Today, skin care products and cosmetic preparations containing natural ingredients are widely preferred by consumers. Therefore, many cosmetic brands are encouraged to offer more natural products to the market, such as plant extracts that can be used for their antiaging, antiwrinkle, and depigmentation properties and other cosmetic purposes. In the current study, the volatile constituents of the hexane-soluble fraction of a Stenocarpus sinuatus (family Proteaceae) leaf methanol extract (SSHF) were analyzed using GC/MS analysis. Moreover, the antiaging activity of SSHF was evaluated through in vitro studies of anti-collagenase, anti-elastase, anti-tyrosinase, and anti-hyaluronidase activities. In addition, an in silico docking study was carried out to identify the interaction mechanisms of the major compounds in SSHF with the active sites of the target enzymes. Furthermore, an in silico toxicity study of the identified compounds in SSHF was performed. It was revealed that vitamin E (α-tocopherol) was the major constituent of SSHF, representing 52.59% of the extract, followed by γ-sitosterol (8.65%), neophytadiene (8.19%), β-tocopherol (6.07%), and others. The in vitro studies showed a significant inhibition by SSHF of collagenase, elastase, tyrosinase, and hyaluronidase, with IC₅₀ values of 60.03, 177.5, 67.5, and 38.8 µg/mL, respectively, comparable to those of the positive controls epigallocatechin gallate (ECGC, for collagenase, elastase, hyaluronidase) and kojic acid (for tyrosinase). Additionally, the molecular docking study revealed good acceptable binding scores of the four major compounds, comparable to those of ECGC and kojic acid. Besides, the SSHF identified phytoconstituents showed no predicted potential toxicity nor skin toxicity, as determined in silico. In conclusion, the antiaging potential of SSHF may be attributed to its high content of vitamin E in addition to the synergetic effect of other volatile constituents. Thus, SSHF could be incorporated in pharmaceutical skin care products and cosmetics after further studies.

The present study investigates the wound healing potential of three chitosan-based topical preparations loaded with either tea tree essential oil, rosemary essential oil or a mixture of both oils in vivo. Essential oils of M. alternifolia and R. officinalis were analyzed using GC/MS. Essential oil-loaded chitosan topical preparations were formulated. Wound healing potential was evaluated in vivo using an excision wound model in rats. GC/MS analysis of M. alternifolia and R. officinalis essential oils revealed richness in oxygenated monoterpenes, representing 51.06% and 69.61% of the total oil composition, respectively. Topical application of chitosan-based formulation loaded with a mixture of tea tree and rosemary oils resulted in a significant increase in wound contraction percentage compared to either group treated with individual essential oils and the untreated group. Histopathological examination revealed that topical application of tea tree and rosemary oil combination demonstrated complete re-epithelialization associated with activated hair follicles. The high percentage of oxygenated monoterpenes in both essential oils play an important role in the antioxidant and wound healing potential observed herein. Incorporation of tea tree and rosemary essential oils in chitosan-based preparations in appropriate combination could efficiently promote different stages of wound healing.

Olea europaea is an economically significant crop native to Mediterranean countries. Its leaves exhibit several biological properties associated to their chemical composition. The aqueous ethanolic extracts of olive leaves from twelve different cultivars were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to photodiode array and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC/PDA/ESI–MS/MS). A total of 49 phytochemicals were identified in both positive and negative ionization modes. The identified compounds belonged to four classes of secondary metabolites including secoiridoids, flavonoids, pentacyclic triterpenoids and various phenolic compounds. Seasonal variation in chemical composition among the studied cultivars was apparent in autumn and spring. Secologanoside, oleuropein, hydroxy-oleuropein, demethyl oleuropein, gallocatechin, luteolin-O-hexoside, diosmetin, oleanolic acid and maslinic acid were detected in all cultivars in both seasons. Oleuropein-O-deoxyhexoside was tentatively identified for the first time in olive leaf extracts; detected only in the Spanish cultivar Picual (PIC) collected in spring. Also, dihydroxy-oxooleanenoic acid and hydroxy-oxooleanenoic acid, two bioactive pentacyclic triterpenes, were identified. Principle component analysis (PCA) showed good discrimination among the studied cultivars in terms of their botanical origin. This study is considered the first study for non-targeted metabolic profiling of different olive leaf cultivars cultivated in Egypt.

The present study demonstrates the beneficial effects of Salvia microphylla and S. officinalis  from Egypt and Jordan against scopolamine-induced AD-like disorder.

This study aims to comprehensively explore the phytoconstituents as well as investigate the different biological activities of Chasmanthe aethiopica (Iridaceae) for the first time. Metabolic profiling of the leaf methanol extract of C. aethiopica (CAL) was carried out using HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS. Twenty-nine compounds were annotated belonging to various phytochemical classes including organic acids, cinnamic acid derivatives, flavonoids, isoflavonoids, and fatty acids. Myricetin-3-O-rhamnoside was the major compound identified. GLC/MS analysis of the n-hexane fraction (CAL-A) resulted in the identification of 45 compounds with palmitic acid (16.08%) and methyl hexadecanoic acid ester (11.91%) representing the major constituents. CAL-A exhibited a potent anti-allergic activity as evidenced by its potent inhibition of β-hexosaminidase release triggered by A23187 and IgE by 72.7% and 48.7%, respectively. Results were comparable to that of dexamethasone (10 nM) in the A23187 degranulation assay showing 80.7% inhibition for β-hexosaminidase release. Both the n-hexane (CAL-A) and dichloromethane (CAL-B) fractions exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity manifested by the significant inhibition of superoxide anion generation and prohibition of elastase release. CAL showed anti-hyperglycemic activity in vivo using streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model by reducing fasting blood glucose levels (FBG) by 53.44% as compared with STZ-treated rats along with a substantial increase in serum insulin by 22.22%. Molecular modeling studies indicated that dicaffeoylquinic acid showed the highest fitting with free binding energies (∆G) of −47.24 and −60.50 Kcal/mol for human α-amylase and α-glucosidase, respectively confirming its anti-hyperglycemic activity. Thus, C. aethiopica leaf extract could serve as an effective antioxidant natural remedy combating inflammation, allergy, and hyperglycemia.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a pathological accumulation of triglycerides (TGs) in the hepatocyte in the absence of alcohol intake. Untreated NAFLD is expected to progress into liver fibrosis. Cranberry is rich in polyphenols with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Hypothesis: The present study was performed to evaluate our hypothesis of the possible anti-fibrotic effect of cranberry nutraceuticals in a high fat cholesterol diet induced (HFCD)-NAFLD in rats, focusing on improving insulin sensitivity and modulating the expression of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) (a transcription factor responsible for regulating cellular redox balance). Method: Male albino wistar rats (12 weeks) received HFCD and/or cranberry (50 and 100 mg/kg/day, three times/week) orally for 8 consecutive weeks. Results: In comparison to the HFCD group, cranberry treated groups (50 and 100 mg/kg) showed marked hepatoprotection, where it significantly decreased liver enzymes (alanine transaminases by 49 and 64% and aspartate transaminases by 45 and 64%; respectively), TGs, and ameliorated the histopathological alterations (such as inflammatory cells infiltration and ballooning degeneration) induced by HFCD. Cranberry also alleviated oxidative stress (malondialdehyde, glutathione, catalase and superoxide dismutase) and inflammation (tumor necrosis factor- alpha, interleukine-6 and nuclear factor kappa-b) and significantly reduced the HOMA-IR and TyG index. On the other hand, cranberry treated groups (50 and 100 mg/kg) showed a marked increase in the expression of adiponectin, by 8 and 13-fold, insulin receptor substrate-2 by 21 and 79%, and Nrf2 by 13 and 61%, respectively. Notably, cranberry significantly reduced the fibrotic markers, TGF–β and α-SMA expression and collagen deposition. Conclusion: The present study showed that cranberry significantly attenuated NAFLD, in a dose dependent manner, which could be partially recognized by its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activities, and its ability to improve insulin sensitivity. Notably, our study proves for the first time that the anti-fibrotic activity of cranberry is promising.