Quality criteria, chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Mentha suaveolens Ehrh.

The aim of the present study is the valorization of the essential oil of Mentha suaveolens Ehrh. The research plan and methods included 3-axis: the first axis consists of studying the organoleptic and physicochemical characterization of the essential oil, the second is the chemical analysis carried out by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) and the third consists of evaluating its antimicrobial activity against selected microorganisms. The results obtained for the organoleptic and physicochemical properties are as follows: appearance: Liquid, mobile and clear, odor: Strong odor characteristic of Mentha suaveolens Ehrh, color: Pale yellow; relative density (0.92), miscibility with ethanol (1V/2V), freezing point (Tfreezing < -10 °C), refractive index (1.5256), rotating power (+0.825), acid index (1.68), ester index (68.44), saponification index (70.13) and iodine index (12.05).Chemical analysis identified 69 compounds which are mostly oxygenated monoterpenes such as piperitenone oxide (32.55%), pulegone (10.14%), piperitone oxide (8.34%), etc. The microbiological tests were carried out by an agar diffusion test using the essential oil of Mentha suaveolens Ehrh. The microbiological tests were carried out by a diffusion test on agar, these tests are carried out on six microbial strains (five bacteria and one yeast).The inhibitory effect of our oil is well marked against bacteria: Proteus mirabilis (17.50 ± 0.70 mm at 50 µL/mL), Enterococcus faecalis (17.00 ± 1.00 mm at 50 µL/mL) and Staphylococcus coagulase negative (16.33 ± 0.57 mm at 50 µL/mL) while it was moderate against Escherichia coli (14.33 ± 1.15 mm at 50 µL/mL) and Streptococcus spp (13.00 ± 0.00 mm at 50 µL/mL) as well as against yeast, Candida albicans (15.33 ± 1.52 mm at 50 µL/mL). It appears from these results that our oil is of high quality and can be used in several areas. The results obtained are therefore promising and thus open the way for manufacturers to use this essential oil of Mentha suaveolens Ehrh in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, agricultural and food industries.

Proximate composition, lipid and elemental profiling of eight varieties of avocado (Persea americana).

Eight Moroccan avocado varieties were analyzed for their nutritional composition and physicochemical properties. The nutritional contents of the sample were determined through the evaluation of the moisture, oil, ash, protein, and carbohydrate contents, and energy value calculation. Additionally, macroelements (Ca, Mg, and Na) and microelements (Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn) were determined in the mineral profile. Oils were examined also for their fatty acid, phytosterol, and tocopherol profiles. As a result of the study, the avocado presents significant differences between the eight studied varieties (p < 0.05), with regard to moisture content (57.88 g/100 g to 84.71 g/100 g), oil content (8.41 g/100 g to 57.88 g/100 g), ash (0.57 g/100 g to 1.37 g/100 g), protein content (5.7 g/100 g to 8.61 g/100 g), carbohydrate content (5.63 g/100 g to 14.61 g/100 g), and energy value (99.9 kcal/100 g to 316.8 kcal/100 g). Sodium (5783.01 mg/kg to 12,056.19 mg/kg) was the predominant macro-element in all varieties, followed by calcium (295.95 mg/kg to 531.67 mg/kg), and magnesium (246.29 mg/kg to 339.84 mg/kg). Copper (85.92 mg/kg to 112. 31 mg/kg) was the main microelement in all varieties, followed by iron (8.5 mg/kg to 20.32 mg/kg), and manganese (7.3 mg/kg to 18.45 mg/kg), while zinc (1.72 mg/kg to 5.66 mg/kg) was detected in small amounts. In addition, significant difference was observed in lipid profiles, according to the eight studied varieties (p < 0.05). Avocado oils were mainly composed of monounsaturated fatty acids (76.89 g/100 g to 84.7 g/100 g), with oleic acid (50.38 g/100 g to 71.49 g/100 g) standing out as particularly characteristic, while ß-sitosterol (l2365.58 mg/kg to 4559.27 mg/kg), and α-tocopherol (30.08 mg/kg to 182.94 mg/kg) were among its major phytosterols and tocopherols. All avocado varieties represented in this study can be consumed as a fruit as an excellent source of energy, minerals, fatty acids, phytosterols, and tocopherols. The regular consumption of this fruit provides the body with several essential nutrients.

Mentha rotundifolia (L.) Huds. aqueous extract attenuates H2O2 induced oxidative stress and neurotoxicity.

Introduction: Oxidative stress plays a causal role in neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant and neuroprotective effects of Mentha rotundifolia (L.) Huds (M. rotundifolia), a widely used Moroccan plant in traditional medicine. Methods: The chemical composition of M. rotundifolia aqueous extract was analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS). 2,2-diphenyl 1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS+) assays were used to assess its in vitro antioxidant activity. H2O2 was utilized to induce oxidative stress and neurotoxicity in vivo. Behavioral changes were evaluated using Open Field, Y-maze and Rotarod tests. Hyperalgesia was assessed using the tail immersion test. Results and discussion: The LC-MS/MS analysis revealed high content of kaempferol glucuronide (85%) at the extract. IC50 values of the DPPH and ABTS were 26.47 and 41.21 µg/mL, respectively. Pre-treatments with M. rotundifolia extract attenuated the behavioral changes induced by H2O2. In addition, the latency of tail withdrawal increased significantly in the treated groups suggesting central analgesic effect of M. rotundifolia extract. Moreover, the extract attenuated the deleterious effects of H2O2 and improved all liver biomarkers. The obtained results suggested that M. rotundifolia had remarkable antioxidant and neuroprotective effects and may prevent oxidative stress related disorders.

Influence of the Extraction Method on the Quality and Chemical Composition of Walnut (Juglans regia L.) Oil.

The present study investigated and compared the quality and chemical composition of Moroccan walnut (Juglans regia L.) oil. This study used three extraction techniques: cold pressing (CP), soxhlet extraction (SE), and ultrasonic extraction (UE). The findings showed that soxhlet extraction gave a significantly higher oil yield compared to the other techniques used in this work (65.10% with p < 0.05), while cold pressing and ultrasonic extraction gave similar yields: 54.51% and 56.66%, respectively (p > 0.05). Chemical composition analysis was carried out by GC−MS and allowed 11 compounds to be identified, of which the major compound was linoleic acid (C18:2), with a similar percentage (between 57.08% and 57.84%) for the three extractions (p > 0.05). Regarding the carotenoid pigment, the extraction technique significantly affected its content (p < 0.05) with values between 10.11 mg/kg and 14.83 mg/kg. The chlorophyll pigment presented a similar content in both oils extracted by SE and UE (p > 0.05), 0.20 mg/kg and 0.16 mg/kg, respectively, while the lowest content was recorded in the cold-pressed oil with 0.13 mg/kg. Moreover, the analysis of phytosterols in walnut oil revealed significantly different contents (p < 0.05) for the three extraction techniques (between 1168.55 mg/kg and 1306.03 mg/kg). In addition, the analyses of tocopherol composition revealed that γ-tocopherol represented the main tocopherol isomer in all studied oils and the CP technique provided the highest content of total tocopherol with 857.65 mg/kg, followed by SE and UE with contents of 454.97 mg/kg and 146.31 mg/kg, respectively, which were significantly different (p < 0.05). This study presents essential information for producers of nutritional oils and, in particular, walnut oil; this information helps to select the appropriate method to produce walnut oil with the targeted quality properties and chemical compositions for the desired purpose. It also helps to form a scientific basis for further research on this plant in order to provide a vision for the possibility of exploiting these oils in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food fields.

Variations in Antioxidant Capacity, Oxidative Stability, and Physicochemical Quality Parameters of Walnut (Juglans regia) Oil with Roasting and Accelerated Storage Conditions.

Walnut oil, like all vegetable oils, is chemically unstable because of the sensitivity of its unsaturated fatty acids to the oxidation phenomenon. This phenomenon is based on a succession of chemical reactions, under the influence of temperature or storage conditions, that always lead to a considerable change in the quality of the oil by promoting the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids through the degradation of their C-C double bonds, leading to the formation of secondary oxidation products that reduce the nutritional values of the oil. This research examines the oxidative stability of roasted and unroasted cold-pressed walnut oils under accelerated storage conditions. The oxidative stability of both oils was evaluated using physicochemical parameters: chemical composition (fatty acids, phytosterols, and tocopherols), pigment content (chlorophyll and carotenoids), specific extinction coefficients (K232 and K270), and quality indicators (acid and peroxide value) as well as the evaluation of radical scavenging activity by the DPPH method. The changes in these parameters were evaluated within 60 days at 60 ± 2 °C. The results showed that the levels of total phytosterols, the parameters of the acid and peroxide value, K232 and K270, increased slightly for both oils as well as the total tocopherol content and the antioxidant activity affected by the roasting process. In contrast, the fatty acid profiles did not change considerably during the 60 days of our study. After two months of oil treatment at 60 °C, the studied oils still showed an excellent physicochemical profile, which allows us to conclude that these oils are stable and can withstand such conditions. This may be due to the considerable content of tocopherols (vitamin E), which acts as an antioxidant.

Effects of Extraction Methods on the Bioactivities and Nutritional Value of Virginia and Valencia-Type Peanut Oil.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of peanut varieties cultivated in Morocco (Virginia and Valencia) and extraction methods (cold press, CP; Soxhlet, Sox and maceration, and Mac) on the fatty acid profile, phytosterol, and tocopherol contents, quality characteristics, and antioxidant potential of peanut seed oil. The DPPH method was used to determine the antioxidant activity of the oils. The results revealed that fatty acid content was slightly affected by the extraction technique. However, the CP method was shown to be an excellent approach for extracting oil with desirable quality features compared to the Sox and Mac methods. Furthermore, the peanut oil extracted via CP carried a higher amount of bioactive compounds and exhibited remarkable antioxidant activities. The findings also revealed higher oleic acid levels from the Virginia oil, ranging from 56.46% to 56.99%. Besides, a higher total phytosterol and tocopherol content and DPPH scavenging capacity were obtained from the Valencia oil. Analyzing the study, it can be inferred that extraction method and variety both affect the composition of the peanut oil's bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. This information is relevant for extracting peanut oil with a greater level of compounds of industrial interest.

Evaluation of inhibitive corrosion potential of symmetrical hydrazine derivatives containing nitrophenyl moiety in 1M HCl for C38 steel: experimental and theoretical studies.

The exploitation of cost-effective, sustainable, green and efficient compounds is a renewed science and a demanding mission for today's chemists and technologists. In this view, the inhibitive corrosion properties of some hydrazine derivatives named (1E,2E)-bis(1-(2-nitrophenyl)ethylidene)hydrazine (SSBO), (1E,2E)-bis(1-(3-nitrophenyl)ethylidene)hydrazine (SSBM) and (1E,2E)-bis(1-(4-nitrophenyl)ethylidene)hydrazine (SSBP) on the C38 steel corrosion in 1M HCl media has been evaluated by different techniques like electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The EIS results showed that SSBM is the greatest inhibitor ( η > 93 %) among the three tested compounds. The SSBM gives considerable inhibition efficiency against corrosion of steel compared to the previous studies. The PDP curves indicated that the studied inhibitors were a mixed-type inhibitor with a predominantly cathodic control. Quantum calculations of some descriptors derived from the density functional theory (DFT), the transition state theory (TST), the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and molecular dynamics simulation have delivered helpful information regarding electron transfer and mechanism during adsorption of inhibitors on C38 steel surface.

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, Insecticidal Activity, and Comparative Analysis of Essential Oils of Leaves and Fruits of Schinus molle and Schinus terebinthifolius.

Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi. and Schinus molle L. are perennial woody plants belonging to the Anacardiaceae family, widely distributed in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Africa, and they are broadly used for many applications such as in traditional medicine as an antipyretic, analgesic, depurative, and in the treatment of diseases of the urogenital system as well as culinary and ornamental species. Our work aims to study and compare the chemical composition and the antioxidant and insecticidal activity of the essential oils of the leaves and fruits of the two species of the genus Schinus. The essential oils were characterized by a very spicy aromatic odor, and by the abundance of hydrocarbon monoterpenes in the leaves and fruits of Schinus molle (49.70% and 42.65%), unlike the EOs of the fruits of Schinus terebinthifolius which have a high content in hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes (40.57%). Usually, these oils have shown relatively low antioxidant activity was expressed in IC50; especially, the essential oil of the fruits of S. terebinthifolius revealed a concentration of 3.292 ± 2.82 mg/mL. The evaluation of the insecticidal activity gave good results in the method of exposure of adults of Sitophilus oryzae to EOs by contact; thus, the fruits of Schinus molle are more active against this species of beetle than the other essential oil.

Almond oil: A comprehensive review of chemical composition, extraction methods, preservation conditions, potential health benefits, and safety.

Almond oil, a rich source of macronutrients and micronutrients, is extracted for food flavorings and the cosmetics industry. In recent years, the need for high-quality and high-quantity production of almond oil for human consumption has been increased. The present review examines the chemical composition of almond oil, storage conditions, and clinical evidence supporting the health benefits of almond oil. From the reviewed studies, it appears that almond oil contains a significant proportion of poly and monounsaturated fatty acids, with oleic acid as the main compound, and an important amount of tocopherol and phytosterol content. Some variations in almond oil composition can be found depending on the kernel's origin and the extraction system used. Some new technologies such as ultrasonic-assisted extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, subcritical fluid extraction, and salt-assisted aqueous extraction have emerged as the most promising extraction techniques that allow eco-friendly and effective recovery of almond oil. This safe oil was reported by several clinical studies to have potential roles in cardiovascular risk management, glucose homeostasis, oxidative stress reduction, neuroprotection, and many dermatologic and cosmetic applications. However, the anticarcinogenic and fertility benefits of almond oil have yet to be experimentally verified.

Tradition Mills' Picholine Olive Oil Physicochemical Characterization and Chemical Profiling across Different Cities in Morocco.

This study aims to determine the quality of olive oils (Picholine variety) from the traditional oil mills in different Moroccan cities by means of physicochemical characterization and chemical compositions. All samples of olive oil were collected from traditional oil mills. Physicochemical analyses of free fatty acid (FFA), iodine value (IV), saponification value (SV), specific extinction at 232 and 270 (E232, E270), chlorophyll content, carotenoid content, fatty acids (FAs), and total phytosterols composition were performed with respect to the International Olive Council (IOC) standards. These oils were revealed to be rich in unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs): C18 : 1, C18 : 2, and C18 : 3, and that the total phytosterols content ranged between 142.68 and 208.72 mg per 100 g of oil. Also, the chlorophyll contents, for most of the studied samples, are less than 2 mg/kg, while the carotenoid content varied between 0.13 and 0.63 mg/kg. These results, along with the physicochemical assays, helped classify the oils studied into three categories: extra virgin, virgin, and ordinary virgin olive oils. These results confirm that the conditions under which olive oils are collected, pressed, and stored influence the quality of the oil produced. Therefore, there is a need to inform producers about the correct practices and techniques for storage, processing, and conservation of oils to better improve the quality of the final product.

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Capacity of Lepidium sativum Seeds from Four Regions of Morocco.

Lepidium sativum seeds (LSS) from four regions of Morocco have been analyzed for their total chemical composition and antioxidant activities. In the seeds of this plant, the moisture content and yield were, respectively, 9.24-9.88% and 19.13-19.94% of dry weight. Chemical analysis of the seeds revealed amounts of fatty acids, sterols, and tocopherols. The most important fatty acids are linolenic acid (33%) and oleic acid (23%). The main sterol is ß-sitosterol (50%); the vegetable oil of Lepidium sativum revealed an amount of tocopherol (∼1500-1900 mg/kg) with dominance of γ-tocopherol. The Folin-Ciocalteu trial evaluated the total phenolic compound, DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS, and chelated iron ions. FRAP measured antioxidant potency. Results indicated that methanol extract from Lepidium sativum was a more potent reducing agent and radical scavenger than ethanol extract. Changes in the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of Lepidium sativum in four different regions grown under normal conditions were evaluated. The antioxidant activity of different extracts was found to correlate significantly with their total phenolic content. These results suggest that Lepidium sativum seeds could be used in food supplement preparations or as a food additive, for caloric gain or for protecting against oxidation in nutrient products.