Phytochemical Compounds, Acute Toxicity, Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Activities of Thymus leptobotrys Murb Essential Oil.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the acute toxicity and anti-inflammatory effect in vivo, as well as the antioxidant activity, of the essential oil of Thymus leptobotrys Murb. The results indicate that the tested essential oil is non-toxic, with an estimated LD50 of 2500 mg kg-1 of mice body weight. The anti-inflammatory test revealed that, at a dose of 200 mg kg-1, the essential oil reduced rat paw edemas by 89.59% within 3 h of oral administration, this reduction in edema size was greater than that obtained with indomethacin (75.78%). The antioxidant activity (IC50) of Thymus leptobotrys Murb essential oil was 346.896 µg mL-1 and 861.136 mg Trolox equivalent/g essential oil in the 2.2-diphenyl1-picryl-hydrazyl radical scavenging capacity (DPPH) and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assays, respectively. The toxicity test reveals an LD50 greater than 2500 mg kg-1 of body weight of mice which classifies it within category 5 of non-toxic substances that can be administered orally. These results suggest that the essential oil of Thymus leptobotrys Murb is not toxic, and it represents a valuable source of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant metabolites.

Optimizing the Extraction Efficiency of Flaxseed Gum Using a Response Surface Methodology Approach.

The extraction of gum from natural raw materials is of increasing importance in various industries, including food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, particularly due to their emulsifying properties and potential applications as stabilizers and thickeners. This study presents an insight on the influence of changing parameters like reagents and operating condition on yield and some properties of the flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) seed gum. The extraction conditions were meticulously examined using a full factorial design, highlighting the significant impact of pretreatment, seed preparation, and solvent selection on the extraction yield. A response surface methodology (RSM) was then applied to optimize the water/benzoic acid ratio of the pretreatment step, the ethyl alcohol/water ratio, and the medium pH of the extraction method, resulting in a maximum yield of 14.47%. Furthermore, detailed analyses of the chemical and emulsifying properties of the gum were conducted showing emulsifying capacities over 94%, offering promising application prospects, particularly in the food industry.

Phenolic Content, Antioxidant Activity, Anti-Inflammatory Potential, and Acute Toxicity Study of Thymus leptobotrys Murb. Extracts.

Thymus leptobotrys is a medicinal plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family, endemic in Morocco, and used in traditional medicine. The present work aims to study the phenolic compounds, the antioxidant activity, the anti-inflammatory effect, and the toxicity of two ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Thymus leptobotrys aerial part. The yield of the methanolic extraction (22.2%) is higher than that of the ethanolic extraction (15.8%) and is characterized by higher contents of polyphenols 243.08 mg/g GAE (mg/g of gallic acid), flavonoids 179.28 mg/g RE (mg/g of rutin), and tannins 39.31 mg/g CE (mg/g of catechin). The in vitro measurement of antioxidant activity with the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical reduction test and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) test demonstrates the higher performance of the methanolic extract. The evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effect in vivo on adult Wistar female rats leads to a very significant decrease in the inflammation of the edema compared to the standard drug (indomethacin) and the control group. The toxicity test reveals that both extracts showed no toxicity within an LD50 above 2000 mg/kg body weight of the rats.