Ptychotis verticillata Duby, referred to as Nûnkha in the local language, is a medicinal plant that is native to Morocco. This particular plant is a member of the Apiaceae family and has a longstanding history in traditional medicine and has been utilized for therapeutic purposes by practitioners for generations. The goal of this research is to uncover the phytochemical makeup of the essential oil extracted from P. verticillata, which is indigenous to the Touissite region in Eastern Morocco. The extraction of the essential oil of P. verticillata (PVEO) was accomplished through the use of hydro-distillation via a Clevenger apparatus. The chemical profile of the essential oil was then determined through analysis utilizing gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The study findings indicated that the essential oil of P. verticillata is composed primarily of Carvacrol (37.05%), D-Limonene (22.97%), γ-Terpinene (15.97%), m-Cymene (12.14%) and Thymol (8.49%). The in vitro antioxidant potential of PVEO was evaluated using two methods: the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical trapping assay and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) method. The data demonstrated considerable radical scavenging and relative antioxidative power. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria innocua, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most susceptible bacterial strains tested, while Geotrichum candidum, Candida albicans, and Rhodotorula glutinis were the most resilient fungi strains. PVEO had broad-spectrum antifungal and antibacterial properties. To elucidate the antioxidative and antibacterial characteristics of the identified molecules, we applied the methodology of molecular docking, a computational approach that forecasts the binding of a small molecule to a protein. Additionally, we utilized the Prediction of Activity Spectra for Substances (PASS) algorithm; Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion (ADME); and Pro-Tox II (to predict the toxicity in silico) tests to demonstrate PVEO’s identified compounds’ drug-likeness, pharmacokinetic properties, the anticipated safety features after ingestion, and the potential pharmacological activity. Finally, our findings scientifically confirm the ethnomedicinal usage and usefulness of this plant, which may be a promising source for future pharmaceutical development.

Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is a tree species native to the Mediterranean region and belongs to the Fabaceae family. The tree is well-known for its sweet and nutritious fruits, which have been used for long time as a nutritious food. In addition to the edible fruits, the carob tree also produces seeds that are highly prized for their ability to produce carob gum (locust bean gum). The carob seed consists of three main components: the shell, the endosperm, and the embryo. The shell is the outermost layer of the seed, followed by the endosperm, which is the largest part of the seed and contains high levels of carbohydrates and proteins. The embryo is the smallest part of the seed and is rich on bioactive compounds. Carob seed constituents have attracted considerable attention due to their exceptional nutritional and therapeutic properties in various industries, including food, medicine, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and textiles. The high content of bioactive compounds in carob seeds, such as polyphenols, tannins, and flavonoids, is believed to be responsible for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The use of carob seed constituents in the food industry is mainly due to their ability to act as thickeners and stabilizers in various foods. They are used as a substitute for other thickening agents such as guar gum and carrageenan, due to their superior properties. In the pharmaceutical industry, carob seeds have been found to have antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, and anticancer properties, among others. The cosmetics industry is also interested in the ingredients of carob seed, as they can improve hydration and elasticity of the skin. They are also used as a natural alternative to synthetic thickeners in cosmetic formulations. The textile industry has also recognized the potential of carob seed constituents, as they can be used as a natural dye and as a sizing agent to improve the strength and durability of textiles. In summary, carob seed constituents offer a wide range of applications in various industries, owing to their high content of bioactive compounds, excellent nutritional and therapeutic profile, and ability to act as thickeners, stabilizers, and antioxidants. This review has highlighted the latest findings on the chemical composition, applications, and health benefits of carob seed constituents.

Introduction: Many beneficial compounds found in fig leaves can be used in tea and medicine. These compounds aid with digestion, reduce inflammation, and treat diabetes and bronchitis. Chetoui, Malha, Ghoudane, and Onk Hmam fig leaf hydro-ethanol extracts from Eastern Morocco were analyzed for metabolites and biological activities.Methods, results, and discussion: HPLC-UV examination revealed that the leaf extract included mainly caffeine, rutin, and ferrulic acid. Spectrophometric results show that Malha leaf is rich in polyphenols (62.6 ± 1.3 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids (26.2 ± 0.1 mg QE/g). Chetoui leaf contains the highest vitamin C content (8.2 ± 0.1 mg Asc A/100 g DW), while Onk Hmam leaf has the highest condensed tannin (4.9 ± 0.1 mg CatE/g). The investigations found that all leaf extracts were antioxidant-rich, with strong Pearson bivariate correlation between bioactive polyphenol levels and antioxidant tests for DPPH, β-carotene, ABTS, and TAC (values of −0.93, −0.94, −0.85, and 0.98, respectively). The coefficients for flavonoid content were −0.89, −0.89, −0.97, and 0.80, respectively. Disk diffusion and MIC results show that the hydro-ethanol fig leaf extracts eliminate fungi and bacteria. In addition, these fig leaf extracts showed promise cytotoxicity against the breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and MDA-MB-436 and an interesting selectivity index. In silico leaf bioactive component analysis revealed that myricitin inhibited NADPH oxidase the greatest (gscore −6.59 Kcal/mol). Trans-ferulic acid inhibits Escherichia coli beta-ketoacyl-[acyl carrier protein] synthase (−6.55 kcal/mol), whereas quercetin inhibits Staphylococcus aureus nucleoside diphosphate kinase (−8.99). CYP51 from Candida albicans is best treated with kaempferol and myricitin. Both had a glide gscore of −7.84 kcal/mol. Rutin has the most potent Sespace 3 anticancer activity, with a glide gscore of −7.09 kcal/mol.Conclusion: This research indicates that fig leaf extracts from the region can be used in medicine, food, natural cosmetics, and breast cancer prevention. To maximize the value of these leaves, their use must be carefully studied. Naturally, this fortunate tree’s diversity must be preserved and enhanced.

Ceratonia siliqua L. is a medicinal plant that has long been used in traditional Moroccan medicine to treat many diseases. This study aimed to assess the impact of the stages of the immature phase of carob pulp (M1, M2, M3, M4, and M5) on phytochemical composition, antioxidant activity, and antidiabetic activity of Ceratonia siliqua L. The identification of the phenolic profile by HPLC-UV/MS-MS and the study of the antidiabetic effect by in silico, in vitro, and in vivo studies were carried out for extracts with high contents of phenolic compounds from immature wild carob pulp from the communes of Timoulit (TM), Bin Elouidane (AW), and Ouaouizerth (TG) in the province of Azilal in the Béni Mellal-Khénifra region. The results revealed a gradual increase in total sugar content over the pulp’s ripening period, reaching a value of 2134 ± 56.23 mg GE/100 g fresh weight (FW) for TG. The three locations showed peak values for total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and total condensed tannin (TCT) at the M2 stage. AW had the highest concentrations of TPC (3819 ± 226.4 mg GAE/100 g FM), TFC (1034 ± 57.08 mg QE/100 g FM), and TCT (1472 ± 28.46 mg CE/100 g FM). The DPPH assay (7892 ± 296.1 mg TE/100 g FM) and the FRAP assay (278.2 ± 7.85 mg TE/100 g FM) both demonstrated that the TG zone is a highly potent antioxidant zone. In contrast, the AW site exhibited a markedly elevated value of 725.4 ± 103.6 mg TE/100 g FM in the ABTS assay. HPLC-UV-MS/MS analysis showed that the methanolic extracts of immature carob pulp (MEICP) from the three areas contained several different chemical compounds. The most prevalent were 3-O-p-coumaroyl-5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, quercetin 3-methyl ether, gallic acid, and galloylquinic acid. Immature carob pulp extract (ICPE) from AW showed the strongest in vitro inhibition of pancreatic α-amylase (IC₅₀ = 0.405 µg/mL) and TG extracts were most potent against intestinal α-glucosidase (IC₅₀ = 0.063 µg/mL). In vivo, AW, TG, and TM extracts significantly reduced postprandial glycemia in rats, with AW having the greatest effect. These results highlight the antidiabetic potential of ICPE. The 3-O-p-Coumaroyl-5-O-caffeoylquinic acid showed better affinity for α-amylase compared to acarbose and interacted significantly with several amino acid residues of the enzyme. Similarly, this molecule and 3,4-Dicaffeoylquinic acid demonstrated a strong affinity for α-glucosidase, suggesting their potential as natural inhibitors of enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism. Most of the compounds are not substrates of P-glycoprotein and exhibited high intestinal absorption. Furthermore, the majority of these compounds did not act as inhibitors or substrates of CYP450 enzymes, reinforcing their suitability for development as oral medications. These results underscore the potential of immature carob pulp as a promising antidiabetic agent.

The eastern region of Morocco is renowned for the production of two varieties of figs, Ghoudane (GD) and Chetoui (CH), which are characterized by their high productivity and quality. To ensure a profitable selling price, producers often dry these figs, a process that not only increases their storage capability but also enhances their nutritional and health benefits. The aim of this study was to investigate the composition and potential health benefits of dried GD and CH figs. The findings of this study reveal that both varieties of dried figs have a rich composition of sugars, lipids, proteins, vegetable fibers, vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, and other nutrients. Moreover, both GD and CH figs that have been sun-dried meet the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s standard in terms of dry matter and diameter. However, their marketability and commercial quality as dried figs are only classified as Category I or lower-caliber figs. In terms of color, CH figs are lighter and brighter than their GD counterparts, making them more appealing to consumers. Furthermore, this study investigated the extraction of polyphenols and flavonoids from both dried fig varieties using different solvents. Distilled water was found to be the best extraction solvent for polyphenols in both varieties, with GD figs showing a higher content (483.6 mg GAE/100 g) than CH figs (408.3 mg GAE/100 g). Meanwhile, ethanol was found to be the best extraction solvent for flavonoids, with GD figs (180.2 mg of QE/100 g) showing a higher content than CH figs (122.9 mg of QE/100 g). In addition, the majority of the extracts, particularly the ethanol extracts, showed high efficiency against the tested bacteria and yeast. Notably, dried GD figs had higher amounts of total phenolics, total flavonoids, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities compared to dried CH figs. The study also revealed high correlations between phytochemical content and both antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. In conclusion, this study highlights the nutritional and health benefits of dried figs, particularly the GD variety, and their potential as a natural source of antimicrobial compounds. The findings suggest that dried figs could be an alternative source of natural antimicrobial agents for various applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

Two hundred eight sheep, belonging to two main breeds of eastern Morocco, “Beni-Guil” and “Ouled-Djellal,” were investigated for carcass traits and meat quality. The objective of this study is to determine the effects of breed and age at slaughter on carcass traits and meat quality. The animals were slaughtered at three age classes: milk teeth, animals with two adult teeth, and adult animals. Dressing percentage, carcass measurements, compactness indices, carcass shrinkage parameter, conformation scores, fatness state, fat consistency, fat and meat colour, and pH were measured 24 hours postmortem. The results showed that the dressing percentage, carcass measurements, and compactness indices increased with slaughter age ( ). Furthermore, the effect of breed was higher for Ouled-Djellal breed of carcass characteristics ( ). However, no significant effect was observed for carcass shrinkage parameter. The longissimus lumborum muscle was used to determine the meat colour, which ranged from 23.89 to 21.96, while the ultimate pH ranged from 5.70 to 5.82. These results were influenced by age at slaughter ( ) but not influenced by breed. Breed and age at slaughter had a significant influence on carcass traits ( ). The present study provided a new insight into the effect of breed and age at slaughter on carcass and meat traits of both “Beni-Guil-PGI” and Ouled-Djellal sheep breeds.