Assessment and Optimization of the Insecticidal Properties of γ-Al2O3 Nanoparticles Derived from Mentha pulegium By-Products to Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Carob Beetle).

This study concentrates on assessing the insecticidal attributes of the γ-Al2O3 nanoparticles derived from the remnants of Mentha pulegium, which include essential oil, ethanolic extract, and plant waste. The synthesis of the γ-Al2O3 nanoparticles was executed using a direct sol-gel procedure, affirming the crystal structure according to extensive physicochemical analyses such as UV-Vis, XRD, FTIR, and SEM. Evaluation of the insecticidal activity in vitro was conducted against Xylosandrus crassiusculus, a pest that infests carob wood, utilizing strains from diverse forests in the Khenifra region, situated in the Moroccan Middle Atlas. The lethal doses 50 ranged from 40 mg/g to 68 mg/g, indicating moderate effectiveness compared to the commercial insecticide Permethrin. Optimization of the conditions for the efficiency of the γ-Al2O3 nanoparticles was determined using experimental plans, revealing that time, humidity, and temperature were influential factors in the lethal dose 50 of these nanomaterials. Moreover, this study encompasses the establishment of correlations using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Ascending Hierarchical Classification (AHC) among various geographic, biological, and physical data, amalgamating geographic altitude and γ-Al2O3 nanoparticle insecticide parameters, as well as the attributes of the mechanical tests conducted on the carob wood affected by insects. The correlations highlight the close connections between the effectiveness of the insecticide, mountain altitude, and the mechanical parameters that were examined. Ultimately, these nanoparticles demonstrate promising potential as alternative insecticides, thus opening up encouraging prospects for safeguarding against carob wood pests.

Exploring the Potent Anticancer Activity of Essential Oils and Their Bioactive Compounds: Mechanisms and Prospects for Future Cancer Therapy.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, affecting millions of people each year. Fortunately, the last decades have been marked by considerable advances in the field of cancer therapy. Researchers have discovered many natural substances, some of which are isolated from plants that have promising anti-tumor activity. Among these, essential oils (EOs) and their constituents have been widely studied and shown potent anticancer activities, both in vitro and in vivo. However, despite the promising results, the precise mechanisms of action of EOs and their bioactive compounds are still poorly understood. Further research is needed to better understand these mechanisms, as well as their effectiveness and safety in use. Furthermore, the use of EOs as anticancer drugs is complex, as it requires absolute pharmacodynamic specificity and selectivity, as well as an appropriate formulation for effective administration. In this study, we present a synthesis of recent work on the mechanisms of anticancer action of EOs and their bioactive compounds, examining the results of various in vitro and in vivo studies. We also review future research prospects in this exciting field, as well as potential implications for the development of new cancer drugs.

Materials Derived from Olive Pomace as Effective Bioadsorbents for the Process of Removing Total Phenols from Oil Mill Effluents.

This work investigates olive pomace from olive mill factories as an adsorbent for the removal of total phenols from olive mill effluent (OME). This pathway of valorization of olive pomace reduces the environmental impact of OME while providing a sustainable and cost-effective wastewater treatment approach for the olive oil industry. Olive pomace was pretreated with water washing, drying (60 °C) and sieving (<2 mm) to obtain the raw olive pomace (OPR) adsorbent material. Olive pomace biochar (OPB) was obtained via carbonization of OPR at 450 °C in a muffle furnace. The adsorbent materials OPR and OPB were characterized using several basic analyzes (Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy-Dispersive X-ray SEM/EDX, X-ray Diffraction XRD, thermal analysis DTA and TGA, Fourier transform infrared FTIR and Brunauer, Emmett and Teller surface BET). The materials were subsequently tested in a series of experimental tests to optimize the sorption of polyphenols from OME, investigating the effects of pH and adsorbent dose. Adsorption kinetics showed good correlation with a pseudo-second-order kinetic model as well as Langmuir isotherms. Maximum adsorption capacities amounted to 21.27 mg·g-1 for OPR and 66.67 mg·g-1 for OPB, respectively. Thermodynamic simulations indicated spontaneous and exothermic reaction. The rates of total phenol removal were within the range of 10-90% following 24 h batch adsorption in OME diluted at 100 mg/L total phenols, with the highest removal rates observed at pH = 10. Furthermore, solvent regeneration with 70% ethanol solution yielded partial regeneration of OPR at 14% and of OPB at 45% following the adsorption, implying a significant rate of recovery of phenols in the solvent. The results of this study suggest that adsorbents derived from olive pomace may be used as economical materials for the treatment and potential capture of total phenols from OME, also suggesting potential further applications for pollutants in industrial wastewaters, which can have significant implications in the field of environmental technologies.

Aloe djiboutiensis: Antioxidant Activity, Molecular Networking-Based Approach and In Vivo Toxicity of This Endemic Species in Djibouti.

For the first time, the study of the antioxidant activity, the characterization of the phytoconstituants, and the evaluation of in vitro and in vivo toxicity of A. djiboutiensis leave and latex are performed. The antioxidant activity of both latex (ADL) and the methanolic extract of leaves (ADM) is determined using 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) scavenging radical methods and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. The phytochemical study of latex is done using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and a molecular networking-based approach. The evaluation of in vivo toxicity is performed on mice by oral gavage with a suspension of ADL. Our results show that weak antioxidant activity of ADL and ADM in opposition to their high polyphenol, 83.01 mg and 46.4 mg expressed in gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g of dry weight (DW), respectively, and flavonoid contents 13.12 mg and 4.25 mg expressed in quercetin equivalent (QE)/g dry weight (DW), respectively. Using the Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) website, nine (9) anthraquinones derivatives, ten (10) chromones derivatives, two (2) flavonols/ chromones isomers are annotated in the molecular network. The treated mice do not display abnormalities in their general physical appearance and biochemistry parameters, compared to the controls. Only glucose and calcium levels are slightly higher in male treated mice compared to the vehicles.