The present study was conducted in the Moroccan central Middle Atlas in order to inventory the plants used in the treatment of oral diseases, as well as to document possible risks of intoxication. Thus, 58 herbalists in the region were surveyed to gather ethnomedical information about the plants used in natural remedies preparation. The expression of the data obtained was achieved through the calculation of different quantitative indices, such as: use value (UV), family use value (FUV), relative frequency of citation (RFC), fidelity level (FL), informant consensus factor (ICF) and plant part value (PPV). 29 plants were inventoried, among which, Ruta montana L. has the highest use value (UV) and fidelity level (FL) for the treatment of gingivitis, respectively, 0.431 and 43.10. Marrubium vulgare L. has the highest citation frequency (RFC = 0.448). Whereas, Ammi visnaga (L.) Lam. had the highest value of the informant consensus factor (ICF = 0.846) as the most used species for the treatment of high number of oral pathologies and dental abscesses. Furthermore, the leaves generally prepared by decoction and administered by gargle constitute the most used part of the plant (PPV = 54.05). But, several plants recommended for the treatment of oral diseases are dangerous; in fact, Marrubium vulgare L., Atractylis gummifera L., Anacyclus pyrethrum L., Ruta montana L. and Peganum harmala L. were reported to be toxic by all the respondents. So, in spite of the virtues of medicinal plants, the toxic potential of some of them requires great vigilance in their therapeutic use.

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In the present work, the aim is to compare the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of two lavender Species "Lavandula stoechas L." and "Lavandula dentata L.", belonging to wild flora of Morocco. Thus, a phytochemical screening was performed on the aerial part of invested plants, and no qualitative difference was detected between the studied species. Indeed, both contain catechin and gallic tannins, flavonoids (anthocyanins, flavones and catechols), sterols and triterpenes, in addition to combined anthracene compounds (C-glycosides). Whereas, the dosage of crude aqueous extracts showed that the contents of secondary metabolites, such as polyphenols, flavonoids and total and condensed tannins were higher in L. dentata. Also, the essential oils of the aerial part, obtained by hydrodistillation gave higher yields in L. dentata than L. stoechas. Finally, antibacterial activity tests were performed on four strains of bacterial pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus "Gram+," and Escherichia coli; Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis which are Gram -) with both essential oils and crude aqueous extracts. The results obtained showed that essential oils have a powerful effect, particularly that of L. dentata on S. aureus, with an inhibition diameter about 30 mm. The crude extracts showed moderate antibacterial activity against Gram - and had no effect on Gram +.

Biofertilizers are a key component of organic agriculture. Bacterial biofertilizers enhance plant growth through a variety of mechanisms, including soil compound mobilization and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), which convert insoluble phosphorus to plant-available forms. This specificity of PSB allows them to be used as biofertilizers in order to increase P availability, which is an immobile element in the soil. The objective of our study is to assess the capacity of PSB strains isolated from phosphate solid sludge to solubilize three forms of inorganic phosphates: tricalcium phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2), aluminum phosphate (AlPO4), and iron phosphate (FePO4), in order to select efficient solubilization strains and use them as biofertilizers in any type of soil, either acidic or calcareous soil. Nine strains were selected and they were evaluated for their ability to dissolve phosphate in the National Botanical Research Institute’s Phosphate (NBRIP) medium with each form of phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2, AlPO4, and FePO4) as the sole source of phosphorus. The phosphate solubilizing activity was assessed by the vanadate-molybdate method. All the strains tested showed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) the ability to solubilize the three different forms of phosphates, with a variation between strains, and all strains solubilized Ca3(PO4)2 more than FePO4 and AlPO4.

Background: This is the first quantitative study of poisonous medicinal plants in which the practitioners of traditional medicine in the Moroccan central Middle Atlas region were interviewed to document and analyze their traditional ethnobotanical knowledge used to prepare plant-based drugs.Methods: To collect ethnobotanical data on poisonous medicinal plants, 58 practitioners of traditional medicine were interviewed. The quantitative measurement of the obtained data was accomplished by quantitative indices such as the use value (UV), family use value (FUV), relative frequency of citation (RFC), fidelity level (FL), relative importance (RI), informant consensus factor (ICF), and cultural importance index (CI).Results: Among the 83 poisonous medicinal plants recorded, Ruta montana L. had the highest rate of UV (2.293). Furthermore, Anacyclus pyrethrum L. demonstrated the highest RFC (0.810), while Carum carvi L. had both the highest RI (95) and CI (0.155). Five species were distinguished for their high-fidelity levels, among which Aristolochia paucinervis Pomel had the highest FL values for the treatment of dermatological and digestive disorders. The other four species were Ruta montana L. for treating respiratory, oral, and neurological diseases, Urtica urens L. for treating osteoarticular and urogenital diseases, Verbascum sinuatum L. for treating ophthalmic diseases, and Ammi visnaga, (L.) Lam. for treating cardiovascular disorders. Ophthalmic disorders had the highest value of ICF (0.743), and a very significant positive correlation was observed between RFC and UV (R² = 0.5968) and between RI and CI (R² = 0.9999) was observed. Conclusions:The present study reveals that traditional medicine practitioners in the central Middle Atlas region utilize many poisonous medicinal plants in traditional herbal medicine. Although these plants have therapeutic virtues, their toxic potency necessitates vigilance in use.

Chemical pesticides used against insect pests of stored food have adverse effects on both health and the environment. So, the present study aims to evaluate the insect repulsive and insecticidal power of Ruta chalepensis L. essential oil (EO) from the region of Oulmes (Central plateau of Morocco); the ultimate objective is to develop a biological and ecological control strategy against pests. Thus, the EO obtained by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of Ruta chalepensis L. was identified by GC-MS; its repellent and fumigant toxicity effects on adults of Tribolium castaneum Herbst were, respectively, investigated by the preferential area method on a filter paper and the inhalation test. The insecticide power was estimated by determining the percentage of mortality as a function of the duration of exposure and concentration of the EO. The essential oil obtained is characterized by the dominance of 2-undecanone (64.35%), piperonyl piperazine (11.9%), 2-decanaone (5.12%), 2-dodecanone (4.52%), decipidone (3.9%,) and 2-tridecanone (2.36%). This EO is endowed with a very repulsive power belonging to class V, which is strongly due to its majority compound 2-undecanone. The dose 0.038 μl/ml gave a repellent power of 100% after 15 min. The tests also revealed a considerable insecticidal effect, which reached 100% after 48 hours at a dose of 0.62 μl/ml. The calculation of the lethal dose causing 50% mortality (LD50) and the lethal times after which there is 50% mortality (LT50) allowed deducing that the insecticidal effect of Ruta chalepensis L. is time- and dose-dependent. Hence, the effectiveness of Ruta chalepensis L. EO attests that it can constitute a healthy alternative to fight against Tribolium castaneum Herbst.

The aim of the present work is to compare the chemical composition, antibacterial and antifungal activity of two spontaneous species of lavender "Lavandula stoechas L." and "Lavandula dentata L." in Morocco. A phytochemical screening was performed on the aerial part of invested plants. The qualitative variation was revealed in the secondary metabolites of the species studied. Subsequently, the dosage of the crude organic extracts showed that the polyphenol content was higher in the methanol fraction, with an important yield in L. dentata. Also, the essential oils of the aerial part, obtained by hydrodistillation gave higher yields in L. dentata than L. pedunculata. Finally, tests of the antibacterial and antifungal activity of the essential oils of the two species were performed on four strains of bacterial pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus "Gram+," and Escherichia coli; Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis which are Gram-), and three phytopathogenic fungi : Rhizopus stolonifer, Aspergillus brasiliensis and Penicillium expansum, The results obtained showed that the essential oil of L. dentata showed a strong antibacterial activity against the studied strains, particularly against S. aureus. While the antifungal activity revealed that L. pedunculata has a remarkable antifungal power against the fungi tested in comparison with L. dentata.

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