This study evaluates the effects of fortifying bread with different concentrations (3%, 10%, and 30%) of Matricaria chamomilla L. (MC) infusion and powder, derived from the plant’s aerial parts (stem, leaf, and flower). UPLC/MS-MS analysis of MC infusion and powder ethanolic extract confirmed the presence of polyphenolic compounds, including flavonoids, contributing to enhanced antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties. The physicochemical, antioxidant, and sensory properties of the enriched breads were assessed. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that breads enriched with 30% MC powder (BP-MC 30%) and infusion (BI-MC 30%) exhibited superior overall quality compared with other formulations. The enriched breads showed increased protein, fiber, and antioxidant content. Specifically, BI-MC 30% demonstrated superior antioxidant activity, while BP-MC 30% provided the highest fiber content. Sensory evaluation indicated that the enriched breads retained sensory properties similar to those of the control bread, despite the nutritional improvements. These findings suggest that incorporating Matricaria chamomilla, particularly at 30%, enhances the nutritional profile and antioxidant properties of bread while maintaining sensory characteristics close to those of traditional bread. This research highlights the potential of using chamomile’s aerial parts in the valorization of plant-based by-products for functional bakery product development.

This study evaluates the effects of fortifying bread with different concentrations (3%, 10%, and 30%) of Matricaria chamomilla L. (MC) infusion and powder, using the aerial parts (stem, leaf, and flower) of the plant. UPLC/MS-MS analysis of MC infusion and powder EtOH ex-tract confirmed the presence of polyphenolic compounds, including flavonoids, contributing to enhanced antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties. The physicochemical, antioxi-dant, and sensory properties of the enriched breads were assessed. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that breads enriched with 30% MC powder (BP-MC 30%) and infusion (BI-MC 30%) exhibited superior overall quality compared to other formulations. The enriched breads showed increased protein, fiber, and antioxidant content, with BP-MC 30% demonstrating the highest fiber content (10.6%) and antioxidant activity (IC50 = 4.05 µg/mL in DPPH assay). Sensory evaluation indicated differences in texture, with BP-MC 30% showing reduced crispness and higher hardness compared to control bread. These findings suggest that incorporating Matricaria chamomilla, particularly at 30%, improves the nutritional profile and antioxidant properties of bread while impacting sensory characteristics. This research highlights the potential of chamomile’s aerial parts for the valorization of plant-based by-products in functional bakery product development.

The outbreak of the current pandemic and the evolution of virus resistance against standard drugs led to the emergency of new and potent antiviral agents. Owing to its crucial role in viral replication, the protease enzyme is taken into survey to be a promising target for antiviral drug therapy using computational methods. In order to bring this important class of natural products in the limelight of research for prospective application as chemotherapeutic agents, the anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of some bioactive molecules obtained from Arbutus serratifolia Salisb which is an Algerian medicinal plant, was investigated using in-silico methods. The molecular docking was performed by AutoDock Vina and UCSF Chimera, as well as ADMET and drug-likeness properties of these molecules were calculated using preADMET web-based application and the Swiss ADME server respectively. The phytochemicals (from Pr(1) to Pr(12)) were tested for their pharmacokinetic properties and docked into the main protease binding site on (PDB ID: 6Y84) in order to find a promising antiviral ligand. All tested molecules induced binding affinities into the binding pocket of (PDB ID: 6Y84) with energy scores ranging from moderate to better (from −6.4 to −8.00 kcal/mol). It is worthy to note that both Pr(2): (1S,5R,6S,8S,9S)-6,8-Dihydroxy-8-methyl-1,5,6,7,8,9-hexahydrocyclopenta [c] pyran-1-yl-β-D-glucopyranoside and Pr(7): ((1S,5S,6S,9S)-1-(β-D-Glucopyranosyloxy)-14-oxo-1,5,6,9-tetrahydro-1H-2,15-dioxacyclopenta [cd] inden-8-yl) methyl acetate, were found to be the best inhibitors with binding affinities (−7.7 kcal/mol and −8.0 kcal/mol), respectively, by virtue of the fact that all these tested molecules exhibited good binding affinities compared with those of Ritonavir and Nirmatrelvir (−1.73 and −1.93 kcal/mol), respectively, which are used as standard antiviral drugs to prevent viral growth. The amino acids: His-163; Glu-166; Arg-188; Thr-190 and Gln-192 represent the key residues of the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 main protease with Pr(7). Furthermore, the results of pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic investigations revealed that Pr(6), Pr(8) and Pr(9) uphold the drug-likeness criteria and more particularly, these substances can be absorbed by the human intestine. In addition, all these molecules were shown to be neither hepatotoxic nor significantly noxious to human organism. These natural products are therefore promising inhibitor candidates of viral main protease. However, further in-vitro, in-vivo and even clinical assays are required to probe their functional mechanisms and then to assess their antiviral potency against COVID-19.

Aim and Objective: A simple catalytic method has been developed to achieve the reduction of nitroarenes with NaBH4 using diphenyl diselenide catalyst and obtain the azoxyarene, azoarene products under mild conditions. Materials and Methods: The reduction of different substituted nitroarenes was realized in alkaline methanolic solution using mild sodium borohydride in the presence of diphenyl diselenide as an electron-transfer catalyst. The reactions were performed sometimes at room temperature and sometimes at refluxing conditions. Results: Diphenyl diselenide which is reduced to sodium phenylselenolate, presenting an electron transfer agent successfully permitted to reduce several nitroarenes, bearing different substituent groups whose the electronic effects promote the formation of the azoxy or azo compounds. Conclusion: Treatment of nitroarenes with sodium borohydride in alkaline ethanol in the presence of catalytic amounts of diphenyl diselenide at room temperature affords the corresponding azoxy compounds in good yields by reaction with sodium phenylselenolate generated in situ. At higher temperatures further reduction to azo compounds occurs. Therefore, the results indicated that the electronic effects of substituent groups play an important role in determining the reduction efficiencies.

Aim: The present study was focused on evaluation of antibacterial activity of 4,4’-diacetyldiphenylselenide against some bacterial species. Introduction: Many compounds containing selenium element, notably 4,4’-diacetyldiphenylselenide, have started getting a great pharmacological interest as bioactive molecules insofar as the -In vitro - antimicrobial tests were carried out on different bacterial strains. Methodology: The 4,4’-diacetyldiphenylselenide was synthesized in our laboratory and reported for the first time in 2010. The studied bacterial strains were collected from different places, some ones are standard strains and the others were clinically isolated and identified by biochemical tests. The antibacterial property was evaluated via determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) using dilution method in the same conditions. Results and Discussion: The most effective MICs are achieved at 16 µg/ mL for Providencia rettgeri, 32 µg/ mL for Salmonella typhimurium, 88 ±11.31 µg/ mL for Serratia  liquefaciens, 128 µg/ mL for Shigella  dysenteriae, 144 µg/ mL for Morganella morganii, 200 µg/ mL , 200 ± 11.31 µg/ mL for Proteus mirabilis and Acinetobacter baumannii respectively. Conclusion: This study showed that 4,4’-diacetyldiphenylselenide is a bacteriostatic agent at determined Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) against several pathogenic bacteria.