No abstract

Hydrodistillation of berries and leaves of Juniperus phoenicea grown in Sinai yielded volatile oils in the yield of 0.36 and 1.96%, respectively. Using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry technique, fifty eight compounds were identified in berry oil representing 99.2% of the oil composition. α-Pinene was the major compound in berry oil (39.30%) followed by sabinene (24.29%). Berry oil composed mainly of monoterpenoids which amounted to 90.53%, of which 72.85% was monoterpene hydrocarbons. The sesquiterpenoids accounted for about 8% of the total oil composition. Leaf oil was composed of about 66 compounds representing 99.16% of the total composition of the oil. α-Pinene was the major constituent of leaf oil at concentration of 38.22%, followed by α -cedrol (31.23%). The monoterpene hydrocarbon was the predominant chemical group (41.29%) followed by the oxygenated sesquiterpenes (32.21%). Both oils showed very high cytotoxic activities against all cell line tested. They showed equal activities against brain (0.6 µg//ml) and cervix (5.0 µg//ml) human cell lines, while berry oil was slightly more active than leaf oil against lung (0.6 and 0.7 µ/ml, respectively), liver (0.7 and 0.9 µg//ml, respectively) and breast human cell lines (0.8 and 1. µg//ml, respectively). The antimicrobial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of leaf and berry oils were also determined. The oils showed high activity against most of the tested strains.

No abstract

Opuntia ficus-indica extract has been used in traditional folk medicine for several purposes and exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. This study was directed to explore the prophylactic effect of O. ficus-indica fruit peel extract against irradiation-induced colitis in rats. GC/MS analysis of the petroleum ether extract led to recognition of 33 compounds in the unsaponifiable fraction and 15 fatty acid methyl esters in the saponifiable part. Thirteen terpenes and sterols were isolated and identified from which ten compounds were not isolated from any part of this species before. Data showed that irradiation induced colon injury as manifested by elevated contents of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, myeloperoxidase, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and nuclear factor kappa B, while it reduced superoxide dismutase activity and interleukin 10 content in colonic tissues, which was confirmed by histopathological examination. Pretreatment with O. ficus-indica extract attenuated the alteration in the measured parameters. It could be concluded that O. ficus-indica fruit peel extract can be regarded as a potential agent in limiting colonic complications due to irradiation, possibly by its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

No abstract

The predacious mites Amblyseius gossipi El-Badry and A. swirskii Athias-Henroit developed, survived and reproduced successfully on several artificial diets. The best diet consisted of 1 g yeast, 1 g milk, 30 mg cystine, 30 mg proline, 30 mg arginine, 20 mg sucrose, 50 mg glucose, 30 mg streptomycin sulphate and droplets of sorbic acid. Mean eggs/female/day by the two predators was 0.54 and 030 when reared on the best diet compared to 1.21 and 0.40 when fed on a natural diet, respectively. Female longevity of A. swirskiiv/as 84 3 days, nearly twice as long as that on a natural diet Eggs showed no abnormalities; larvae fed on diets had normal development, and adults were comparable hi size to individuals reared on a natural diet. Resuml-Les acariens a predation, Amblyseius gossipi El Badry et A. swirskii Athias-Henroit etaient capables de se developper, survivre et se reproduire avec succes sur plusieurs milieux artificiels. Un milieu artlficiel compose de levure, lait, acides amlne et sucres a indiuit une oviposition soutenue et fourni un alimentation suffesante pour les predateurs. Le taux moyen d'oviposition des femelles etait d'environ la moitie et les 3/4 du taux complet chez les deux predateurs respectivement quand lls etaient testes sur milieu naturel. La longevity des femelles deA. swirskii etait a peu pres deux fois aussi longue que sur milieu naturel. Les oeufs obtenus des essais d'oviposition ne montraient aucune anotmalete. Les larves alimentees sur milieux artificiels avaient un developpement normal. Les adultes etaient semblables en taille aux indlvidus eleves sur milieux naturels.

No abstract

Biological aspects and life table parameters of the predacious mites, Typhlodromips swirskii (Athias-Henriot) and Euseius scutalis (Athias-Henriot) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) consuming eggs of the Maskell scale insect, Insulaspis pallidula (Green) and the red date scale insect, Phoenicococcus marlatti Cockerell (Homoptera: Diaspididae, Phoenicococcidae) as well as pollen grains of date palm, Phoenyx dactylifera L. were determined under laboratory conditions. The life cycle and pre-oviposition period of T. swirskii were the shortest, while the oviposition period and female longevity were the longest as well as the egg production was the highest when fed on pollen compared with eggs of I. pallidula and P. marlatti. On the other hand, the life cycle, preoviposition and oviposition periods as well as the female longevity of E. scutalis were the best when devoured P. marlatti followed by pollen and I. pallidula. However, the total and daily fecundity of E. scutalis were the highest after consuming pollen compared with eggs of P. marlatti and I. pallidula. The sex ratio of females to total in the progeny of T. swirskii and E. scutalis was the highest when consumed I. pallidula followed by pollen and P. marlatti. Life table parameters were the most favourable for T. swirskii and E. scutalis feeding on date palm pollen compared with eggs of I. pallidula and P. marlatti.