Mentha pulegium L., a plant widely embraced for its therapeutic properties by populations worldwide, including Morocco, has long been recognized for its potential in treating various ailments. This study aims to comprehensively evaluate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and dermatoprotective properties of essential oil derived from M. pulegium, and thyme honey as well as their combined effects. To unravel the chemical composition, a rigorous GC-MS analysis was conducted. Subsequently, we examined their antioxidant potential through three distinct assays: DPPH●, hydrogen peroxide assay, and xanthine oxidase assay. The anti-inflammatory properties were scrutinized through both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Simultaneously, the dermatoprotective efficacy was investigated in vitro by evaluating tyrosinase inhibition. Our findings revealed that pulegone constitutes the predominant compound in M. pulegium essential oil (MPEO), constituting a remarkable 74.82 % of the composition. Significantly, when the essential oil was combined with thym honey, it exhibited superior anti-inflammatory and dermatoprotective effects across all in vivo and in vitro tests. Moreover, our in silico molecular docking analysis hinted at the potential role of cyclohexanone, 3-methyl, an element found in the MPEO, in contributing to the observed outcomes. While this study has unveiled promising results regarding the combined in vitro, in vivo and in silico biological activities of the essential oil and honey, it is imperative to delve further into the underlying mechanisms through additional experimentation and alternative experimental methods. Understanding these mechanisms in greater detail will not only enhance our comprehension of the therapeutic potential but also pave the way for the development of innovative treatments and applications rooted in the synergy of these natural compounds. Furthermore, it would be advantageous to test different possible combinations using experimental design model. Moreover, it would be better to test the effect of single compounds of MPEO to clearly elucidate their efficiency. MPEO alone or combined with thyme honey may be a useful for the development of novel biopharmaceuticals.
Tetraclinis articulata is a known traditional medicinal plant used to manage various ailments, such as diabetes, rheumatism and infectious diseases. This study aims to determine the chemical constituents of T. articulata essential oil (EO) and to evaluate its in vitro antibacterial, anti-candidal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and dermatoprotective properties. In addition, a computational docking approach was used to predict the potential antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic properties of the identified compounds. The volatile oil obtained by hydrodistillation was characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antioxidant activity of T. articulata EO was investigated using three complementary assays: DPPH, ABTS and FRAP. Lipoxygenase (5-LOX) and tyrosinase enzymes were used to assess the anti-inflammatory and dermatoprotective effects of this oil. Moreover, disc-diffusion technique, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) assays were employed for the antimicrobial screening. The GC-MS analysis revealed that bornyl acetate (41.80 %), α-pinene (17.97 %) and camphor (15.97 %) are the major components of the studied EO. Moreover, T. articulata EO has exhibited promising antioxidant effect on FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS experiments. It also significantly inhibited 5-LOX (IC50 = 67.82 ± 0.03 μg/mL) and tyrosinase (IC50 = 211.93 ± 0.02 μg/mL). The results of MIC and MBC assays indicated that T. articulata EO is able to inhibit the growth of all tested bacteria (Gram + and Gram -) and Candida species. The ratio of tolerance level indicated that the tested oil was bactericidal against the Gram + bacteria and Candida species, whereas it has a bacteriostatic behavior against the Gram- bacteria. In light of these findings, T. articulata EO may be suggested as a potential pharmaceutical agent to prevent inflammation and skin problems and may serve as a natural antimicrobial and antioxidant alternative for sustainable application in food products.
Medicinal plants have been utilized for centuries in traditional medicine systems worldwide, providing a rich source of bioactive compounds with diverse biological activities. Lavandula officinalis, a member of the Lamiaceae family, has been recognized for its multifaceted pharmacological activities. In this current investigation, our primary objective was to scrutinize the in vitro inhibitory potential of L. officinalis essential oil (LOEO) against alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase, with the aim of understanding its antidiabetic effects. Additionally, the assay encompassed tyrosinase and lipoxygenase (LOX) to assess its anti-inflammatory attributes. Unraveling the underlying molecular mechanisms of these activities prompted an in-silico study. The purpose was to establish correlations between in-vitro observations and computational insights derived from molecular docking, which forecasts the interaction of LOEO molecules with their respective targets, alongside ADMET prediction. The Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis allow to identify eighteen compounds, with the dominance of L-camphor (43.12 %), 1,8-cineole (34.27 %) and borneol (8.60 %) in LOEO. The antidiabetic evaluation revealed that LOEO exhibited noteworthy inhibitory activity against both α-amylase and α-glucosidase, displaying IC50 values of 3.14 ± 0.05 mg/mL and 2.07 ± 0.03 mg/mL, respectively. The subsequent in-silico study highlighted the particularly strong binding affinity of (E)-Farnesene, with a binding score of -7.4 kcal/mol for alpha-glucosidase, while Germacrene D displayed the highest affinity among the ligands (-7.9 kcal/mol) for the alpha-amylase target. Furthermore, the investigation into in vitro anti-inflammatory activity unveiled LOEO efficacy against tyrosinase (IC50 = 42.74 μg/mL) and LOX (IC50 = 11.58 ± 0.07 μg/mL). The in-silico analysis echoed these findings, indicating α-Cadinene's notable binding affinity of 6 kcal/mol with tyrosinase and α-Cedrene's binding score of -6.5 kcal/mol for LOX. Impressively, for both COX-1 and COX-2, α-Cedrene exhibited significant binding affinities of -7.6 and -7.3 kcal/mol, respectively. The convergence between the in vitro and in silico outcomes underscores the potential of LOEO and its constituent compounds as potent inhibitors targeting both diabetes and the inflammatory processes.