Isolation of polysaccharides from Malva aegyptiaca and evaluation of their antioxidant and antibacterial properties.

This study investigated the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of crude water-soluble polysaccharides extracted from the mallow (Malva aegyptiaca) by precipitation with cetylpyridinium chloride (P1) or ethanol (P2). The Polysaccharides fractions were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, a monosaccharide composition, and antioxidant and antibacterial activities. P1 showed the highest total sugars (81.2%) and sulfated groups (2.9%) contents but with the lowest total proteins content (8.7%). The infrared spectroscopic spectra exhibited the typical bands and peak characteristic of polysaccharides. Monosaccharides analysis revealed the dominance of galactose (40.3-43.7%) and glucuronic acid (25.9-30.9%). Interestingly, P1 displayed an important antioxidant activity as evaluated by the (Fe2+) chelating activity (IC50=1.15mg/ml), (Fe3+) reducing power (EC50=1.22mg/ml), ß-carotene bleaching inhibition capacity (IC50=1.56mg/ml) and DPPH-radical scavenging activity (IC50=1.94mg/ml). Furthermore, P1 at 10mg/ml was highly active than P2 against several bacterial strains and especially the Gram-positive bacteria, where the inhibition rate ranged between 84.2 and 90.3%. Obtained results suggest that M. aegyptiaca polysaccharides precipitated by cetylpyridinium chloride could be used as a naural antioxidant and antibacterial agent.

The cruciferous Diplotaxis simplex: Phytochemistry analysis and its protective effect on liver and kidney toxicities, and lipid profile disorders in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a prevalent systemic disease affecting an important proportion of the population worldwide. It has been suggested that excessive reactive oxygen species generation and therefore development of an oxidative stress status is a key factor leading to diabetic complications. Accordingly, it seems that medicinal plants can offer a wide range of new antidiabetic drugs. Diplotaxis simplex (Viv.) Spreng. (Brassicaceae) is an edible plant largely distributed in the Mediterranean region. D. simplex flowers display important in vitro antioxidant potential and inhibitory activity of the α-glucosidase, a key enzyme linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this paper, the antihyperglycemic potential of D. simplex flowers on diabetic rats were investigated. METHODS: Bioactive substances were determined by liquid chromatography-high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-HRESIMS) analysis. Animals were divided into four groups of six rats each: a normal control group, a diabetic control group, a diabetic group receiving flowers extract (200 mg/kg body mass) and a diabetic group receiving acarbose (10 mg/kg body mass) as standard drug. RESULTS: Many glycosides of rhamnetin, isorhamnetin, quercetin and kaempferol compounds were identified in the ethanolic flowers extract. Alloxan induced hyperglycemia, manifested by a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the blood glucose level as well as in serum α-amylase activity. Furthermore, diabetic rats exhibited oxidative stress, as evidenced by a decrease in antioxidant enzymes activities and an increase in lipid peroxidation level of the pancreas, liver and kidneys. Interestingly, the oral administration of D. simplex flowers extract during 30 days restored the glycemia, α-amylase activity, serum lipid profile and antioxidant enzymes. Moreover, the flowers extract exhibited a renal protective role by decreasing the urea and creatinine levels in diabetic rats serum. CONCLUSIONS: D. simplex flowers contained bioactive compounds that possess important antioxidant and hypoglycemic properties and protected pancreas, liver and kidneys against hyperglycemia damage.

Anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative activities of the wild edible cruciferous: Diplotaxis simplex.

Context The present study deals with new biological properties of the wild edible Diplotaxis simplex (Viv.) Spreng (Brassicaceae). Objectives The current study evaluates the antioxidant, the anti-inflammatory and the anti-cancer properties of ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts from D. simplex flowers. Materials and methods The anti-proliferative activity of the extracts (10-70 µg/mL) was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) against human colon cancer cell line Caco-2. The anti-inflammatory potential was evaluated by the inhibitory effect of the extracts (1.5-7.5 mg/mL) on phospholipase A2 activity as well as on carrageenan-induced paw oedema in mice. Extracts (200 mg/kg) or indomethacin (50 mg/kg) as positive control were injected intraperitoneally for albino mice prior to the induction of the oedema by carrageenan. Antioxidant activities were investigated using various complementary methods. Results Flower extracts contained a high level of polyphenolics (17.10-52.70 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids (74.20-100.60 mg QE/g), which correlate with its appreciable antioxidant potential in ß-carotene peroxidation (IC50 value: 12.50-27.10 µg/mL), DPPH(•) radical-scavenging (IC50 value: 0.20-0.40 mg/mL), Fe(3+ )reducing (EC50 value: 0.10-0.14 mg/mL) and Fe(2+ )chelating (IC50 value: 0.20-0.60 mg/mL) assays. These extracts were effective in inhibiting cancer cell growth (IC50 value: 62.0-63.25 µg/mL). Besides, the ethyl acetate extract inhibited phospholipase A2 activity (IC50 value: 2.97 mg/mL) and reduced the paw oedema in mice (from 0.38 ± 0.01 to 0.24 ± 0.01 cm), 4 h post-carrageenan challenge. Conclusion These data suggest that D. simplex may be useful as a candidate in the treatment of inflammation and the colon cancer.

Diplotaxis simplex suppresses postprandial hyperglycemia in mice by inhibiting key-enzymes linked to type 2 diabetes

Abstract Nutritional properties of Diplotaxis simplex Spreng., Brassicaceae, an edible wild cruciferous largely distributed in North Africa, were investigated. Potassium (3690–3780 mg/100 g) and calcium (900–1170 mg/100 g) were the most concentrated minerals. Linoleinic acid was found to be the main fatty acid (25.4–27.7%), followed by palmitic acid (13.2–15.3%). Moreover, lipidic fraction of leaves was characterized by a relatively high rate of ethyl linoleate (14.4%) and phytol (17.6%). Ethyl acetate extract of D. simplex flowers showed concentration-dependent α-amylase (IC50 3.46 mg/ml) and α-glucosidase (IC50 0.046 mg/ml) inhibitory activities. The positive in vitro enzymes inhibition was confirmed by a maltose tolerance test, which showed that treatment with flowers extract significantly inhibited the rise in blood glucose levels of maltose-loaded mice comparable to the standard antihyperglycemic agent acarbose. From these results, it may be concluded that D. simplex flowers can be used effectively as a safer alternative therapy to control postprandial hyperglycemia.

Essential oil variation in wild populations of Artemisia saharae (Asteraceae) from Tunisia: chemical composition, antibacterial and antioxidant properties.

BACKGROUND: Artemisia saharae Pomel is a new taxon of Artemisia herba-alba Asso (Asteraceae) which is endemic to Tunisia and Algeria. This shrub, commonly known as white wormwood or desert wormwood, is largely used in folk medicine and as a culinary herb. The bulks aromatic plants come from wild populations whose essential oils compositions as well as their biological properties are severely affected by several factors such as geographic conditions. Therefore, the aim of the present work is to provide more information about the influence of altitude variation on the essential oil composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of Artemisia saharae growing wild in the same geographical area. RESULTS: Essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation of leaves and flowers of the plant collected from seven different altitudes of the Baten Zamour region (southwest of Tunisia). The highest essential oil yields (2.70-2.80%) were obtained for populations of high altitudes. Seventy-five compounds, representing 92.78 to 96.95% of the total essential oils, were separated and identified. Essential oils were characterized by very high percentage of oxygenated monoterpenes (52.1-72.6%) which constituted the predominant class. From the analyzed populations, the major compounds (>7%) were α-thujone, ß-thujone, chrysanthenone, camphor, chrysanthenyl acetate, and sabinyl acetate. Sabinyl acetate which was detected in some populations at relatively high percentages (7.7-10.8%) seems to be characteristic to Southern Tunisian A. saharae. The studied essential oil showed a chemical diversity depending on the population altitude as revealed by linear discriminant and cluster analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Three population groups associated with altitudinal levels were distinguished. It is worthy to note that the most discriminating compounds of chemical groups were the minor ones. Despite the high variation of essential oil compositions, the high altitude population did not affect severely the antibacterial activity against the most tested strains. Altitude seems to be an important factor influencing the yield and the chemical profile of Artemisia saharae essential oils. Knowledge of the chemical composition of essential oils in relation to environmental factors is a very important quality criterion for their marketing and contributes to their valorization as functional ingredient in food technology.