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In this work, two varieties of Anacyclus pyrethrum (L.) including Anacyclus pyrethrum var. pyrethrum (L.) and Anacyclus pyrethrum var. depressus (Ball) Maire were evaluated for their mineral and chemical compositions, total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and antimicrobial and antioxidant activities using hydroalcoholic extracts from their different parts (leaves, capitula, roots, and seeds). The phytochemical and mineral compositions were carried out using standard methods. The antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2-azino-bis 3-ethylbenzothiazolin-6-sulfonic acid), and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) tests. The antimicrobial activity was assayed using the agar diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration methods. The results of the chemical analysis showed that both varieties contained interesting mineral and chemical compositions with potentially active compounds; among them, N-isobutyl-2,4-heptadiene-6-monoynamide and cinnamic acid were detected in the Anacyclus pyrethrum var. pyrethrum (L.) only while thiadiazolo [5,4-d] pyrimidin-7-amine and N-isobutyl-2,4-undecadiene-8,10-diynamide compounds were limited to the Anacyclus pyrethrum var. depressus (Ball) Maire. In vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the two varieties demonstrated that the different parts had prominent antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed great similarity in the activity of the leaves, capitula, and seeds of both plants and a high difference in roots. Anacyclus pyrethrum var. pyrethrum roots were characterized by a high content in phenols and flavonoids and better antibacterial activities compared to Anacyclus pyrethrum var. depressus (Ball) Maire roots, which were characterized by better antioxidant activities. From this study, it can be concluded that the two varieties of Anacyclus pyrethrum (L.) showed promising mineral and chemical compositions with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

Caralluma europaea (Guss.) N.E.Br.: (C. europaea) is a wild medicinal plant belonging to the family Apocynaceae. It is commonly used in traditional medicines for treating several diseases. The present work aims to evaluate the anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal potentials of C. europaea fractions including hydro ethanol (ET CE), n-butanol (But CE), and polyphenol (Poly CE). The chemical composition of hydroethanol, n-butanol, and polyphenol-rich fractions from C. europaea were determined using GC-MS after silylation. The anti-inflammatory effect of hydroethanol, n-butanol, and polyphenol-rich fractions was studied by carrageenan-induced paw edema. Antibacterial and antifungal activities of hydroethanol, n-butanol, and polyphenol-rich fractions against Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and yeasts were assessed using the disc diffusion and micro-dilution assays. The findings of the chemical characterization affirmed the presence of interesting bioactive compounds in C. europaea fractions. The polyphenol-rich fraction was the best inhibitor of edema by75.68% after 6 h of treatment. The hydroethanol fraction was the most active against both bacteria and yeasts. This study contributes to society as it provides potential bioactive compounds in C. europaea extract, which may help in fighting nosocomial antibiotic-resistant microbes.

Background: Gramineae damping-off disease is a growing problem worldwide, which affects a large range of seedlings in nurseries, glasshouses, gardens, crops, forests and untimely generates a heavy economic impact on the agriculture and related sectors. Objectives: The present study was conducted to evaluate the preventive potential of carvacrol on germination of Fusarium oxysporum, Neocosmospora solani, and Microdochium nivale spores as responsible agents for Lolium perenne seeds damping-off disease. Material and methods: Macrodilution method in agar medium, spore germination, spore destruction, and preventive treatment bioassays were used to achieve this goal. Results: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of carvacrol vs. tested strains existed in the range of 0.25–0.5 mg/mL. Carvacrol used in concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 0.4 mg/mL inhibited the germination of all fungal spores in a dose-dependent manner. Carvacrol showed a very strong sporicidal effect against all studied fungal strains, and this effect was well confirmed by microscopic observations. The percentage of growth inhibition was found to be strictly correlated to carvacrol dose up vs. all strains. Carvacrol increased the emergence of L. perenne seeds when compared to both uninfested and infested seeds. Conclusion: Based on the results obtained, carvacrol fulfills the requirement for being a natural alternative agent to fight Gramineae seedlings’ damping-off caused by fungal species without adverse effects on the plants.

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Vinegar is a natural product widely used in food and traditional medicine thanks to its physicochemical properties and its richness in bioactive molecules. However, its direct use by consumers can have complications and undesirable effects. Therefore, this study contributes to investigating the physicochemical and biological properties of eleven vinegars marketed in Morocco. Determination of pH, acetic acid, conductivity, total soluble solids and alcohol content in vinegar was carried out. The polyphenols (TP), flavonoids (TF), and condensed tannins (CT) content was determined, and their antioxidant activities were evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl Hydrazyl (DPPH), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) and Phosphomolybdenum Reduction Assay (TAC). Then, the antimicrobial activity was studied against four pathogenic bacteria and two fungal strains, using the disk diffusion and the microdilution method. This study showed a wide range of acetic acid values from 0.65 ± 0.29 to 5.15 ± 0.20%. The high value of TP, TF, and CT in our samples V10, V9, and V4 was 655.00 ± 22.2 µgGAE/mL, 244.53 ± 11.32 µgQE/mL and 84.63 ± 1.00 µgTAE/mL, respectively. The tested strains showed variable sensitivities to the different samples with inhibition zones ranging from 6.33 ± 2.08 to 34.33 ± 0.58 mm. The lowest minimum inhibition concentrations were recorded against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC29213 ranging from 1.95 to 7.81 µL/mL. While Aspergillus niger ATCC16404 showed resistance against all of the analyzed samples. In general, vinegar commercialized in Morocco presents a variable range of products with variable properties. Indeed, must take into account this diversity when using it. A future study is needed to identify the phytochemical composition that will further the comprehension of this variability and contribute to its valorization.

Since some synthetic insecticides cause damage to human health, compounds in plants can be viable alternatives to conventional synthetic pesticides. Dittrichia viscosa L. is a perennial Mediterranean plant known to possess biological activities, including insecticidal properties. The chemical composition of an essential oil (EOD) from D. viscosa, as well as its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and insecticidal effects on the cowpea weevil (Callosobruchus maculatus) were determined. Forty-one volatile compounds were identified in EOD, which accounted for 97.5% of its constituents. Bornyl acetate (41%) was a major compound, followed by borneol (9.3%), α-amorphene (6.6%), and caryophyllene oxide (5.7%). EOD exhibited significant antioxidant activity in all tests performed, with an IC50 of 1.30 ± 0.05 mg/mL in the DPPH test and an EC50 equal to 36.0 ± 2.5 mg/mL in the FRAP assay. In the phosphor-molybdenum test, EOD results ranged from 39.81 ± 0.7 to 192.1 ± 0.8 mg AAE/g E. EOD was active on E. coli (9.5 ± 0.5 mm), S. aureus (31.0 ± 1.5 mm), C. albicans (20.4 ± 0.5 mm), and S. cerevisiae (28.0 ± 1.0 mm), with MICs ranging from 0.1 mg/mL to 3.3 mg/mL. We found that 1 µL of EOD caused 97.5 ± 5.0% insect mortality after 96 h in the inhalation test and 60.0 ± 8.3% in the ingestion assay. The median lethal concentration (LC50) was 7.8 ± 0.3 μL EO/L, while the effective concentration in the ingestion test (LC50) was 15.0 ± 2.1 μL EO/L. We found that 20 µL of EOD caused a reduction of more than 91% of C. maculatus laid eggs.

During the postharvest period, citrus fruits are exposed to Penicillium italicum, Penicillium digitatum, and Geotrichum candidum. Pesticides such as imazalil (IMZ), thiabendazole (TBZ), orthophenylphenol (OPP), and guazatine (GUA) are commonly used as antifungals. Glyphosate (GP) is also used in citrus fields to eliminate weed growth. The sensitivity of fungal pathogens of citrus fruit to these pesticides and 1,8-cineole was evaluated, and the effect of GP on the development of cross-resistance to other chemicals was monitored over a period of 3 weeks. IMZ most effectively inhibited the mycelial growth and spore germination of P. digitatum and P. italicum, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.01 and 0.05 mg/mL, respectively, followed by 1,8-cineole, GP, and TBZ. 1,8-Cineole and GP more effectively inhibited the mycelial growth and spore germination of G. candidum, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.2 and 1.0 mg/mL, respectively, than OPP or GUA. For the spore germination assay, all substances tested showed a total inhibitory effect. Subculturing the fungal strains in culture media containing increasing concentrations of GP induced fungal tolerance to GP as well as to the fungicides. In soil, experiments confirmed that GP induced the tolerance of P. digitatum to TBZ and GP and the tolerance of P. italicum to IMZ, TBZ, and GP. However, no tolerance was recorded against 1,8-cineole. In conclusion, it can be said that 1,8-cineole may be recommended as an alternative to conventional fungicides. In addition, these results indicate that caution should be taken when using GP in citrus fields.