Morocco is known for its high plant biodiversity, but many plants are poorly valorized. For this reason, this study aims to valorize the methanolic and aqueous extracts of Melitotus albus leaves by studying their antioxidant activity and toxicity. The extracts' antioxidant activity is assessed using the FRAP, DPPH, CAT, and ABTS methods. The chemical composition was determined using LC-MS analysis and evaluated using in silico studies. The results revealed that the total polyphenol content of the aqueous extract, 259.26 ± 7.79 (mg GAE/g), is higher than that of the methanolic extract, 131.41 ± 12.64 (mg GAE/g). The antioxidant activity by the methods of DPPH, ABTS, and phosphor molybdenum of aqueous extracts (0.087 ± 0.015, 0.014 ± 0.001 and 6.157 ± 1.050 mg eq vit C/g, respectively) is greater than that of methanolic extracts (0.107 ± 0.02, 0.167 ± 0.03, and 0.453 ± 0.014 mg eq vit C/g, respectively). The reducing power of iron (FRAP) shows that the methanolic extract has a greater reducing power than that of the aqueous extract with a low IC50 (0.011 ± 0.003 and 0.199 ± 0.016 mg/mL, respectively). The study of acute and subacute toxicity shows that the administration of the aqueous extract of M. albus at different doses increases the body weight of rats without modifying their general behavior. The M. albus extract had a 99.99% total phenolic content, as determined by LC-MS, consisting of 12 different components. The primary constituents of the extract are chlorogenic acid (43.68%), catechin/epicatechin (24.82%), quercetin-3-O-glucuronic acid (9.91%), naringin (7.64%), and p-hydroxybenzoic/salicylic acid (2.95%). The in-silico study showed that these compounds can passively permeate through the blood and have a beneficial effect on various organs of the body. Based on these results, M. albus can be used as a medicinal plant in phytotherapy, cosmetics, or as a dietary supplement. The bioactive compounds of these plants will require a lot of further effort in terms of isolation and characterization.

Many species of the genus Ferula, including Ferula communis are used medicinally to treat various diseases. Consumption of Ferula communis has been reported to have toxic effect. The study aims to evaluate the polyphenolic content, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and toxicological activities of the methanol and aqueous extracts of the edible fruit (MEFE and AEFE) and the fruit at the advanced stage of flowering (AEFAF and MEFAF) of Ferula communis. The polyphenolic (total phenolic and flavonoid) contents were evaluated using standard procedures. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging, Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) assays. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against selected bacteria and fungal organisms using the disk diffusion method. Acute and sub-acute toxicity of the hydroethanol extract of the edible fruit (HEFE) was evaluated in mice according to standard procedures. The results indicate that the AEFE has higher phenolic and flavonoid content than the MEFE. Whereas, the MEFAF showed a very high amount of phenols and flavonoids compared to AEFAF. AEFAF displayed a higher antioxidant activity in the DPPH and FRAP assays, whereas MEFE showed higher antioxidant activity in the ABTS assay. AEEF and MEEF showed remarkable antibacterial action. Acute and sub-acute oral administration of HEFE did not cause any toxic effect in mice. On the basis of these findings, Ferula communis fruit could serve as a potential antioxidant against oxidative stress, and a potential antibacterial agent against pathogenic bacterial infection.

Medicinal plants have been used for therapeutic purposes since ancient times. These plants are generally perceived as safe, but they could also be toxic. The present study aims to undertake a survey of the nature, mode of application, and toxic effect of medicinal plants used in Fez-Meknes region, Eastern Middle Atlas, Morocco. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted from January 2020 to August 2021. The method employed a semi-structured questionnaire with open-ended questions on the uses, mode of application, and effects of the plants. The data obtained were statistically analyzed. Parameters such as Family use value (FUV), Use value (UV), Fidelity level (FL), and Informant agreement ratio (IAR) were obtained. From the survey, 59 potentially toxic plants, distributed across 33 families were documented. Concerning the uses of these plants, 31% of the respondents claimed that the plants are for cosmetic purposes, 23% claimed they are for minor illnesses, 15% claimed they are for chronic diseases, another 15% claimed they are ineffective, while 8% each claimed that they are for acute illnesses and other uses. For the disease categories, the result showed that the IAR values ranged from 0.8 to 0.96. The disease with the highest IAR value was hair loss (IAR = 0.96), followed by rheumatism (IAR = 0.95). The findings from this study have highlighted the potentially poisonous plants in the Fez-Meknes region. Further phytochemical and pharmacological studies on acute, sub-acute, and chronic plant toxicity are needed to determine the acceptable dose (LD50), the most appropriate method for optimal use.