Context: Stachys guyoniana Noë ex. Batt. and Mentha aquatica L. are two Algerian Lamiaceae used in folk medicine. Objective: To investigate their antioxidant, anticholinesterase and antibacterial activities. Material and methods: n-Butanol (BESG), ethyl acetate (EESG) and chloroform (CESG) extracts of S. guyoniana and methanol (MEMA) and chloroform (CEMA) aerial part extracts of M. aquatica and methanol (MERMA) and acetone (AERMA) roots extracts of M. aquatica were evaluated for their antioxidant activity by the β-carotene-linoleic acid, DPPH^• and ABTS^•+ scavenging, CUPRAC and metal chelating assays. The anticholinesterase activity was tested against AChE and BChE. The antibacterial activity was assessed by MICs determination against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella heidelberg, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter aerogenes and Morganella morganii strains. Results: In the β-carotene test, the CESG (IC₅₀: 2.3 ± 1.27 μg/mL) exhibited the highest activity. The BESG was the best scavenger of DPPH^• (IC₅₀: 2.91 ± 0.14 μg/mL). In the ABTS test, AERMA was the most active (IC₅₀: 4.21 ± 0.28 μg/mL). However, with the CUPRAC, the BESG exhibited the best activity (A_0.50: 0.15 ± 0.05 μg/mL) and was active in metal chelating assay with 48% inhibition at 100 μg/mL. The BESG was the best AChE inhibitor (IC₅₀: 5.78 ± 0.01 μg/mL) however, the AERMA showed the highest BChE inhibitory activity (IC₅₀: 19.23 ± 1.42 μg/mL). The tested extracts exhibited a good antibacterial activity. Conclusion: This study demonstrated good antioxidant, anticholinesterase and antibacterial potential of S. guyoniana and M. aquatica, which fits in well with their use in folk medicine.

Context: The phytochemical study and biological activities of Astragalus armatus Willd. subsp. numidicus (Fabaceae) pods, an endemic shrub of Maghreb, are reported. Objective: This study isolates the secondary metabolites and determines the bioactivities of Astragalus armatus pods. Materials and methods: The chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol extracts of hydro-ethanolic extracts were studied. Antioxidant activity was investigated using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging, CUPRAC and ferrous chelating assays at concentrations ranging from 3 to 200 μg/mL. Anticholinesterase activity was determined against acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase enzymes at 50, 100 and 200 μg/mL. Antibacterial activity was performed according to minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method. Carbon clearance method in albino mice was used for the phagocytic activity at concentrations 50, 70 and 100 mg/kg body weight. Spectroscopic techniques were used to elucidate the compounds. Results: Ethyl acetate extract afforded a flavonoid (1) while the n-butanol extract gave four flavonoids (2–5), a cyclitol (6) and a cycloartane-type saponin (7). The ethyl acetate extract exhibited highest antioxidant activity in DPPH (IC₅₀: 67.90 ± 0.57 μg/mL), ABTS (IC₅₀: 11.30 ± 0.09 μg/mL) and CUPRAC (A_0.50: 50.60 ± 0.9 μg/mL) assays. The chloroform extract exhibited the best antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, each with 80 μg/mL MIC values. The n-butanol extract enhanced phagocytic activity. Discussion and conclusion: Isorhamnetin (1), isorhamnetin-3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-β-d-galactopyranoside (2), isorhamnetin-3-O-β-d-apiofuranosyl-(1 → 2)-[α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 6)]-β-d-galactopyranoside (3), kaempferol-3-O-(2,6-di-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl)-β-d-galactopyranoside (4), kaempferol-3-O-(2,6-di-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl)-β-d-glucopyranoside (5), pinitol (6) and cyclomacroside D (7) were isolated whereas 1, 2, 6 and 7 are reported for the first time from A. armatus.

Context: This is the first study on the phytochemistry, antioxidant, anticholinesterase, and antibacterial activities of Sedum caeruleum L. (Crassulaceae).Objective: The objective of this study is to isolate the secondary metabolites and determine the antioxidant, anticholinesterase, and antibacterial activities of S. caeruleum.Materials and methods: Six compounds (1-6) were isolated from the extracts of S. caeruleum and elucidated using UV, 1D-, 2D-NMR, and MS techniques. Antioxidant activity was investigated using DPPH center dot, CUPRAC, and ferrous-ions chelating assays. Anticholinesterase activity was determined against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzymes using the Ellman method. Antibacterial activity was performed according to disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) methods.Results: Isolated compounds were elucidated as ursolic acid (1), daucosterol (2), -sitosterol-3-O--d-galactopyranoside (3), apigenin (4), apigetrin (5), and apiin (6). The butanol extract exhibited highest antioxidant activity in all tests (IC50 value: 28.351.22 mu g/mL in DPPH assay, IC50 value: 40.83 +/- 2.24 mu g/L in metal chelating activity, and IC50 value: 23.52 +/- 0.44 mu g/L in CUPRAC), and the highest BChE inhibitory activity (IC50 value: 36.89 +/- 0.15 mu g/L). Moreover, the chloroform extract mildly inhibited (MIC value: 80 mu g/mL) the growth of all the tested bacterial strains.Discussion and conclusion: Ursolic acid (1), daucosterol (2), -sitosterol-3-O--d-galactopyranoside (3), apigenin (4), apigetrin (5), and apiin (6) were isolated from Sedum caeruleum for the first time. In addition, a correlation was observed between antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities of bioactive ingredients of this plant.