The aim of study was to validate, by in vitro and in vivo studies, the traditional use for wound-healing activity of Artemisia absinthium L. Reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection and electrospray ion trap mass spectrometry (RP-LC-DAD-ESI-MS) analysis allowed to identify eleven polyphenols with chlorogenic acid as the most abundant compound (3.75 g/100 g of dry extract). After that, antibacterial activity as well as acute dermal and oral toxicity were assessed in animal models. In order to investigate the wound-healing activity of A. absinthium methanol extract, two ointments were formulated (MEO 5% and 10%). The ointment with the highest concentration of plant extract (10%) showed a statistically significant effect on the rats wound contraction, similar to that exerted by the reference drug Cicatryl-Bio. Moreover, A. absinthium methanol extract showed the best antibacterial activity against the Gram-negative Escherichia coli ATCC 10536 (MIC 1.25–2.5 mg/mL) and the Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 (0.31–0.625 mg/mL). The absence of oral and topical toxicity of the treated animals allowed to establish the safety of the ointments. Overall, data collected in the present study support and validate the use of A. absinthium as a wound healing agent in the Algerian traditional medicine.

The aim of the present study has been to evaluate the antioxidant, antimicrobial and wound healing activity of Algerian Lavandula stoechas and Mentha pulegium methanol extracts (LE and ME, respectively) in order to scientifically validate their traditional use. After a preliminary phytochemical screening, a polyphenol profile characterization was carried out by RP-LC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS analysis. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by different in vitro assays such as DPPH, TEAC, FRAP and ORAC whereas antimicrobial activity was carried out against representative standard ATCC and clinical Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains as well as against Candida albicans. The wound healing activity of ointments containing 5% and 10% of LE and ME was investigated on Wistar albino rats. Different polyphenol classess (flavones, flavonols and phenolic acids) were identified with rosmarinic acid that was the most abundant compound in both extracts (5658.40 and 1201.35 mg/100 g of LE and ME, respectively). LE and ME have strong antioxidant activity, whereas they showed antimicrobial activity only against S. aureus. However, both 5% and 10% LE and ME ointments significantly accelerated the wound healing process in comparison with negative control, providing a scientific rationale for the traditional use of L. stoechas and M. pulegium aerial parts in the treatment of wounds. Graphical Abstract

Phlomis crinita Cav. (Lamiaceae), locally known as "El Khayata" or "Kayat El Adjarah", is traditionally used in Algeria for its wound-healing properties. Investigate, for the first time, the phytochemical profile, safety, antioxidant and wound-healing activities of the flowering tops methanolic extract of P. crinita (PCME) collected from Bouira Province in the North of Algeria. Preliminary phytochemical assays were carried out on PCME to quantify the main classes of bioactive compounds, such as total phenols, flavonoids, and tannins. An in-depth LC-DAD-ESI-MS analysis was carried out to elucidate the phytochemical profile of this plant species. Antioxidant activity was investigated by several colorimetric and fluorimetric assays (DPPH, TEAC, FRAP, ORAC, β-carotene bleaching and ferrozine assay). The acute oral toxicity of PCME (2000 mg/kg b.w.) was tested in vivo on Swiss albino mice, whereas the acute dermal toxicity and wound-healing properties of the PCME ointment (1-5% PCMO) were tested in vivo on Wistar albino rats. Biochemical and histological analyses were carried out on biological samples. The phytochemical screening highlighted a high content of phenolic compounds (175.49 ± 0.8 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g of dry extract), mainly flavonoids (82.28 ± 0.44 mg of quercetin equivalents/g of dry extract). Fifty-seven compounds were identified by LC-DAD-ESI-MS analysis, belonging mainly to the class of flavones (32.27%), with luteolin 7-(6''-acetylglucoside) as the most abundant compound and phenolic acids (32.54%), with salvianolic acid C as the most abundant compound. A conspicuous presence of phenylethanoids (15.26%) was also found, of which the major constituent is forsythoside B. PCME showed a strong antioxidant activity with half-inhibitory activity (IC₅₀) ranging from 1.88 to 37.88 μg/mL and a moderate iron chelating activity (IC₅₀ 327.44 μg/mL). PCME appears to be safe with Lethal Dose 50 (LD₅₀) ≥ 2000 mg/kg b.w. No mortality or toxicity signs, including any statistically significant changes in body weight gain and relative organs' weight with respect to the control group, were recorded. A significant (p < 0.001) wound contraction was observed in the 5% PCMO-treated group with respect to the untreated and petroleum jelly groups between 8 and 20 days, whereas no statistically significant results were observed at the two lower doses (1 and 2% PCMO). In addition, the 5% PCMO-treated group showed a statistically significant (p < 0.05) wound healing activity with respect to the reference drug-treated group, showing, at the end of the study, the highest wound contraction percentage (88.00 ± 0.16%). PCME was safe and showed strong antioxidant and wound-healing properties, suggesting new interesting pharmaceutical applications for P. crinita based on its traditional use.

In the present study, we chemically characterised the aqueous leaf extract of Limoniastrum guyonianum by HPLC-TOF/MS and evaluated its effects on fructose-induced metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Wistar rats. MetS groups were given (10% w/v) fructose solution to drink ad libitum for 9 weeks, whereas, normal animals received ordinary water. LG extract was administrated to treated groups by gavage for the last 6 weeks of the experimental period. Fructose feeding as a liquid solution increased body weight, reduced insulin sensitivity, raised blood glucose level and provoked atherogenic dyslipidemia associated with renal oxidative stress and structural damage. Treating MetS rats with LG extract at doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg b.w./day considerably ameliorated the fructose-induced alterations. From this study, it was concluded that aqueous leaf extract of L. guyonianum possesses hypoglycaemic, hypolipidemic, antioxidant and renoprotective abilities against fructose-induced metabolic syndrome in rats.

The aims of the study were to evaluate the wound-healing properties in an in-vivo model of the essential oils from Algerian and Italian Pistacia vera L. oleoresins. The essential oils (EOs) were obtained by hydrodistillation of oleoresins from the trunk of plants. They were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS, α-pinene was the main constituent of both EOs. The wound-healing potential of P. vera EOs was investigated using an excision wound model in rabbits. The EOs were mixed with petroleum jelly to obtain a topical ointment with a final concentration of 5%. The percentage of the evolution of wound contraction was calculated and histological sections of tissues were examined. Both preparations possess wound-healing activities comparable to that of the reference drug Cicatryl-Bio. Some EOs exhibit a wound-healing potential suggesting that they could find a place in modern therapy.