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Fulltext Effects of Extraction Methods on the Bioactivities and Nutritional Value of Virginia and Valencia-Type Peanut Oil

Idrissi ZLE, El Moudden H, Mghazli N, Bouyahya A, Guezzane CE, Alshahrani MM, et al.

Molecules, 2022 Nov 09;27(22).
PMID: 36431807 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27227709

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of peanut varieties cultivated in Morocco (Virginia and Valencia) and extraction methods (cold press, CP; Soxhlet, Sox and maceration, and Mac) on the fatty acid profile, phytosterol, and tocopherol contents, quality characteristics, and antioxidant potential of peanut seed oil. The DPPH method was used to determine the antioxidant activity of the oils. The results revealed that fatty acid content was slightly affected by the extraction technique. However, the CP method was shown to be an excellent approach for extracting oil with desirable quality features compared to the Sox and Mac methods. Furthermore, the peanut oil extracted via CP carried a higher amount of bioactive compounds and exhibited remarkable antioxidant activities. The findings also revealed higher oleic acid levels from the Virginia oil, ranging from 56.46% to 56.99%. Besides, a higher total phytosterol and tocopherol content and DPPH scavenging capacity were obtained from the Valencia oil. Analyzing the study, it can be inferred that extraction method and variety both affect the composition of the peanut oil's bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. This information is relevant for extracting peanut oil with a greater level of compounds of industrial interest.
Fulltext The Use of Blockchain Technology in the Health Care Sector: Systematic Review

Elangovan D, Long CS, Bakrin FS, Tan CS, Goh KW, Yeoh SF, et al.

JMIR Med Inform, 2022 Jan 20;10(1):e17278.
PMID: 35049516 DOI: 10.2196/17278

BACKGROUND: Blockchain technology is a part of Industry 4.0's new Internet of Things applications: decentralized systems, distributed ledgers, and immutable and cryptographically secure technology. This technology entails a series of transaction lists with identical copies shared and retained by different groups or parties. One field where blockchain technology has tremendous potential is health care, due to the more patient-centric approach to the health care system as well as blockchain's ability to connect disparate systems and increase the accuracy of electronic health records.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to systematically review studies on the use of blockchain technology in health care and to analyze the characteristics of the studies that have implemented blockchain technology.
METHODS: This study used a systematic review methodology to find literature related to the implementation aspect of blockchain technology in health care. Relevant papers were searched for using PubMed, SpringerLink, IEEE Xplore, Embase, Scopus, and EBSCOhost. A quality assessment of literature was performed on the 22 selected papers by assessing their trustworthiness and relevance.
RESULTS: After full screening, 22 papers were included. A table of evidence was constructed, and the results of the selected papers were interpreted. The results of scoring for measuring the quality of the publications were obtained and interpreted. Out of 22 papers, a total of 3 (14%) high-quality papers, 9 (41%) moderate-quality papers, and 10 (45%) low-quality papers were identified.
CONCLUSIONS: Blockchain technology was found to be useful in real health care environments, including for the management of electronic medical records, biomedical research and education, remote patient monitoring, pharmaceutical supply chains, health insurance claims, health data analytics, and other potential areas. The main reasons for the implementation of blockchain technology in the health care sector were identified as data integrity, access control, data logging, data versioning, and nonrepudiation. The findings could help the scientific community to understand the implementation aspect of blockchain technology. The results from this study help in recognizing the accessibility and use of blockchain technology in the health care sector.
Fulltext Targeting mTOR as a Cancer Therapy: Recent Advances in Natural Bioactive Compounds and Immunotherapy

Bouyahya A, El Allam A, Aboulaghras S, Bakrim S, El Menyiy N, Alshahrani MM, et al.

Cancers (Basel), 2022 Nov 10;14(22).
PMID: 36428613 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14225520

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a highly conserved serine/threonine-protein kinase, which regulates many biological processes related to metabolism, cancer, immune function, and aging. It is an essential protein kinase that belongs to the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) family and has two known signaling complexes, mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2). Even though mTOR signaling plays a critical role in promoting mitochondria-related protein synthesis, suppressing the catabolic process of autophagy, contributing to lipid metabolism, engaging in ribosome formation, and acting as a critical regulator of mRNA translation, it remains one of the significant signaling systems involved in the tumor process, particularly in apoptosis, cell cycle, and cancer cell proliferation. Therefore, the mTOR signaling system could be suggested as a cancer biomarker, and its targeting is important in anti-tumor therapy research. Indeed, its dysregulation is involved in different types of cancers such as colon, neck, cervical, head, lung, breast, reproductive, and bone cancers, as well as nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Moreover, recent investigations showed that targeting mTOR could be considered as cancer therapy. Accordingly, this review presents an overview of recent developments associated with the mTOR signaling pathway and its molecular involvement in various human cancer types. It also summarizes the research progress of different mTOR inhibitors, including natural and synthetised compounds and their main mechanisms, as well as the rational combinations with immunotherapies.
Fulltext In Vitro Influence of ZnO, CrZnO, RuZnO, and BaZnO Nanomaterials on Bacterial Growth

Abdallah EM, Modwi A, Al-Mijalli SH, Mohammed AE, Idriss H, Omar AS, et al.

Molecules, 2022 Nov 28;27(23).
PMID: 36500402 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27238309

In this work, ZnO, CrZnO, RuZnO, and BaZnO nanomaterials were synthesized and characterized in order to study their antibacterial activity. The agar well diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) assays were used to determine the antibacterial activity of the fabricated nanomaterials against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Escherichia coli ATCC35218, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 7000603, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 278533. The well-diffusion test revealed significant antibacterial activity against all investigated bacteria when compared to vancomycin at a concentration of 1 mg/mL. The most susceptible bacteria to BaZnO, RuZnO, and CrZnO were Staphylococcus aureus (15.5 ± 0.5 mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (19.2 ± 0.5 mm), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (19.7 ± 0.5), respectively. The MIC values indicated that they were in the range of 0.02 to 0.2 mg/mL. The MBC values showed that the tested bacteria's growth could be inhibited at concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 2.0 mg/mL. According to the MBC/MIC ratio, BaZnO, RuZnO, and CrZnO exhibit bacteriostatic effects and may target bacterial protein synthesis based on the results of the tolerance test. This study shows the efficacy of the above-mentioned nanoparticles on bacterial growth. Further biotechnological and toxicological studies on the nanoparticles fabricated here are recommended to benefit from these findings.
Fulltext A Comprehensive Review of the Pharmacological Properties and Bioactive Components of Retama monosperma

El Yadini A, Elouafy Y, Amiri-Ardekani E, Shafiee M, Firouzi A, Sasani N, et al.

Molecules, 2023 Feb 10;28(4).
PMID: 36838696 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28041708

Retama monosperma L. (Boiss.) or Genista monosperma L. (Lam.), known locally as "R'tam", is a spontaneous and annual herb that belongs to the Fabaceae family. It is native to the Mediterranean regions, specifically in the desert areas and across the Middle Atlas in Morocco. This plant has been extensively used in folk medicine and it is rich in bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, flavonoids, and alkaloids. Current research efforts are focusing on the development of novel natural drugs as alternatives to various organic and non-organic chemical products from Retama monosperma. In addition, extract, and isolated compounds obtained from different parts of the chosen plant have been described to exhibit multiple biological and pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, anti-helminthic, disinfectant, diuretic, and hypoglycemic effects. The plant-derived extract also acts as an antimicrobial agent, which is highly efficient in the treatment of bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. Its antiproliferative effects are associated with some mechanisms, such as the inhibition of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. In light of these assessments, we critically highlight the beneficial effects of the flowers, stems, seeds extracts, and isolated compounds from R. monosperma (L.) Boiss in human health care, industrial, and other applications, as well as the possible ways to be employed as a potential natural source for future drug discovery.
Fulltext Association between Physical Activity, Body Composition, and Metabolic Disorders in Middle-Aged Women of Ksar el Kebir (Morocco)

Harraqui K, Oudghiri DE, Mrabti HN, Hannoun Z, Lee LH, Assaggaf H, et al.

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2023 Jan 18;20(3).
PMID: 36767104 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20031739

This study aimed to examine the association between physical activity (PA), body composition, and metabolic disorders in a population of Moroccan women classified by menopausal status. This cross-sectional study comprised 373 peri- and postmenopausal women aged 45-64 years old. PA levels were assessed using the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF). Body composition and metabolic disorders were assessed by measurements of anthropometric and biological parameters: weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), WC/HC ratio, percent body fat, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, and serum lipids (total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), HDL-C, and LDL-C). Metabolic syndrome (MetS) was diagnosed according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) criteria. Pearson correlations were used to test for associations. The mean total PA score of perimenopausal women was 1683.51 ± 805.36 MET-min/week, and of postmenopausal women was 1450.81 ± 780.67 MET-min/week. In all participants, peri- and postmenopausal women, PA was significantly and inversely associated with BMI, weight, percent body fat, HC, WC, and number of MetS components (p < 0.01), and with fasting blood glucose, TC, TG, and LDL-C (p < 0.05). The frequencies of metabolic disorders, obesity, abdominal obesity, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and MetS were significantly lower at moderate and intense levels of PA (p < 0.05), in also all participants. In middle-aged women, particularly those who are peri-menopausal, PA at moderate and intense levels is associated with more favorable body composition and less frequent metabolic disorders. However, in this particular study, PA does not appear to be associated with blood pressure and HDL-C concentrations. Future studies may be needed to further clarify these findings.
Fulltext Targeted Primary and Secondary Preventive Strategies for Depression among Malaysian Pharmacy Students

A Wahab I, Goh KW, Zainal ZA, Mohamed Yusof NS, Huri HZ, Jacob SA, et al.

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022 Aug 05;19(15).
PMID: 35954990 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19159629

The global depression burden has remained a challenge throughout the pre- and post-pandemic era. The pandemic effect has led to the spiraling of mental disorders among young people who will be the next generation of leaders. This study aims to identify university students’ sociodemographic, psychosocial and academic backgrounds and performance associated with depression symptoms for the development of primary and secondary preventive strategies for mental health. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire distributed to 19 institutions in Malaysia offering a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree program. The self-rated Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-42) was used to assess depression symptoms. Pearson’s chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test were used to assess the investigated variables with depression symptoms. Independent T-test and one-way ANOVA were used to compare means of depression score across variables. Binary logistic regression was employed to examine the relationship between the investigated variables and depression symptoms. A total of 610 pharmacy students participated, of which 47% (n = 289/610) were having depression symptoms. Students who smoke nicotine and those who have separated parents, family history of mental illness, and poor academic performance were associated with depression symptoms (p < 0.05). Differences in geographical areas, race and religion also showed significant associations with depression symptoms. Parental marital status, poor academic performance, history of mental illness and comorbidities were statistically predicting depression symptoms (p < 0.05). Primary preventive strategies allowing students to harness healthy coping skills for stress, nicotine-free campaigns and a holistic curriculum are warranted. Secondary measures on mindfulness and compassion skills activities to benefit students who experienced early life crises are highly recommended. Enforcing these targeted strategies in collaboration with health and social sectors should be the primary agenda of universities to ensure their uptake.
Fulltext How Internet Websites Portray Herbal Vitality Products Containing Eurycoma longifolia Jack: An Evaluation of the Quality and Risks of Online Information

Wahab MSA, Abd Hamid NN, Yassen AO, Naim MJ, Ahamad J, Zulkifli NW, et al.

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022 Sep 20;19(19).
PMID: 36231154 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191911853

BACKGROUND: Tongkat Ali (TA) or Eurycoma longifolia is a herbal medicine (HM) plant traditionally used to treat sexual dysfunction and enhance libido in men. Websites containing information about HM are abundant. However, studies have shown that in general the quality of websites containing information on HM is low. The present study aims to assess the quality and risks of websites containing information about TA supplements and to identify the health claims for TA.
METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study to evaluate the quality and risks of websites discussing TA supplements was conducted. Online marketing websites, research articles, news articles, personal opinions, and those restricted by password were excluded. The quality and risks of websites were assessed using a modified DISCERN tool and a set of risk assessment criteria, respectively. The health claims for TA were identified and analyzed using content analysis.
RESULTS: Overall, 321 websites met the inclusion criteria and were further evaluated. The overall rating of the quality of the websites was low, with a mean score ± standard deviation of 1.07 ± 0.51. Most websites lacked information that there may be more than one possible treatment choice and did not discuss areas of uncertainty. However, 67.9% (218/321) of the websites received a risk score of zero. A minority of websites (5/321, 1.6%) discouraged the use of conventional medicines. The most common health claims for TA included in the websites related to the enhancement of testosterone level (121/321, 37.7%), treatment of malaria (112/321, 34.9%), and improvement in libido (108/321, 33.6%).
CONCLUSIONS: Websites containing information about TA supplements generally have a low-quality rating based on a modified DISCERN tool despite having a low-risk score. Government agencies and healthcare professionals (HCPs) must be more proactive in the critique and dissemination of information relating to HM, and in ensuring the safe use of HM among the public and patients.
Fulltext Unlocking the combined action of Mentha pulegium L. essential oil and Thym honey: In vitro pharmacological activities, molecular docking, and in vivo anti-inflammatory effect

Assaggaf H, El Hachlafi N, Elbouzidi A, Taibi M, Benkhaira N, El Kamari F, et al.

Heliyon, 2024 Jun 15;10(11):e31922.
PMID: 38947443 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31922

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.
Fulltext Design of three-component essential oil extract mixture from Cymbopogon flexuosus, Carum carvi, and Acorus calamus with enhanced antioxidant activity

Assaggaf H, Jeddi M, Mrabti HN, Ez-Zoubi A, Qasem A, Attar A, et al.

Sci Rep, 2024 Apr 22;14(1):9195.
PMID: 38649707 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59708-x

The development of novel antioxidant compounds with high efficacy and low toxicity is of utmost importance in the medicine and food industries. Moreover, with increasing concerns about the safety of synthetic components, scientists are beginning to search for natural sources of antioxidants, especially essential oils (EOs). The combination of EOs may produce a higher scavenging profile than a single oil due to better chemical diversity in the mixture. Therefore, this exploratory study aims to assess the antioxidant activity of three EOs extracted from Cymbopogon flexuosus, Carum carvi, and Acorus calamus in individual and combined forms using the augmented-simplex design methodology. The in vitro antioxidant assays were performed using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging approaches. The results of the Chromatography Gas-Mass spectrometry (CG-MS) characterization showed that citral (29.62%) and niral (27.32%) are the main components for C. flexuosus, while D-carvone (62.09%) and D-limonene (29.58%) are the most dominant substances in C. carvi. By contrast, β-asarone (69.11%) was identified as the principal component of A. calamus (30.2%). The individual EO exhibits variable scavenging activities against ABTS and DPPH radicals. These effects were enhanced through the mixture of the three EOs. The optimal antioxidant formulation consisted of 20% C. flexuosus, 53% C. carvi, and 27% A. calamus for DPPHIC50. Whereas 17% C. flexuosus, 43% C. carvi, and 40% A. calamus is the best combination leading to the highest scavenging activity against ABTS radical. These findings suggest a new research avenue for EOs combinations to be developed as novel natural formulations useful in food and biopharmaceutical products.
Fulltext Combination of sweet orange, lentisk and lemon eucalyptus essential oils: Optimization of a new complete antimicrobial formulation using a mixture design methodology

Al-Mijalli SH, Jeddi M, El Hachlafi N, M Abdallah E, Assaggaf H, Qasem A, et al.

Heliyon, 2023 Sep;9(9):e19814.
PMID: 37809691 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19814

Sweet orange (Citrus × sinensis (L.) Osbeck), lentisk (Pistacia lentiscus L.) and lemon eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora Hook) are medicinal plants known by its culinary virtues. Their volatile oils have demonstrated promising antimicrobial activity against a panel of microbial strains, including those implicated in food deterioration. In this exploratory investigation, we aimed to determine the antimicrobial formulation of sweet orange, lentisk and lemon eucalyptus essential oils (EOs) using the simplex-centroid mixture design approach coupled with a broth microdilution method. EOs were first extracted by hydrodistillation, and then their phytochemical profile was characterized using Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). GC-MS analysis identified d-limonene (14.27%), careen-3 (14.11%), β-myrcene (12.53%) as main components of lentisk EOs, while lemon eucalyptus was dominated by citronellal (39.40%), β-citronellol (16.39%) and 1,8-cineole (9.22%). For sweet orange EOs, d-limonene (87.22%) was the principal compound. The three EOs exhibited promising antimicrobial potential against various microorganisms. Lemon eucalyptus and sweet orange EO showed high activity against most tested microorganisms, while lentisk EO exerted important effect against some microbes but only moderate activity against others. The optimization formulations of antimicrobial potential showed interesting synergistic effects between three EOs. The best combinations predicted on C. albicans, S. aureus, E. coli, S. enterica and B. cereus correspond to 44%/55%/0%, 54%/16%/28%, 43%/22%/33%, 45%/17%/36% and 36%/30%/32% of Citrus sinensis, Pistacia lentiscus and Eucalyptus citriodora EOs, respectively. These findings suggest that the combination of EOs could be used as natural food preservatives and antimicrobial agents. However, further studies are needed to determine the mechanisms of action and efficacy of these EOs against different microorganisms.
Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch.: a comprehensive review of its pharmacology, phytochemicals, ethnobotanical uses, and therapeutic potential

Kumari R, Negi M, Thakur P, Mahajan H, Raina K, Sharma R, et al.

Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol, 2024 Mar;397(3):1505-1524.
PMID: 37755516 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-023-02694-0

Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch., commonly known as costus, is a perennial herb that has been traditionally used in various indigenous medicinal systems across Asia. Its historical prominence in traditional remedies underscores the need to explore its phytochemical composition, pharmacological properties, and potential therapeutic benefits. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the available literature on the pharmacological properties, phytochemical constituents, ethnobotanical uses, and therapeutic potential of S. costus. An exhaustive search was performed across multiple electronic databases, including PubMed/MedLine, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, TRIP database, and Science Direct. Both experimental and clinical studies, as well as traditional ethnobotanical records, were considered for inclusion. The phytochemical analysis revealed that S. costus contains a plethora of bioactive compounds, including sesquiterpenes, flavonoids, and essential oils, which are responsible for its myriad of medicinal properties. The pharmacological studies have demonstrated its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, hepatoprotective, and immunomodulatory effects, among others. Ethnobotanical data showcased its extensive use in treating ailments like asthma, digestive disorders, and skin conditions. Some clinical trials also underscore its efficacy in certain health conditions, corroborating its traditional uses. S. costus possesses significant therapeutic potential, largely attributable to its rich phytochemical composition; the convergence of its traditional uses and modern pharmacological findings suggests promising avenues for future research, especially in drug development and understanding its mechanism of action in various ailments.
Fulltext Knowledge and Perception of Facial Candling for Allergic Rhinitis among University Staff and Students

Hamdan NKA, Lean QY, Neoh CF, Abdullah AH, Lim SM, Ramasamy K, et al.

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2020;2020:5713134.
PMID: 32831870 DOI: 10.1155/2020/5713134

Introduction: Facial candling is a traditional method used for relieving symptoms of allergic rhinitis (AR). This study aims to investigate the knowledge and perception of facial candling in a sample of staff and students in a public university in Malaysia.
Methods: An online questionnaire survey method was used. Based on sample size calculation, a total of 1,508 UiTM staff and students from ten selected campuses of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) were invited to participate in this survey. An up-to-date e-mail list of staff in the selected campuses was used as the sampling frame for the study, whereas the students were recruited from the official university student Facebook portal.
Results: A total of 788 respondents participated in this survey, 72.2% of them knew about facial candling, though only 35.4% had tried the treatment. Approximately one-fifth of respondents agreed that facial candling might treat AR. It was found that a higher number of users than nonusers agreed that facial candling was a traditional medicine (78.9% vs 55.0%); could be used on the face and ears (83.5% vs 45.4%); and could be self-administered at home (83.5 vs 45.4%). Interestingly, more than half of them were uncertain about its long-term effects and adverse reactions.
Conclusion: This study confirms the facial candling use among patients with AR although the percentage is low. The patients and general public need to be better informed about the use of facial candling in AR and its associated risks.
The anti-melanogenic properties of Swietenia macrophylla king

Mahendra CK, Ser HL, Abidin SAZ, Khan SU, Pusparajah P, Htar TT, et al.

Biomed Pharmacother, 2023 Apr 15;162:114659.
PMID: 37068335 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114659

Fair flawless skin is the goal for some cultures and the development of irregular skin pigmentation is considered an indication of premature skin aging. Hence, there is a rising demand for skin whitening cosmetics. Thus, this research will be focusing on discovering the anti-pigmentation properties of Swietenia macrophylla seeds. Firstly, the seeds were extracted with ethanol and further fractionate based on their polarity before testing them on zebrafish embryos. The ethanolic extract of the seed demonstrated significant inhibition of both tyrosinase activity and melanin production in the embryos. However, after fractionation, the anti-melanogenic ability was observed to have decreased, signifying that the phytocompounds may be synergistic in nature. Still in the proteomic studies the ethanolic extract and its hexane fraction both induced the downregulation of cathepsin LB and cytoskeletal proteins that have connections to the melanogenic pathway, confirming that S. macrophylla seeds do indeed have anti-pigmentation properties that can be exploited for cosmetic use. Next, limonoids (tetranortriterpenoids found in the seed) were tested for their inhibitory effect against human tyrosinase related protein 1 (TYRP-1) via molecular docking. It was found that limonoids have a stronger binding affinity to TYRP-1 than kojic acid, suggesting that these phytocompounds may have the potential in inhibiting pigmentation. However, this still needs further confirmation before these phytocompounds can be developed into a skin whitening agent. Other assays like ex-vivo or 3D human skin culture can also be used to better study the seeds anti-pigmentation effect on humans.
Phytochemical characterization and nutritional value of vegetable oils from ripe berries of Schinus terebinthifolia raddi and Schinus molle L., through extraction methods

Belhoussaine O, El Kourchi C, Harhar H, El Moudden H, El Yadini A, Ullah R, et al.

Food Chem X, 2024 Oct 30;23:101580.
PMID: 39027685 DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101580

The aims of this study are the phytochemical exploration and food valorization of Schinus molle L. (S. molle) and Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (S. terebinthifolia) from the Rabat, Morocco. Gas chromatography (GC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used to analyze the chemical composition of the oils extracted from both species by soxhlet and maceration. Moreover, physicochemical characteristics such as lipid quality indexes such as thrombogenic index (TI), atherogenic index (AI), oxidation susceptibility (OS), and calculated oxidability (Cox) were determined. These characteristics included percentage acidity, peroxide, saponification, iodine, specific extinction values, chlorophyll, and carotenoid pigments. As results, the oil yields varied from 7% (S. molle) to 13% (S. terebinthifolia). In addition, unsaturated fatty acids represented the major fraction for S. terebinthifolia (79%) and S. molle (81%). However, S. terebinthifolia contains more saturated fatty acids (20%) than S. molle (16%) with a predominance of linoleic acid (59.53% and 55%, C18,2), oleic acid (19.29% and 21.69%, C18,1), and palmitic acid (12.56% and 15.48%, C16,0) in S. molle and S. terebinthifolia, respectively. Moreover, the main sterols are β-sitosterol followed by campesterol and then Δ-5-avenasterol, while β-sitosterol varies according to the species and the extraction method. Results revealed also that campesterol is influenced by the extraction results in a content of 179.66 mg/kg (soxhlet) and 63.48 mg/kg (maceration) for S. molle, while S. terebinthifolia yeilds concentrations of 170 mg/kg and 138 mg/kg, then Δ-5-avenasterol, which present with (117 mg/kg and 136 mg/kg), (34 mg/kg and 80 mg/kg) of the total amount of sterols for the oils extracted by soxhlet and maceration, respectively. In addition, there are favorable physicochemical properties for all oils, such as chlorophylls (0.4 to 0.8 mg/kg) and carotenoids (0.7 to 2 mg/kg). However, further investigations are needed to determine other chemical compounds of both extracts as well as to evaluate their biological and health benefits.
Fulltext Recent advances and molecular mechanisms of TGF-β signaling in colorectal cancer, with focus on bioactive compounds targeting

Bakrim S, El Hachlafi N, Khalid A, Abdalla AN, El Omari N, Aboulaghras S, et al.

Biomed Pharmacother, 2024 Aug;177:116886.
PMID: 38945700 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116886

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most significant forms of human cancer. It is characterized by its heterogeneity because several molecular factors are involved in contiguity and can link it to others without having a linear correlation. Among the factors influencing tumor transformation in CRC, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) plays a key promoter role. This factor is associated with human colorectal tumors with a very high prognosis: it increases the survival, invasion, and metastasis of CRC cells, thus functioning as an oncogene. The inhibition of this factor can constitute a major therapeutic route for CRC treatment. Various chemical drugs including synthetic molecules and biotherapies have been developed as TGF-β inhibitors. Moreover, the scientific community has recently shown a major interest in screening natural drugs inhibiting TGF-β in CRC. In this context, we carried out this review article using computerized databases, such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Springer Link, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus, to highlight the molecular mechanism of TGF-β in CRC induction and progression and current advances in the pharmacodynamic effects of natural bioactive substances targeting TGF-β in CRC.
Fulltext Pharmacotherapeutics Applications and Chemistry of Chalcone Derivatives

Dhaliwal JS, Moshawih S, Goh KW, Loy MJ, Hossain MS, Hermansyah A, et al.

Molecules, 2022 Oct 19;27(20).
PMID: 36296655 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27207062

Chalcones have been well examined in the extant literature and demonstrated antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. A detailed evaluation of the purported health benefits of chalcone and its derivatives, including molecular mechanisms of pharmacological activities, can be further explored. Therefore, this review aimed to describe the main characteristics of chalcone and its derivatives, including their method synthesis and pharmacotherapeutics applications with molecular mechanisms. The presence of the reactive α,β-unsaturated system in the chalcone's rings showed different potential pharmacological properties, including inhibitory activity on enzymes, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, antiprotozoal, and anti-filarial activity. Changing the structure by adding substituent groups to the aromatic ring can increase potency, reduce toxicity, and broaden pharmacological action. This report also summarized the potential health benefits of chalcone derivatives, particularly antimicrobial activity. We found that several chalcone compounds can inhibit diverse targets of antibiotic-resistance development pathways; therefore, they overcome resistance, and bacteria become susceptible to antibacterial compounds. A few chalcone compounds were more active than conventional antibiotics, like vancomycin and tetracycline. On another note, a series of pyran-fused chalcones and trichalcones can block the NF-B signaling complement system implicated in inflammation, and several compounds demonstrated more potent lipoxygenase inhibition than NSAIDs, such as indomethacin. This report integrated discussion from the domains of medicinal chemistry, organic synthesis, and diverse pharmacological applications, particularly for the development of new anti-infective agents that could be a useful reference for pharmaceutical scientists.
Fulltext Influence of the Extraction Method on the Quality and Chemical Composition of Walnut (Juglans regia L.) Oil

Elouafy Y, El Yadini A, El Moudden H, Harhar H, Alshahrani MM, Awadh AAA, et al.

Molecules, 2022 Nov 08;27(22).
PMID: 36431782 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27227681

The present study investigated and compared the quality and chemical composition of Moroccan walnut (Juglans regia L.) oil. This study used three extraction techniques: cold pressing (CP), soxhlet extraction (SE), and ultrasonic extraction (UE). The findings showed that soxhlet extraction gave a significantly higher oil yield compared to the other techniques used in this work (65.10% with p < 0.05), while cold pressing and ultrasonic extraction gave similar yields: 54.51% and 56.66%, respectively (p > 0.05). Chemical composition analysis was carried out by GC−MS and allowed 11 compounds to be identified, of which the major compound was linoleic acid (C18:2), with a similar percentage (between 57.08% and 57.84%) for the three extractions (p > 0.05). Regarding the carotenoid pigment, the extraction technique significantly affected its content (p < 0.05) with values between 10.11 mg/kg and 14.83 mg/kg. The chlorophyll pigment presented a similar content in both oils extracted by SE and UE (p > 0.05), 0.20 mg/kg and 0.16 mg/kg, respectively, while the lowest content was recorded in the cold-pressed oil with 0.13 mg/kg. Moreover, the analysis of phytosterols in walnut oil revealed significantly different contents (p < 0.05) for the three extraction techniques (between 1168.55 mg/kg and 1306.03 mg/kg). In addition, the analyses of tocopherol composition revealed that γ-tocopherol represented the main tocopherol isomer in all studied oils and the CP technique provided the highest content of total tocopherol with 857.65 mg/kg, followed by SE and UE with contents of 454.97 mg/kg and 146.31 mg/kg, respectively, which were significantly different (p < 0.05). This study presents essential information for producers of nutritional oils and, in particular, walnut oil; this information helps to select the appropriate method to produce walnut oil with the targeted quality properties and chemical compositions for the desired purpose. It also helps to form a scientific basis for further research on this plant in order to provide a vision for the possibility of exploiting these oils in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food fields.
Fulltext Comparative Investigation of Chemical Constituents of Kernels, Leaves, Husk, and Bark of Juglans regia L., Using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS Analysis and Evaluation of Their Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities

Bourais I, Elmarrkechy S, Taha D, Badaoui B, Mourabit Y, Salhi N, et al.

Molecules, 2022 Dec 16;27(24).
PMID: 36558122 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27248989

Leaves, husk, kernels, and bark methanolic extracts of Juglans regia L. were tested for their in vitro antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. For these purposes, α-amylase and α-glucosidase were used as the main enzymes to evaluate antidiabetic activities. Moreover, lipoxidase and tyrosinase activities were tested to estimate anti-inflammatory properties. Antioxidant properties of Juglans regia L., extracts were determined using three different assays. Leaves extract has an important radical scavenging activity and a-amylase inhibition. Similarly, husk extracts showed high total phenolic content (306.36 ± 4.74 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry extract) with an important α-amylase inhibition (IC50 = 75.42 ± 0.99 µg/mL). Kernels exhibit significant tyrosinase (IC50 = 51.38 ± 0.81 µg/mL) correlated with antioxidant activities (p < 0.05). Husk and bark extracts also showed strong anti-lipoxidase activities with IC50 equal to 29.48 ± 0.28 and 28.58 ± 0.35 µg/mL, respectively. HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS analysis highlights the phenolic profile of methanolic extracts of Juglans regia L. plant parts. The identified polyphenols were known for their antioxidant, antidiabetic (dicaffeoyl-quinic acid glycoside in kernels), and anti-inflammatory (3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid in leaves) activities. Further investigations are needed to determine molecular mechanisms involved in these effects as well as to study the properties of the main identified compounds.
Fulltext Antioxidant, Volatile Compounds; Antimicrobial, Anti-Inflammatory, and Dermatoprotective Properties of Cedrus atlantica (Endl.) Manetti Ex Carriere Essential Oil: In Vitro and In Silico Investigations

El Hachlafi N, Mrabti HN, Al-Mijalli SH, Jeddi M, Abdallah EM, Benkhaira N, et al.

Molecules, 2023 Aug 06;28(15).
PMID: 37570883 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28155913

Cedrus atlantica (Endl.) Manetti ex Carriere is an endemic tree possessing valuable health benefits which has been widely used since time immemorial in international traditional pharmacopoeia. The aim of this exploratory investigation is to determine the volatile compounds of C. atlantica essential oils (CAEOs) and to examine their in vitro antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and dermatoprotective properties. In silico simulations, including molecular docking and pharmacokinetics absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET), and drug-likeness prediction were used to reveal the processes underlying in vitro biological properties. Gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS) was used for the chemical screening of CAEO. The antioxidant activity of CAEO was investigated using four in vitro complementary techniques, including ABTS and DPPH radicals scavenging activity, ferric reductive power, and inhibition of lipid peroxidation (β-carotene test). Lipoxygenase (5-LOX) inhibition and tyrosinase inhibitory assays were used for testing the anti-inflammatory and dermatoprotective properties. GC-MS analysis indicated that the main components of CAEO are β-himachalene (28.99%), α-himachalene (14.43%), and longifolene (12.2%). An in vitro antimicrobial activity of CAEO was examined against eleven strains of Gram-positive bacteria (three strains), Gram-negative bacteria (four strains), and fungi (four strains). The results demonstrated high antibacterial and antifungal activity against ten of them (>15 mm zone of inhibition) using the disc-diffusion assay. The microdilution test showed that the lowest values of MIC and MBC were recorded with the Gram-positive bacteria in particular, which ranged from 0.0625 to 0.25 % v/v for MIC and from 0.5 to 0.125 % v/v for MBC. The MIC and MFC of the fungal strains ranged from 0.5 to 4.0% (MIC) and 0.5 to 8.0% v/v (MFC). According to the MBC/MIC and MFC/MIC ratios, CAEO has bactericidal and fungicidal activity. The results of the in vitro antioxidant assays revealed that CAEO possesses remarkable antioxidant activity. The inhibitory effects on 5-LOX and tyrosinase enzymes was also significant (p < 0.05). ADMET investigation suggests that the main compounds of CAEO possess favorable pharmacokinetic properties. These findings provide scientific validation of the traditional uses of this plant and suggest its potential application as natural drugs.

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