Cupressus arizonica Greene: Phytochemical Profile and Cosmeceutical and Dermatological Properties of Its Leaf Extracts.

For many decades, natural resources have traditionally been employed in skin care. Here, we explored the phytochemical profile of the aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of Cupressus arizonica Greene and assessed their antioxidant, antiaging and antibacterial activities in vitro. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis led to the tentative identification of 67 compounds consisting mainly of phenolic and fatty acids, diterpene acids, proanthocyanidins and flavonoid and biflavonoid glycosides. The aqueous extract demonstrated substantial in vitro antioxidant potential at FRAP and DPPH assays and inhibited the four target enzymes (collagenase, elastase, tyrosinase, and hyaluronidase) engaged in skin remodeling and aging with IC50 values close to those of the standard drugs. Moreover, the aqueous extract at 25 mg/mL suppressed biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterial pathogen causing common skin manifestations, and decreased its swarming and swimming motilities. In conclusion, C. arizonica leaves can be considered a promising candidate for potential application in skin aging.

Unraveling the Phytochemistry, Traditional Uses, and Biological and Pharmacological Activities of Thymus algeriensis Boiss. & Reut.

Growing concern for public health has increased the need to change the paradigm towards a healthcare system that advocates holistic practices while reducing adverse effects. Herbal therapy is becoming an integral part of the therapeutic arsenal, and several successful plant-derived compounds/molecules are being introduced into the market. The medicinal plants belonging to the genus Thymus are among the most important species within the Lamiaceae family. One of them is Thymus algeriensis which is mainly distributed in the Mediterranean region. For a long time, this species has been used in traditional medicine to treat several disorders and diseases including inflammation, diabetes, rheumatism, digestive, and respiratory affections. This review describes the traditional uses, phytochemical composition, and biological and pharmacological activities of T. algeriensis extracts. Data were obtained using electronic databases such as SciFindern, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science. Several plant-based extracts and a broad spectrum of identified secondary metabolites were highlighted and discussed with respective activities and modes of action. T. algeriensis represents a promising natural resource for the pharmaceutical industry mainly for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities. Considering these findings, more research is needed to transmute the conventional uses of T. algeriensis into scientifically sound information. Moreover, extensive preclinical, clinical, toxicological, and pharmacokinetic trials on this species and its derivatives compounds are required to underpin the mechanisms of action and ensure its biosafety and efficiency. This comprehensive review provides a scientific basis for future investigations on the use of T. algeriensis and derived compounds in health maintenance and promotion and disease prevention.

Watery Rose Apple: A Comprehensive Review of Its Traditional Uses, Nutritional Value, Phytochemistry, and Therapeutic Merits against Inflammation-Related Disorders.

The myrtle family, Myrtaceae, constitutes over 5500 species, and Syzygium is considered the largest genus of the flowering plants within the family. The watery rose apple, Syzygium aqueum, is a traditional medicinal plant with various bioactive compounds distributed in all plant parts. These include phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, and essential oils. S. aqueum extracts and their isolated compounds showed multiple beneficial biological effects such as antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetic, analgesic, antimalarial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. This review is aimed at discussing all the available information about the nutritional value, traditional uses, and therapeutic properties of the leaves, fruit, and stem bark of the plant, in addition to the distribution of phytoconstituents in its different parts as well as recommend future research directions on this species to promote its clinical uses.

Phytochemical Profiling of the Leaf Extract of Ximenia americana var. caffra and Its Antioxidant, Antibacterial, and Antiaging Activities In Vitro and in Caenorhabditis elegans: A Cosmeceutical and Dermatological Approach.

We previously annotated the phytochemical constituents of a root extract from Ximenia americana var. caffra and highlighted its hepatoprotective and hypoglycemic properties. We here extended our study on the leaf extract and identified its phytoconstituents using HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS. In addition, we explored its antioxidant, antibacterial, and antiaging activities in vitro and in an animal model, Caenorhabditis elegans. Results from HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS confirmed that the leaves contain 23 secondary metabolites consisting of condensed tannins, flavonol glycosides, flavone glycosides, and flavonol diglycosides. The leaf extract demonstrated significant antioxidant activity in vitro with IC50 value of 5 µg/mL in the DPPH assay and 18.32 µg/mL in the FRAP assay. It also inhibited four enzymes (collagenase, elastase, hyaluronidase, and tyrosinase) crucially involved in skin remodeling and aging processes with comparable activities to reference drugs along with four pure secondary metabolites identified from the extract. In accordance with the in vitro result, in vivo tests using two transgenic strains of C. elegans demonstrated its ability to reverse oxidative stress. Evidence included an increased survival rate in nematodes treated with the prooxidant juglone to 68.9% compared to the 24.8% in untreated worms and a reduced accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a dose-dependent manner to 77.8%. The leaf extract also reduced levels of the expression of HSP 16.2 in a dose-dependent manner to 86.4%. Nuclear localization of the transcription factor DAF-16 was up to 10 times higher in worms treated with the leaf extract than in the untreated worms. The extract also inhibited the biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (a pathogen in skin infections) and reduced the swimming and swarming mobilities in a dose-dependent fashion. In conclusion, leaves of X. americana are a promising candidate for preventing oxidative stress-induced conditions, including skin aging.