Plant-derived compounds have recently been gaining popularity as skincare factors due to their ability to absorb ultraviolet radiations and their anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. In this light, this work aimed to evaluate in vitro the pharmacological activities of the butanolic extract prepared from the aerial parts of Astragalus gombiformis Pomel, an endemic species to southern Algeria. The sun protection factor was used to assess the photoprotective effect (SPF), the protein denaturation method to determine the anti-inflammatory activity, and brine shrimp nauplii and OxHLIA assay, respectively, to assess the cytotoxicity and antioxidant capacity of A. gombiformis. In addition, LC–ESI–MS analysis was employed for the characterization of the phenolic constituents of A. gombiformis. The results showed that A. gombiformis had high capacity for absorbing UV radiations with an SPF of 37.78 ± 0.85 and significant anti-inflammatory activity with a percentage inhibition of 75.38% which is close to that of diclofenac and ketoprofen. In addition, A. gombiformis was found to have effective cytotoxicity against Artemia nauplii with a DC50 value of about 44.7 µg/mL, but a weak hemolytic effect against human erythrocytes. LC–ESI–MS results detected the presence of 17 phenolic compounds with a predominance of cirsiliol, silymarin, quercitrin (quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside), and kaempferol. Taken together, these results suggest that A. gombiformis extract could be used as a skincare agent in cosmetic formulations, providing excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection, allowing the treatment of skin conditions, as well as a pharmaceutical agent with multidimensional applications.

Introduction: The spread of Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPEs) has become a significant concern in Algeria, with limited data available on their presence in community settings. This research investigated the resistance mechanisms of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CREs) collected from hospitals and the community in Skikda city, Algeria, between December 2020 and June 2022. Methodology: The study collected Enterobacterales strains resistant to ertapenem from inpatient and outpatient populations. An automated system was used for identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing. β-lactamase production was evaluated through phenotypic tests and confirmed by standard PCR. Lastly, the carbapenemase genes were sequenced using the Sanger method. Results: 17 CRE were isolated, with 9 from inpatients and 8 from outpatients. These isolates belonged to four species: Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 8), Escherichia coli (n = 6), Enterobacter cloacae (n = 1), and Proteus mirabilis (n = 1). Of 15 CPEs, 11 were extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) positive, 5 were plasmid-mediated cephalosporinase (AmpC) positive, and 1 harbored all three β-lactamases. All metallo-β-lactamase-producing strains carried the New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase gene (blaNDM), including 5 NDM-1 and 7 NDM-5 variants. The presence of blaOXA-48 and blaOXA-244 was observed in one outpatient strain each. NDM was associated with Cefotaximase Munich (CTX-M) ESBL in 8 isolates, while Cephamycinase (CMY) was detected in 3 NDM-5-producing E. coli. Conclusions: This research highlights the rising prevalence of carbapenemases NDM-1 and NDM-5 among inpatients and outpatients and supports the notion that OXA-48 is becoming increasingly widespread beyond Algerian hospitals.

This study presents a genetic characterization and population structure analysis of an ancient Algerian collection of Citrus fruits, dating back to the colonial period of the early 1900s. Genetic diversity was assessed using eight Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers, with the objective of accurately identifying their varieties and elucidating their genetic relationships, particularly in the absence of passport data and documented origins. A total of 96 accessions were analyzed. Instances of homonymy, synonymy, and labeling errors were detected. Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.451 to 0.715, with a mean value of 0.54, while polymorphic information content (PIC) values varied between 0.225 (CCSM18) and 0.635 (TAA41). The genetic relationship patterns among the different Citrus groups were consistent with their botanical classification. Structureanalysis suggested differentiation between the pomelo–orange cluster and the lemon group, as well as between the mandarin and clementine groups. These results suggest thatAlgerian Citrus germplasm may represent a valuable and relatively underexplored resource for breeding programs, highlighting the importance of its proper characterization and conservation to prevent genetic erosion.