Phytochemicals, Trace Element Contents, and Antioxidant Activities of Bark of Taleh (Acacia seyal) and Desert Rose (Adenium obesum).

Acacia seyal and Adenium obesum are used in traditional medicines by indigenous communities of the Asir region of Saudi Arabia. The present study aimed to acquire the phytochemical profiles, quantify the trace element contents and the total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, and evaluate the antioxidant activity of the two species. Phytochemical screening was conducted to detect the presence of the phytochemical constituents. Bark samples were digested with a microwave, and ICP-MS was used for the elemental analysis. The antioxidant capacities in DPPH, H2O2, and FRAP assays and the TPC and TFC were determined by spectrophotometry, and their correlation with the IC50 of the DPPH and H2O2 and the EC50 of the FRAP capacities were analyzed by Pearson's correlation. Both plant extracts contain a variety of phytochemicals. A. obesum had the highest concentrations of all 11 elements measured. In both plants, manganese was found at the highest concentration, and cadmium exhibited the lowest concentration. The aqueous-methanolic extract of A. seyal showed the highest TPC (309.32 ± 2.15 mg gallic acid equivalent/g), whereas the aqueous-methanolic extract of A. obesum exhibited the highest TFC (32.16 ± 3.16 mg quercetin equivalent/g). Significant differences in the IC50 and EC50 values were observed among the tested plant extracts. The highest antioxidant activity was found in aqueous-methanolic extract of A. obesum. Correlation analysis showed significant correlations between the DPPH and FRAP activities and the TFC. The present findings highlight that these plants are good sources of phenolic compounds and essential elements and support their therapeutic use as antioxidant drugs.

Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Different Extracts from Different Parts of Zilla spinosa (L.) Prantl.

Zilla spinosa is commonly used in traditional medicine to treat gastrointestinal disorders and diabetes. In this study, aqueous ethanol (AE) and aqueous methanol (AM) extracts from aerial parts and roots of Z. spinosa were investigated. The total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents and antioxidant capacities in terms of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays were determined, and the correlations among the results were assessed using Pearson's correlation. The antimicrobial activity was assessed through agar disc diffusion and broth microdilution assays. Phytochemical screening showed that Z. spinosa extracts had alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, triterpenoids, phenols, and flavonoids in different abundances. The aerial part-AE extract contained low TPC (30.17 ± 4.24 mg GAE/g) and TFC (7.40 ± 1.02 mg QE/g) and displayed significant antioxidant capacity in the DPPH (IC50 = 52.17 ± 7.30 µg/mL), H2O2 (91.22 ± 2.60 µg/mL), and FRAP (EC50 = 98.70 ± 2.21 µg/mL) assays. By contrast, the root-AM extract contained high amounts of TPC (87.72 ± 7.75 mg GAE/g) and TFC (25.60 ± 1.57 mg QE/g). It showed significantly high antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 12.33 ± 1.88 µg/mL in the DPPH and 39.37 ± 2.59 µg/mL in the H2O2 assays, as well as reducing power capacity with an EC50 value of 20.82 ± 1.14 µg/mL in the FRAP assay. Both TPC and TFC were exhibited negative correlations (p < 0.01) with the IC50 and EC50 values obtained in the applied antioxidant assays. The aerial part-AM extract showed the highest inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus (26.5 ± 0.20 mm), followed by Shigella flexneri (19.4 ± 0.40 mm) and Proteus mirabilis (17.7 ± 0.49 mm). S. aureus was the most affected microorganism with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 128 µg/mL against the aerial part-AM extract. Interestingly, all evaluated extracts showed potent antifungal activity against Candida albicans. However, aerial part-AM was the most effective, with an inhibition zone of 12.6 ± 0.17 mm. The results concluded that Z. spinosa possesses different phytochemicals displaying significant antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, thus lending credence to its use in traditional medicine.

Acacia honey from different altitudes: total phenols and flavonoids, laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectra, and anticancer activity.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate Acacia honey from different altitudes regarding total phenols and flavonoids, laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectra and anticancer activity against human cancer cell lines. METHODS: Anticancer activity was investigated using sulforhodamine B cytotoxicity assays in the following human cancer cell lines: HCT116 (colon); MCF7 (breast), and HepG2 (liver). Total phenols and flavonoids were measured using spectrophotometric methods and LIF was used to differentiate between low and high-altitude honey. RESULTS: The LIF spectra differed between low and high-altitude Acacia honey. High altitude Acacia honey was characterized by significantly lower total phenol content (81.47 ± 1.25 mg gallic acid equivalent [GAE]/100 g) and increased total flavonoids (10.63 ± 0.53 mg quercetin equivalent [QE]/100 g) versus low altitude Acacia honey (91.33 ± 0.96 mg GAE/100 g and 8.78 ± 0.23 mg QE/100 g, respectively). Low altitude Acacia honey displayed increased IC50 values against HCT116 and MCF7 cells (264.17 ± 10.5 and 482.65 ± 20.3 µg/ml, respectively) versus high altitude Acacia honey (117.99 ± 12.7 and 189.82 ± 15.8 µg/ml, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: High altitude Acacia honey had significantly more effective anticancer activity against HCT116 and MCF7 cells compared with low altitude honey.

Combined Supplementation of Nano-Zinc Oxide and Thyme Oil Improves the Nutrient Digestibility and Reproductive Fertility in the Male Californian Rabbits.

The present study aimed to determine the effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs), thyme oil (THO), or their combination on the nutrient digestibility coefficients, reproductive parameters, and some blood metabolites of male Californian rabbits. One hundred rabbits, 29-weeks of age (initial body weight 3.48 ± 0.08 kg) were randomly distributed into four groups, 25 rabbits each. Treatment groups were fed a control diet, a control diet supplemented with ZnO-NPs (100 mg/kg), THO (500 mg/kg), or combination of ZnO-NPs (100 mg/kg) and THO (500 mg/kg). The feeding trial lasted for 35 days. Results showed improvements in dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, and crude fiber in ZnO-NPs, THO, and their combination treated groups compared to those of control. Furthermore, semen volume, sperm motility, vitality, and morphology were significantly improved (p < 0.01) in ZnO-NPs and THO groups rather than the control. Both ZnO-NPs and THO, as either individual or combined treatments significantly improved the serum alanine amino-transferase (ALT), aspartate amino-transferase (AST), urea, and creatinine compared to the control. Moreover, serum concentrations of testosterone were significantly increased in rabbits supplemented with ZnO-NPs, THO, or their combination compared to those of control (p < 0.05). In conclusion, ZnO-NPs, THO, or their combination improved the digestibility of nutrients, liver/ kidney functions, semen characteristics, and testosterone concentration in male rabbits.