Design of three-component essential oil extract mixture from Cymbopogon flexuosus, Carum carvi, and Acorus calamus with enhanced antioxidant activity.

The development of novel antioxidant compounds with high efficacy and low toxicity is of utmost importance in the medicine and food industries. Moreover, with increasing concerns about the safety of synthetic components, scientists are beginning to search for natural sources of antioxidants, especially essential oils (EOs). The combination of EOs may produce a higher scavenging profile than a single oil due to better chemical diversity in the mixture. Therefore, this exploratory study aims to assess the antioxidant activity of three EOs extracted from Cymbopogon flexuosus, Carum carvi, and Acorus calamus in individual and combined forms using the augmented-simplex design methodology. The in vitro antioxidant assays were performed using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging approaches. The results of the Chromatography Gas-Mass spectrometry (CG-MS) characterization showed that citral (29.62%) and niral (27.32%) are the main components for C. flexuosus, while D-carvone (62.09%) and D-limonene (29.58%) are the most dominant substances in C. carvi. By contrast, ß-asarone (69.11%) was identified as the principal component of A. calamus (30.2%). The individual EO exhibits variable scavenging activities against ABTS and DPPH radicals. These effects were enhanced through the mixture of the three EOs. The optimal antioxidant formulation consisted of 20% C. flexuosus, 53% C. carvi, and 27% A. calamus for DPPHIC50. Whereas 17% C. flexuosus, 43% C. carvi, and 40% A. calamus is the best combination leading to the highest scavenging activity against ABTS radical. These findings suggest a new research avenue for EOs combinations to be developed as novel natural formulations useful in food and biopharmaceutical products.

Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl) Mast. essential oil as a promising source of bioactive compounds with antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and dermatoprotective properties: In vitro and in silico evidence.

Tetraclinis articulata is a known traditional medicinal plant used to manage various ailments, such as diabetes, rheumatism and infectious diseases. This study aims to determine the chemical constituents of T. articulata essential oil (EO) and to evaluate its in vitro antibacterial, anti-candidal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and dermatoprotective properties. In addition, a computational docking approach was used to predict the potential antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic properties of the identified compounds. The volatile oil obtained by hydrodistillation was characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antioxidant activity of T. articulata EO was investigated using three complementary assays: DPPH, ABTS and FRAP. Lipoxygenase (5-LOX) and tyrosinase enzymes were used to assess the anti-inflammatory and dermatoprotective effects of this oil. Moreover, disc-diffusion technique, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) assays were employed for the antimicrobial screening. The GC-MS analysis revealed that bornyl acetate (41.80 %), α-pinene (17.97 %) and camphor (15.97 %) are the major components of the studied EO. Moreover, T. articulata EO has exhibited promising antioxidant effect on FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS experiments. It also significantly inhibited 5-LOX (IC50 = 67.82 ± 0.03 µg/mL) and tyrosinase (IC50 = 211.93 ± 0.02 µg/mL). The results of MIC and MBC assays indicated that T. articulata EO is able to inhibit the growth of all tested bacteria (Gram + and Gram -) and Candida species. The ratio of tolerance level indicated that the tested oil was bactericidal against the Gram + bacteria and Candida species, whereas it has a bacteriostatic behavior against the Gram- bacteria. In light of these findings, T. articulata EO may be suggested as a potential pharmaceutical agent to prevent inflammation and skin problems and may serve as a natural antimicrobial and antioxidant alternative for sustainable application in food products.

Frequency of Smoking and Marginal Bone Loss around Dental Implants: A Retrospective Matched-Control Study.

This dental record-based retrospective study aimed to compare the marginal bone loss (MBL) around dental implants in a group of smokers in relation to a matched group of non-smokers, with a special focus on five different frequencies of daily smoking (non-smokers, and frequency of 1-5, 6-10, 11-15, and 20 cig./day). Only implants with a minimum of 36 months of radiological follow-up were considered. Univariate linear regression models were used to compare MBL over time between 12 clinical covariates, after which a linear mixed-effects model was built. After matching of the patients, the study included 340 implants in 104 smokers, and 337 implants in 100 non-smokers. The results suggested that smoking degree (greater MBL for higher degrees of smoking), bruxism (greater MBL for bruxers), jaw (greater MBL in maxilla), prosthesis fixation (greater MBL for screw-retained prosthesis), and implant diameter (greater MBL for 3.75-4.10 mm) had a significant influence on MBL over time. There appears to be a positive correlation between the degree of smoking and the degree of MBL, meaning, the higher the degree of smoking, the greater the MBL. However, the difference is not apparent for different degrees of smoking when this is high, namely above 10 cigarettes per day.

Determination of Chemical Composition and Investigation of Biological Activities of Ocimum basilicum L.

This study aimed to determine the chemical composition of the essential oils (EOs) of Ocimum basilicum L., as well as to evaluate the antibacterial, antidiabetic, dermatoprotective, and anti-inflammatory properties, and the EOs and aqueous extracts of O. basilicum. The antibacterial activity was evaluated against bacterial strains, Gram-positive and Gram-negative, using the well diffusion and microdilution methods, whereas the antidiabetic activity was assessed in vitro using two enzymes involved in carbohydrate digestion, α-amylase and α-glucosidase. On the other hand, the dermatoprotective and anti-inflammatory activities were studied by testing tyrosinase and lipoxygenase inhibition activity, respectively. The results showed that the chemical composition of O. basilicum EO (OBEO) is dominated by methyl chavicol (86%) and trans-anethol (8%). OBEO exhibited significant antibacterial effects against Gram-negative and Gram-positive strains, demonstrated by considerable diameters of the inhibition zones and lower MIC and MBC values. In addition, OBEO exhibited significant inhibition of α-amylase (IC50 = 50.51 ± 0.32 µg/mL) and α-glucosidase (IC50 = 39.84 ± 1.2 µg/mL). Concerning the anti-inflammatory activity, OBEO significantly inhibited lipoxygenase activity (IC50 = 18.28 ± 0.03 µg/mL) compared to the aqueous extract (IC50 = 24.8 ± 0.01 µg/mL). Moreover, tyrosinase was considerably inhibited by OBEO (IC50 = 68.58 ± 0.03 µg/mL) compared to the aqueous extract (IC50 = 118.37 ± 0.05 µg/mL). The toxicological investigations revealed the safety of O. basilicum in acute and chronic toxicity. The finding of in silico analysis showed that methyl chavicol and trans-anethole (main compounds of OBEO) validate the pharmacokinetics of these compounds and decipher some antibacterial targets.

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Origanum compactum Benth Essential Oils from Two Regions: In Vitro and In Vivo Evidence and In Silico Molecular Investigations.

The purposes of this investigatory study were to determine the chemical composition of the essential oils (EOs) of Origanum compactum from two Moroccan regions (Boulemane and Taounate), as well as the evaluation of their biological effects. Determining EOs' chemical composition was performed by a gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometer (GC-MS). The antioxidant activity of EOs was evaluated using free radical scavenging ability (DPPH method), fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), and lipid peroxidation inhibition assays. The anti-inflammatory effect was assessed in vitro using the 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) inhibition test and in vivo using the carrageenan-induced paw edema model. Finally, the antibacterial effect was evaluated against several strains using the disk-diffusion assay and the micro-dilution method. The chemical constituent of O. compactum EO (OCEO) from the Boulemane zone is dominated by carvacrol (45.80%), thymol (18.86%), and α-pinene (13.43%). However, OCEO from the Taounate zone is rich in 3-carene (19.56%), thymol (12.98%), and o-cymene (11.16%). OCEO from Taounate showed higher antioxidant activity than EO from Boulemane. Nevertheless, EO from Boulemane considerably inhibited 5-LOX (IC50 = 0.68 ± 0.02 µg/mL) compared to EO from Taounate (IC50 = 1.33 ± 0.01 µg/mL). A similar result was obtained for tyrosinase inhibition with Boulemane EO and Taounate EO, which gave IC50s of 27.51 ± 0.03 µg/mL and 41.83 ± 0.01 µg/mL, respectively. The in vivo anti-inflammatory test showed promising effects; both EOs inhibit and reduce inflammation in mice. For antibacterial activity, both EOs were found to be significantly active against all strains tested in the disk-diffusion test, but O. compactum EO from the Boulemane region showed the highest activity. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) for O. compactum EO from the Boulemane region ranged from 0.06 to 0.25% (v/v) and from 0.15 to 0.21% (v/v) for O. compactum from the Taounate region. The MBC/MIC index revealed that both EOs exhibited remarkable bactericidal effects.

Phytochemical Variability, In Vitro and In Vivo Biological Investigations, and In Silico Antibacterial Mechanisms of Mentha piperita Essential Oils Collected from Two Different Regions in Morocco.

The objective of this work is to explore the phytochemical profile of Mentha piperita essential oils (MPEO) collected from two different Moroccan regions using gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometer (GC-MS) and to investigate their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and, antimicrobial effects using in vivo and in vitro assays. The chemical constituent of MPEO from the Azrou zone is dominated by carvone (70.25%), while MPEO from the Ouazzane zone is rich in Menthol (43.32%) and Menthone (29.4%). MPEO from Ouezzane showed higher antioxidant activity than EO from Azrou. Nevertheless, EO from Ouezzane considerably inhibited 5-Lipoxygenase (IC50 = 11.64 ± 0.02 µg/mL) compared to EO from Azro (IC50 = 23.84 ± 0.03 µg/mL). Both EOs from Azrou and Ouazzane inhibited the α-amylase activity in vitro, with IC50 values of 131.62 ± 0.01 µg/mL and 91.64 ± 0.03 µg/mL, respectively. The EOs were also tested for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The discdiffusion test revealed that MPEOs from both regions have significant antibacterial efficacy, and MPEOs from the north region showed the highest effect. The gram-positive bacteria were the most susceptible organisms. The MIC concentrations were in the range of 0.05 to 6.25 mg/mL, and the MBC concentrations were within 0.05-25.0 mg/mL. The MBC/MIC index indicated that MPEO has strong bactericidal effects.

Chemical Profiling and Biological Activities of Pelargonium graveolens Essential Oils at Three Different Phenological Stages.

The aim of this work was the determination of Pelargonium graveolens (aerial parts) volatile compounds at three developmental stages and the evaluation of their antioxidant, antidiabetic, dermaprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects. The aerial parts of Pelargonium graveolens were collected at three stages, namely the vegetative, beginning, and full flowering. Pelargonium graveolens essential oils were extracted from the dried materials of these aerial parts by hydrodistillation. The volatiles were analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry GC-MS, and the antioxidant activity was assessed by DPPH, ABTS, H2O2, and FRAP assays. The in vitro antidiabetic effect was evaluated by the inhibition of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase enzymes, while the antibacterial activity was assessed against six bacterial strains using an agar well diffusion assay and a microdilution method. The main constituents were menthol, menthene, eremophilene, isoborneol, isogeraniol, α-pinene, linalyl acetate, and 3-carene, with quantitative differences at the three phenological stages. The essential oil at the full flowering stage showed the best antioxidant activity, with IC50 values of 83.26 ± 0.01, 116.42 ± 0.07, 132.25 ± 0.11, and 48.67 ± 0.04 µg/mL for DPPH, FRAP, ABTS, and H2O2 assays, respectively. This oil also exhibited significant effects against α-amylase (IC50 = 43.33 ± 0.01 µg/mL), α-glucosidase (IC50 = 19.04 ± 0.01 µg/mL), lipase (IC50 = 24.33 ± 0.05 µg/mL), 5-lipoxygenase (IC50 = 39.31 ± 0.01 µg/mL), and tyrosinase (IC50 = 124.49 ± 0.07 µg/mL). The essential oil extracted at the full flowering stage showed the best antibacterial effect against a panel of microorganisms with diameter inhibition zones ranging between 11.00 ± 0.17 mm and 17.30 ± 0.17 mm and MIC values from 0.25% to 2% v/v. Overall, the results presented here suggest that the full flowering stage is the best optimal harvest time of Pelargonium graveolens for food and pharmaceutical applications.

Singular and Combined Effects of Essential Oil and Honey of Eucalyptus Globulus on Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, Dermatoprotective, and Antimicrobial Properties: In Vitro and In Vivo Findings.

Eucalyptus globulus is a plant widely used by the world population, including Morocco, in the treatment of several pathologies. The aim of this work is to evaluate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, dermatoprotective, and antimicrobial effects of essential oil and honey from E. globulus, as well as their combination. Chemical composition was determined by GC-MS analysis. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by three tests, namely, DPPH, reducing power, and the ß-carotene/linoleic acid assay. The anti-inflammatory activity was investigated in vitro (5-lipoxygenase inhibition) and in vivo (carrageenan-induced paw edema model), while the dermatoprotective activity was tested in vitro (tyrosinase inhibition). Moreover, the antibacterial activity was assessed using agar well diffusion and microdilution methods. The results showed that eucalyptol presents the main compound of the essential oil of E. globulus (90.14%). The mixture of essential oil with honey showed the best antioxidant effects for all the tests used (0.07 < IC50 < 0.19 mg/mL), while the essential oil was the most active against tyrosinase (IC50 = 38.21 ± 0.13 µg/mL) and 5-lipoxygenase (IC50 = 0.88 ± 0.01 µg/mL), which corroborated the in vivo test. Additionally, the essential oil showed the best bactericidal effects against all strains tested, with inhibition diameter values ranging from 12.8 to 21.6 mm. The findings of this work showed that the combination of the essential oil with honey showed important results in terms of biological activity, but the determination of the underlying mechanisms of action remains a major prospect to be determined.

Chemical Analysis and Investigation of Biological Effects of Salvia officinalis Essential Oils at Three Phenological Stages.

Salvia officinalis is a medicinal plant used to treat some diseases, including microbial infections and diabetes. Different studies showed the biological and pharmacological properties of this species. The aim of this study was the determination of the chemical compounds of S. officinalis essential oils and the investigation of their antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory properties. The chemical compounds of S. officinalis were determined by GC-MS analysis. The antioxidant activity was assessed by DPPH, ABTS, H2O2, and FRAP assays. The in vitro antidiabetic effect was evaluated by the inhibition of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase activities, and the anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated using the 5-lipoxygenase assay. Moreover, antibacterial activity was assessed against six bacterial strains using agar well diffusion assay and microdilution method. The main compounds in essential oils of S. officinalis at three phenological stages were naphthalenone, camphor, 1.8-cineole, and α-thujone. The full flowering stage essential oil showed the best antioxidant activity with different IC50 values according to the used tests. This oil also exhibited important inhibitory effects at the full flowering stage against α-amylase (IC50 = 69.23 ± 0.1 µg/mL), α-glucosidase (IC50 = 22.24 ± 0.07 µg/mL), and lipase (IC50 = 37.3 ± 0.03 µg/mL). The 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory effect was the best at the full flowering stage (IC50 = 9.24 ± 0.03 µg/mL). The results of the antibacterial evaluation revealed that, at three seasonal periods, S. officinalis essential oil demonstrated strong antibacterial activity. Although the full flowering stage had the best antibacterial activity, there were no significant differences between the three stages. Additionally, the essential oils showed bactericidal effects on Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhimurium, respectively. The findings of this work showed remarkably that S. officinalis synthesizes essential oils according to different developmental stages. Moreover, it has exhibited interesting biological and pharmacological properties justifying its medicinal effects and suggesting it as a very important source of natural drugs.

Frequency of Metabolic Syndrome and Study of Anthropometric, Clinical and Biological Characteristics in Peri- and Postmenopausal Women in the City of Ksar El Kebir (Northern Morocco).

This study aimed to determine the frequency of metabolic syndrome and to identify its predictive factors in peri- and post-menopausal women in the city of Ksar El Kebir, in northern Morocco. A total of 373 peri- and post-menopausal women between 45 and 64 years old participated in the study. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) definition. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated to assess the degree of obesity in women; anthropometric, clinical and biological parameters were collected during interviews. The mean ages of peri- and postmenopausal women were 48.84 ± 2.4 years and 56.65 ± 4.29 years, respectively. Postmenopausal women had higher means of anthropometric and biological parameters than peri-menopausal women. We also noted a predominance of metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women (n = 158) compared to peri-menopausal women (n = 81). Waist circumference was the predominant marker in the subjects studied, whereas triglycerides were the lower marker. In the overall population, the incidence of metabolic syndrome and its associated factors were higher in postmenopausal women than in peri-menopausal women, from which it can be concluded that post menopause may be a predictor of metabolic syndrome.

Uptake and effectiveness of facemask against respiratory infections at mass gatherings: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: The risk of acquisition and transmission of respiratory infections is high among attendees of mass gatherings (MGs). Currently used interventions have limitations yet the role of facemask in preventing those infections at MG has not been systematically reviewed. We have conducted a systematic review to synthesise evidence about the uptake and effectiveness of facemask against respiratory infections in MGs. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines using major electronic databases such as, Medline, EMBASE, SCOPUS and CINAHL. RESULTS: Of 25 studies included, the pooled sample size was 12710 participants from 55 countries aged 11 to 89 years, 37% were female. The overall uptake of facemask ranged from 0.02% to 92.8% with an average of about 50%. Only 13 studies examined the effectiveness of facemask, and their pooled estimate revealed significant protectiveness against respiratory infections (relative risk [RR]=0.89, 95% CI: 0.84-0.94, p<0.01), but the study end points varied widely. CONCLUSION: A modest proportion of attendees of MGs use facemask, the practice is more widespread among health care workers. Facemask use seems to be beneficial against certain respiratory infections at MGs but its effectiveness against specific infection remains unproven.

Evaluating community pharmacists' perspectives and practices concerning generic medicines substitution in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the community pharmacists' knowledge, attitude, perception and current practices towards generic medicines substitution in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and March 2016 in the Makkah region, Saudi Arabia. A 25-item, structured, validated, pilot-tested and self-completed questionnaire was used to achieve study objectives. A 4-step systematic sampling technique was used to recruit community pharmacists. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20. RESULTS: Of 128 community pharmacists approached, 121 participated in the study (response rate=95%). Majority of the participants (n=108; 89.3%) had graduated from Egypt, were working as staff pharmacists (n=85; 70%) and had BPharm degree (97; 80.2%). Only 26 (22%) of the participants correctly answered all knowledge questions accurately. No statistically significant difference in total knowledge score was observed across different sociodemographic characteristics of participants (all P>0.05).Two-thirds of the respondents (83; 68.2%) supported the use of generic substitution. Medicines cost and patients' request were the most commonly cited reasons for performing generic substitution. Country of graduation (P=0.01) and number of years of practicing in Saudi Arabia (P=0.02) was associated with the pharmacists' support towards generic substitution. CONCLUSION: The community pharmacists had clear knowledge deficits about generic medicines and their substitution which may partly explain low consumption of generic medicines in Saudi Arabia. Healthcare policy makers need to improve awareness about the safety and efficacy of generic medicines and promote their use in order to cut down cost of medicines and overall healthcare expenditure.