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.

The botanical species Ceratonia siliqua L., commonly referred to as the Carob tree, and locally as “L’Kharrûb”, holds significance as an agro-sylvo-pastoral species, and is traditionally utilized in Morocco for treating a variety of ailments. This current investigation aims to ascertain the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic properties of the ethanolic extract of C. siliqua leaves (CSEE). Initially, we analyzed the chemical composition of CSEE through high-performance liquid chromatography with Diode-Array Detection (HPLC-DAD). Subsequently, we conducted various assessments, including DPPH scavenging capacity, β-carotene bleaching assay, ABTS scavenging, and total antioxidant capacity assays to evaluate the antioxidant activity of the extract. In this study, we investigated the antimicrobial properties of CSEE against five bacterial strains (two gram-positive, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis; and three gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli, Escherichia vekanda, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and two fungi (Candida albicans, and Geotrichum candidum). Additionally, we evaluated the cytotoxicity of CSEE on three human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and MDA-MB-436) and assessed the potential genotoxicity of the extract using the comet assay. Through HPLC-DAD analysis, we determined that phenolic acids and flavonoids were the primary constituents of the CSEE extract. The results of the DPPH test indicated a potent scavenging capacity of the extract with an IC₅₀ of 302.78 ± 7.55 µg/mL, which was comparable to that of ascorbic acid with an IC₅₀ of 260.24 ± 6.45 µg/mL. Similarly, the β-carotene test demonstrated an IC₅₀ of 352.06 ± 12.16 µg/mL, signifying the extract’s potential to inhibit oxidative damage. The ABTS assay revealed IC₅₀ values of 48.13 ± 3.66 TE µmol/mL, indicating a strong ability of CSEE to scavenge ABTS radicals, and the TAC assay demonstrated an IC₅₀ value of 165 ± 7.66 µg AAE/mg. The results suggest that the CSEE extract had potent antioxidant activity. Regarding its antimicrobial activity, the CSEE extract was effective against all five tested bacterial strains, indicating its broad-spectrum antibacterial properties. However, it only showed moderate activity against the two tested fungal strains, suggesting it may not be as effective against fungi. The CSEE exhibited a noteworthy dose-dependent inhibitory activity against all the tested tumor cell lines in vitro. The extract did not induce DNA damage at the concentrations of 6.25, 12.5, 25, and 50 µg/mL, as assessed by the comet assay. However, the 100 µg/mL concentration of CSEE resulted in a significant genotoxic effect compared to the negative control. A computational analysis was conducted to determine the physicochemical and pharmacokinetic characteristics of the constituent molecules present in the extract. The Prediction of Activity Spectra of Substances (PASS) test was employed to forecast the potential biological activities of these molecules. Additionally, the toxicity of the molecules was evaluated using the Protox II webserver.

Throughout history, essential oils have been employed for their pleasing scents and potential therapeutic benefits. These oils have shown promise in various areas, including aromatherapy, personal care products, natural remedies, and even as alternatives to traditional cleaning agents or pest control solutions. The study aimed to explore the chemical makeup, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties of Origanum compactum Benth., Salvia officinalis L., and Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. et Perry. Initially, the composition of the three essential oils, O. compactum (HO), S. officinalis (HS), and S. aromaticum (HC) was analyzed using GC-MS technology, revealing significant differences in the identified compounds. α-thujone emerged as the predominant volatile component in the oils, making up 78.04% of the composition, followed by eugenol, which constituted 72.66% and 11.22% of the HC and HO oils, respectively. To gauge antioxidant capabilities, tests involving DPPH scavenging capacity and total antioxidant capacity were conducted. Antioxidant activity was determined through the phosphomolybdate test and the DPPH• radical scavenging activity, with the HO essential oil displaying significant scavenging capacity (IC₅₀ of 0.12 ± 0.02 mg/mL), similar to ascorbic acid (IC₅₀ of 0.26 ± 0.24 mg/mL). Similarly, the TAC assay for HO oil revealed an IC₅₀ of 1086.81 ± 0.32 µM AAE/mg. Additionally, the oils’ effectiveness against four bacterial strains, namely Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes, and five fungi, Geotrichum candidum, Aspergillus niger, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida glabrata, and Candida albicans, was tested in vitro. The examined essential oils generally exhibited limited antimicrobial effects, with the exception of HC oil, which demonstrated an exceptionally impressive level of antifungal activity. In order to clarify the antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal effects of the identified plant compounds, we employed computational methods, specifically molecular docking. This technique involved studying the interactions between these compounds and established protein targets associated with antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal activities.

In this research, the chemical compositions of various extracts obtained from Ulva lactuca, a type of green seaweed collected from the Nador lagoon in the northern region of Morocco, were compared. Their antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties were also studied. Using GC–MS technology, the fatty acid content of the samples was analyzed, revealing that palmitic acid, eicosenoic acid, and linoleic acid were the most abundant unsaturated fatty acids present in all samples. The HPLC analysis indicated that sinapic acid, naringin, rutin, quercetin, cinnamic acid, salicylic acid, apigenin, flavone, and flavanone were the most prevalent phenolic compounds. The aqueous extract obtained by maceration showed high levels of polyphenols and flavonoids, with values of 379.67 ± 0.09 mg GAE/g and 212.11 ± 0.11 mg QE/g, respectively. This extract also exhibited an impressive ability to scavenge DPPH radicals, as indicated by its IC₅₀ value of 0.095 ± 0.12 mg/mL. Additionally, the methanolic extract obtained using the Soxhlet method demonstrated antioxidant properties by preventing β-carotene discoloration, with an IC₅₀ of 0.087 ± 0.14 mg/mL. Results from in-vitro studies showed that extracts from U. lactuca were able to significantly inhibit the enzymatic activity of α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Among the various extracts, methanolic extract (S) has been identified as the most potent inhibitor, exhibiting a statistically similar effect to that of acarbose. Furthermore, molecular docking models were used to evaluate the interaction between the primary phytochemicals found in these extracts and the human pancreatic α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes. These findings suggest that U. lactuca extracts contain bioactive substances that are capable of reducing enzyme activity more effectively than the commercially available drug, acarbose.

In this study, a comparison was made of the chemical makeup of different extracts obtained from Gracilaria bursa-pastoris, a type of red seaweed that was gathered from the Nador lagoon situated in the northern part of Morocco. Additionally, their anti-diabetic and antioxidant properties were investigated. The application of GC-MS technology to analyze the fatty acid content of the samples revealed that linoleic acid and eicosenoic acid were the most abundant unsaturated fatty acids across all samples, with palmitic acid and oleic acid following in frequency. The HPLC analysis indicated that ascorbic and kojic acids were the most prevalent phenolic compounds, while apigenin was the most common flavonoid molecule. The aqueous extract exhibited significant levels of polyphenols and flavonoids, registering values of 381.31 ± 0.33 mg GAE/g and 201.80 ± 0.21 mg QE/g, respectively. Furthermore, this particular extract demonstrated a remarkable ability to scavenge DPPH radicals, as evidenced by its IC₅₀ value of 0.17 ± 0.67 mg/mL. In addition, the methanolic extract was found to possess antioxidant properties, as evidenced by its ability to prevent β-carotene discoloration, with an IC₅₀ ranging from 0.062 ± 0.02 mg/mL to 0.070 ± 0.06 mg/mL. In vitro study showed that all extracts significantly inhibited the enzymatic activity of α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Finally, molecular docking models were applied to assess the interaction between the primary phytochemicals identified in G. bursa-pastoris extracts and the human pancreatic α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes. The findings suggest that these extracts contain bioactive substances capable of reducing enzyme activity more effectively than the commercially available drug acarbose.

This study explores the effects of chitosan (CHT) and jasmonic acid (JA) elicitors on rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium graveolens Hort.) cell suspension cultures, aiming to enhance the production of phenolics and flavonoids and antioxidant properties. Elicitation with CHT and JA resulted in varied biomass yields and callus characteristics, with higher concentrations generally leading to increased phenolic accumulation. Optimal biomass was achieved with CHT4 (75 mg/mL) and JA3 (50 µM) treatments. HPLC-DAD analysis revealed changes in phenolic compound composition and quantities, with specific compounds induced by either CHT₄ or JA₃. For instance, gallic acid content increased significantly in CHT₄-treated cells, while catechin content increased notably in both CHT₄ and JA₃ treatments. Antioxidant enzyme activities like superoxide dismutase and peroxidase increased with elicitor concentration, particularly in CHT₄ and JA₃ treatments. Both treatments exhibited potent antioxidant activity, with JA₃ exhibiting the lowest IC₅₀ value in the DPPH assay and highest total antioxidant capacity (TAC) values. Surprisingly, both CHT₄ and JA₃ extracts effectively inhibited tyrosinase activity. These findings underscore the efficacy of CHT and JA elicitors in enhancing phenolic and flavonoid production, boosting antioxidant capacity, and inhibiting tyrosinase activity in P. graveolens cultures, offering promising implications for further research and industrial applications in pharmaceutical and cosmetic sectors.