Chemical Composition and Antioxidant, Analgesic, and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Methanolic Extract of Euphorbia retusa in Mice.

Plants provide an alternative source to manage different human disorders due to various metabolites. The aim of this study is to investigate the phytochemical constituents of the methanolic extracts of Euphorbia retusa and to evaluate their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activities. The phytochemical results obtained by HPLC and by chemical assay reactions have revealed the richness of the methanolic extract of E. retusa in active compounds, in particular polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins. The methanolic extract shows significant antioxidant activities in vitro, in the DPPH and the FRAP assays. The antinociceptive activity was evaluated using acetic acid and hot-plate models of pain in mice. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by carrageenan-induced paw edema. Oral pretreatment with the methanolic extract of E. retusa (200 mg/kg) exhibited a significant inhibition of pain induced either by acetic acid or by the heating plate and in a manner comparable to the standard drug paracetamol. E. retusa significantly reduced paw edema starting from the 3rd hour after carrageenan administration by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and GPx) in liver and paw tissues and decreasing the levels of MDA. These results may confirm the interesting potential of this plant as a treatment of various inflammatory and pain diseases.

Treatment of heavy metal polluted industrial wastewater by a new water treatment process: ballasted electroflocculation.

This laboratory study investigated the parameters efficiency of the new technology: ballasted electro-flocculation (BEF) using aluminum (Al) electrodes to remove cadmium and zinc from industrial mining wastewater (MWW). The principle of the BEF process is based on the use of micro-sand and polymer together to increase the weight of the flocs and the rate at which they settle is radically changing the electrocoagulation-electroflocculation settling methodology. Based on the examination of the operation parameters one by one, the best removal percentage was obtained at a current intensity of 2A, a the flow rate of 20L/h, a micro-sand dose of 6g/L, a polyéthylèneimine (PEI) polymer dose of 100mg, the contact times of 30min, a stirring speed of 50 RPM, a monopolar configuration of the electrodes, and an electrodes number of 10. The results showed that the flow rate and the current density have a preponderant effect on the variability of the quality of the settled water. In comparison, filterability was found to be more sensitive to number of electrodes, micro sand dosages and current density. It was dependent on the ratio of microsand to PEI polymer dosage, and improved when this ratio increased. Response surface methodology was applied to evaluate the main effects and interactions among stirring speed, polymer dose, current intensity, and electrodes number. The removal of Cd and Zn from industrial MWW was done for very low cost of 0.1TND/m3 equivalent to 0.04€/m3. The investigation of BEF process proposes a highly cost-effective wastewater treatment method if compared to Actiflo TM and electrocoagulation.