In this study, GC and GC–MS analysis of the essential oil obtained from the leaves of Saudi Arabian Capparis cartilaginea Decne. (CC) allowed for the identification of 41 constituents, comprising 99.99% of the total oil composition. The major compounds identified were isopropyl isothiocyanate (31.0%), 2-methylbutanenitrile (21.4%), 2-butyl isothiocyanate (18.1%), isobutyronitrile (15.4%), and 3-methylbutanenitrile (8.2%). The chemical composition of the derived oil and 12 additional oils obtained from selected Capparis taxa were compared using multivariate analyses including principal component analysis (PCA) and agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis (AHC). The results of the statistical analyses of this particular data set pointed out that isopropyl isothiocyanate could be potentially used as a valuable infrageneric chemotaxonomical marker for CC. Moreover, the results distinctly separate CC from other members of its genus on the basis of its components. In addition, environmental and geographical stressors may be implicated in the essential oil profile of plants found within the genus Capparis.

Gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analyses were conducted on essential oil extracted from Saudi Arabian Artemisia judaica L. (A. judaica) aerial parts, resulting in the identification of 58 constituents, representing 93.0% of the total oil composition. The oil primarily consisted of monoterpenes (38.6%), sesquiterpenes (14.1%), and other compounds such as ethyl esters and cyclic ketones (40.3%). The main components identified were piperitone (16.5%), ethyl cinnamate (12.9%), and camphor (9.7%). Multivariate statistical analyses (MVAs), including principal component analysis (PCA) and agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC) analysis, were employed to compare the chemical makeup of this oil with 20 other A. judaica oils from various regions. The study revealed distinct clusters, highlighting unique chemotypes and geographic variations. Particularly, the oil from the current study demonstrated a specialized chemical profile with significant concentrations of specific compounds, contributing significantly to its distinctiveness. Further cytotoxicity testing on RAW264.7 macrophages suggested that concentrations below 20 μg/mL of A. judaica oil are suitable for future pharmacological investigations. This study provides valuable insights into the chemical diversity, geographic variations, and potential biomedical applications of these essential oils.

Capers (Capparis L.), a genus of shrub-like plants within the family Capparaceae, exhibit remarkable ecological adaptability and have long been used in traditional medicine, food, and agroforestry. Phytochemical investigations have identified a wide array of bioactive compounds—including flavonoids, alkaloids, glucosinolates, spermidine derivatives, and other unique secondary metabolites—particularly in species such as C. spinosa and C. decidua. Pharmacological studies have reported diverse biological activities, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, and antioxidant effects. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the genus, with particular attention to its botanical characteristics, ethnomedicinal relevance, phytochemical composition, and pharmacological potential.

Adonis tianschanica is a lesser-known plant species belonging to the genus Adonis that grows in Kazakhstan. The aim of this study was to characterize the composition of the ethanolic, water, and hydroethanolic extracts from the aerial parts of A. tianschanica by HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS to isolate the major compound isoquercitrin by HSCCC (High-Speed Counter-Current Chromatography) and to determine the cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory potential of the extracts produced with this plant. Fingerprinting of the analyzed extracts showed the presence of a multitude of metabolites comprising polyphenols, organic acids, and coumarins, and only trace quantities of cardiac glycosides in the analyzed samples. Flavonoids were certainly the best-represented group, with kaempferol, quercetin, and their derivatives as the major components of the extracts. Key findings in this paper were that the ethanol: water (50:50 v/v) extract of A. tianschanica and its major compound isoquercitrin were able to reduce the production of NO induced by LPS, in addition to demonstrating anti-inflammatory effects by reducing cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β.

Background: Meningococcal disease remains a public health concern during mass gatherings such as Hajj and Umrah, where crowding, close contact, and travel may increase transmission risk. Although pharmacists play a role in prevention and early referral, existing studies have relied on self-reported assessments, which may not reflect actual practice. Aim: To assess pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices regarding the recognition, referral, and preventive management of suspected meningococcal disease during mass gatherings, and to compare reported practices with community pharmacists’ behavior observed during simulated patient encounters at the group level. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to June 2026 in Makkah, Jeddah, Madinah, and Taif. A total of 380 community and hospital pharmacists completed a questionnaire assessing knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices regarding post-exposure meningococcal prevention. In parallel, 305 simulated patient visits assessed practice among community pharmacists using a standardized scenario. Spearman correlation, multivariable linear regression with robust standard errors, and chi-squared or Fisher’s exact tests (with Holm adjustment for regional comparisons) were used for analysis. Results: Pharmacists demonstrated good knowledge (median score, 5.0/6), attitudes (median, 13.0/15), and favorable self-reported practices (median, 15.5/20). However, only 5.2% of simulated patient encounters resulted in recognition of meningococcal disease, 7.5% included enquiry about close contact, and 6.2% included preventive counselling. Immediate referral was observed in 30.5% of encounters, while 88.9% involved symptomatic medication provision. Knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices were positively correlated with one another (Spearman’s rho = 0.32–0.54). Conclusions: A substantial group-level gap was observed between favorable self-reported practices and lower performance in a separate, unlinked sample of community pharmacists. Practical, case-based education, standardized referral pathways, and simulation-based training may help improve pharmacists’ ability to recognize and manage meningococcal disease during mass gatherings.

Artemisia cina Berg ex Poljakov, a shrubby plant endemic to the semi-arid areas of Kazakhstan, has as a long history of being used in traditional medicines as an antitumour, antifungal and anthelmintic agent. In a preliminary study carried out on different methodologies to produce aqueous extracts of A. cina it was seen that a simple aqueous extract of A. cina (as in an infusion of the plant) had the strongest anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. The profiling of this aqueous extract was performed using Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionization-Quadrupole-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (LC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS) while High-Speed Countercurrent Chromatography (HSCCC) and a Sephadex LH-20 column were utilised to isolate and purify the extract in ethyl acetate obtained from the aqueous extract. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) was used for structural elucidation. The flavonoid spinacetin-7-O-glucoside was found to be one of the main compounds present in the A. cina aqueous extract. With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the frequency in which new COVID strains occur, the demand for drugs with anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity is at an all-time high. Flavonoids and artemisinin identified by LC-MS in this extract are hypothesised to be the key compounds behind the anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of the aqueous extract, however this needs to be further tested and explored.