Opuntia ficus-indica, commonly referred to as prickly pear or nopal cactus, is a dicotyledonous angiosperm plant. It belongs to the Cactaceae family and is characterized by its remarkable adaptation to arid and semi-arid climates in tropical and subtropical regions of the globe. In the last decade, compelling evidence for the nutritional and health benefit potential of this cactus has been provided by academic scientists and private companies. Notably, its rich composition in polyphenols, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids and amino acids has been highlighted through the use of a large panel of extraction methods. The identified natural cactus compounds and derivatives were shown to be endowed with biologically relevant activities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antimicrobial and neuroprotective properties. The present review is aimed at stressing the major classes of cactus components and their medical interest through emphasis on some of their biological effects, particularly those having the most promising expected health benefit and therapeutic impacts.

Argan oil is widely used in Morocco in traditional medicine. Its ability to treat cardiovascular diseases is well-established. However, nothing is known about its effects on neurodegenerative diseases, which are often associated with increased oxidative stress leading to lipid peroxidation and the formation of 7-ketocholesterol (7KC) resulting from cholesterol auto-oxidation. As 7KC induces oxidative stress, inflammation and cell death, it is important to identify compounds able to impair its harmful effects. These compounds may be either natural or synthetic molecules or mixtures of molecules such as oils. In this context: (i) the lipid profiles of dietary argan oils from Berkane and Agadir (Morocco) in fatty acids, phytosterols, tocopherols and polyphenols were determined by different chromatographic techniques; and (ii) their anti-oxidant and cytoprotective effects in 158N murine oligodendrocytes cultured with 7KC (25–50 µM; 24 h) without and with argan oil (0.1% v/v) or α-tocopherol (400 µM, positive control) were evaluated with complementary techniques of cellular and molecular biology. Among the unsaturated fatty acids present in argan oils, oleate (C18:1 n-9) and linoleate (C18:1 n-6) were the most abundant; the highest quantities of saturated fatty acids were palmitate (C16:0) and stearate (C18:0). Several phytosterols were found, mainly schottenol and spinasterol (specific to argan oil), cycloartenol, β-amyrin and citrostadienol. α- and γ-tocopherols were also present. Tyrosol and protocatechic acid were the only polyphenols detected. Argan and extra virgin olive oils have many compounds in common, principally oleate and linoleate, and tocopherols. Kit Radicaux Libres (KRL) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) tests showed that argan and extra virgin olive oils have anti-oxidant properties. Argan oils were able to attenuate the cytotoxic effects of 7KC on 158N cells: loss of cell adhesion, cell growth inhibition, increased plasma membrane permeability, mitochondrial, peroxisomal and lysosomal dysfunction, and the induction of oxiapoptophagy (OXIdation + APOPTOsis + autoPHAGY). Altogether, our data obtained in 158N oligodendrocytes provide evidence that argan oil is able to counteract the toxic effects of 7KC on nerve cells, thus suggesting that some of its compounds could prevent or mitigate neurodegenerative diseases to the extent that they are able to cross the blood‐brain barrier.

Improvement of oat lines via introgression is an important process for food biochemical functionality. This work aims to evaluate the protective effect of phenolic compounds from hybrid Oat line (F11-5) and its parent (Amlal) on hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and to establish the possible mechanisms of antidiabetic activity by digestive enzyme inhibition. Eight phenolic acids were quantified in our samples including ferulic, p-hydroxybenzoic, caffeic, salicylic, syringic, sinapic, p-coumaric and chlorogenic acids. The Oat extract (2000 mg/kg) ameliorated the glucose tolerance, decreased Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) and oxidative stress markers, including Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), Glutathione (GSH) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) in rat liver and kidney. Furthermore, Metformin and Oat intake prevented anxiety, hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis in diabetic rats. In vivo anti-hyperglycemic effect of Oat extracts has been confirmed by their inhibitory activities on α-amylase (723.91 μg/mL and 1027.14 μg/mL) and α-glucosidase (1548.12 μg/mL & 1803.52 μg/mL) enzymes by mean of a mixed inhibition.

Background: Therapy combination is defined as disease treatment with two or more medication to acheive efficacy with lower doses or lower toxicity. Regarding its reported toxicities and efficacy, the Essential Oils (EOs) from Syzygium aromaticum (SA) and Pelargonium graveolens (PG) were combined for in vitro and in vivo assays and toxicities. Methods: The Essential Oils and mixture were tested for in vivo/in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The assays included the animal model of acute inflammation (carrageenan model), the protective effect on H ₂ O ₂ /Sodium nitroprissude induced stress in Tetrahymena pyriformis , and the in vitro antioxidant assays. Results: The chemical analysis of the investigated Oils has lead to the identification of Eugenol (74.06%), Caryophyllene (11.52%) and Carvacrol acetate (7.82%) as the major element in SA; while PG was much higher in Citronellol (30.77%), 10-epi-γ-Eudesmol (22.59%), and Geraniol (13.95%). In our pharmacological screening of samples, both Oils demonstrated good antioxidant effects. In vivo investigation of the antioxidant activity in the protozoa model ( T. pyriformis ) demonstrated a lesser toxic effect of EOs mixture with no significant differences when oxidative stress markers and antioxidant enzymes (MDA, SOD and CAT) were evaluated. On the other hand the in vivo model of inflammatory response to carrageenan demonstrated a good inhibitory potential of both EOs. The EOs Mixture demonstrated equivalent bioactivity with lower toxic effect and minimal risk for each compound. Conclusions: The results from this study indicate that EOs mixture from SA and PG demonstrated promising modulatory antioxidant/anti-inflammatory effect, which suggest an efficient association for therapy.