In recent years, there is a growing interest towards the green synthesis of metal nanoparticles, particularly from plants; however, yet no published study on the synthesis of ZnO.NPs using the Deverra tortuosa extract. Through this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO.NPs) have been synthesized based on using the environmentally benign extract of the aerial parts of D. tortuosa as a reducing and capping agent. ZnO.NPs synthesis was confirmed using UV-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and High Resolution-Transmission Electron Microscope (HR-TEM). The qualitative and quantitative analyses of plant extract were done. The potential anticancer activity was in vitro investigated against two cancer cell lines (human colon adenocarcinoma “Caco-2” and human lung adenocarcinoma “A549”) compared to their activities on the human lung fibroblast cell line (WI38) using the MTT assay. Both the aqueous extract and ZnO.NPs showed a remarkable selective cytotoxicity against the two examined cancer cell lines.

Investigation of the aerial parts of the Egyptian medicinal plant Ammi majus L. led to isolation of new coumarin, 6-hydroxy-7-methoxy-4 methyl coumarin (2) and 6-hydroxy-7-methoxy coumarin (3); this is the first time they have been isolated from this plant. The structures of the compounds (2 &3) were elucidated by spectroscopic data interpretation and showed anti-inflammatory and anti-viral activity.

A new isoflavonoid, 5,6-dimethoxy-2',3'-methylenedioxy-7-C-β-d-gluco-pyranosyl isoflavone was isolated from the seeds of Lepidium sativum L. along with two known isoflavonoids, 7-hydroxy-4',5,6-trimethoxyisoflavone and 7-hydroxy-5,6-dimethoxy-2',3'-methylenedioxyisoflavone. The structures of all compounds were elucidated with NMR spectrometry. Compounds 1, 2 and the new isoflavonoid 3 were evaluated for their ability to reduce the hepatotoxicity induced by paracetamol in male rats by reducing the damage and toxicity effects on liver cells with a significant improvement of total antioxidant capacity, normalizing the levels of liver enzymes GSH, SOD, GPX, CAT and GST compared to control group.

The aim of this research was to investigate the influence of time of extraction methods on yield and chemical composition of the essential oil from dark green parts of Allium ampeloprasum and examine their anti-diabetic activity. The essential oil of dark green parts of Egyptian A. ampeloprasum L. which are not edible, and with less flavor, have been isolated by hydro distillations (HD). The compositions of the essential oils were characterized by GC-MS. A total of 35 and 31 compounds were identified, constituting over (87.8 %, 8 h) and (36.4 %, 6 h) of oil composition of A. ampeloprasum L., respectively. Oxygenated monoterpenes were shown to be the main group of volatiles (HD after 8 h, 35.5%). The amount of total volatiles were found to be better in HD of A. ampeloprasum L. which isolated after 8 h. The anti-diabetic activity of the isolated essential oils from green parts of A. ampeloprasum L.was investigated.

Investigation of Platycladus orientalis yielded five flavonoids, including aglycone flavone 1 (apigenin), flavone glycoside 2 (apigenin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside), new gernaylated flavone glycoside 3 (apigenin 8-gernayl-4′-O-α-gluco pyranoside) and two new pernylated flavonoid glycosides 4 & 5 (apigenin 8-pernyl-4′-glucopyranosyl-7-O-α-glucopyranoside and apigenin 5-pernyl-7-glucopyranosyl-4′-O-β-D-glucopyranoside). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidence. The cytotoxicity of compounds 1–5 were tested against Lung adenocarcinoma (A549), human hepatocellular liver carcinoma (HepG2), human breast carcinoma (MCF-7) cell lines and mouse fibroblast cell line NIH/3T3 as normal cells. This assay gave spot on structure activity relationship which, showed that cytotoxicity of compounds (1) and (2) against three cell lines was weak as IC₅₀ > 15. Compounds (4) and (5) had moderate cytotoxic and no toxic effect on normal cell. Compound (3) showed high cytotoxic activity against tested three cell lines with no toxic effect of normal cells.