Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of a Brown Wood Rotting Mushroom Piptoporellus baudonii from Benin (Tropical Africa)

Piptoporellus baudonii, previously known as Laetiporus baudonii, is an African species that was considered to be a sister species to Laetiporus sulphureus, another European species known for its medicinal value. While much is known about the edibility and antimicrobial properties of L. sulphureus, African species like P. baudonii remain understudied. This study investigated the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of P. baudonii extracts (powder maceration) prepared using ethanol, methanol and water with fractions obtained via differential solubility in hexane, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. Before the antimicrobial analysis, the study material was accurately identified using both morphology and molecular techniques. Antimicrobial activity was tested against fungi, gram-positive, and gram-negative bacteria using a broth serial microdilution method, while antioxidant activity was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power FRAP methods. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the specimen as P. baudonii, with genetic material from Benin grouping it with other P. baudonii from Tanzania and other unknown regions, forming a well-supported clade (100/100). The ethanol (1.71), methanol (2.41) extracts, along with ethyl acetate (1.36), n-butanol (1.18), and hexane (12.91) fractions showed significant antioxidant activity with EC50 values below 20 µg∙mL−1. The highest antimicrobial inhibition was seen in the n-butanol (58%) and ethyl acetate (54%) fractions, followed by ethanol (49%) and hexane (48%). Methanol exhibited the lowest inhibition (46.10%). These values were compared to the standard (Vitamin C). The examined extracts demonstrated high bactericidal properties, with an MBC/MIC ratio (R) of 1 to 4, particularly effective ethyl acetate against Escherichia coli (R = 2) and ethanol extract with strong activity against Enterococcus faecalis (R = 4). Further chemical and cytotoxicity studies are warranted to fully explore the pharmaceutical potential of P. baudonii.

Characterization and antimicrobial,antioxidant,and anti-proliferative activities of green synthesized magnesium oxide nanoparticles with shoot extracts of Plicosepalus curviflorus

Objective:To synthesize magnesium oxide nanoparticles using ethanol extract of shoots of Plicosepalus curviflorus(PC-MgONPs)and evaluate the antimicrobial,antioxidant,and anti-proliferative activities of PC-MgONPs.Methods:The green synthesized PC-MgONPs were characterized by ultraviolet-visible(UV),Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy,zeta potential,energy dispersive X-ray,and scanning electron microscopy.Furthermore,we investigated total antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial and anti-proliferative activities using breast cancer cell lines(MDA-231).Results:The UV spectrum of PC-MgONPs showed a sharp absorption peak at 300 nm.The presence of magnesium,oxygen,and sodium was confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis.Scanning electron microscopy revealed PC-MgONPs as roughly spherical granular structures with sizes ranging from 20.0 to 76.4nm.PC-MgONPs showed considerable antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli,Staphylococcus aureus,methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus,Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans with zones of inhibition of 11-17 mm.In addition,total antioxidant capacity and anti-proliferative activity of PC-MgONPs against MDA-231 cells were dose-dependent.Conclusions:The synthesized PC-MgONPs could be a potent antimicrobial,antioxidant and anti-cancer agent,which needs further investigation.

Antioxidant,antimicrobial,and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of saponin extracts from walnut(Juglans regia L.) leaves

Objective:To investigate the relationship between triterpenoid saponin content and antioxidant,antimicrobial,and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of 70%ethanolic,butanolic,aqueous,supernate and precipitate extracts of Juglans regia leaves.Methods:Triterpenoid saponins of different Juglans regia leaf extracts were measured by the vanillin method.Antioxidant activity was evaluated against DPPH and ABTS free radicals.We also assessed α-glucosidase inhibitory and antimicrobial activities of the leaf extracts.Pearson’s correlation coefficient was evaluated to determine the correlation between the saponin content and biological activities.Results:The butanolic extract was most effective against DPPH with an IC50of 6.63μg/mL,while the aqueous extract showed the highest scavenging activity against ABTS free radical with an IC50of 42.27μg/mL.Pearson’s correlation analysis indicated a strong negative correlation (r=-0.956) between DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC50) and the saponin content in the samples examined.In addition,the aqueous extract showed the best α-glucosidase inhibitory activity compared with other extracts.All the extracts had fair antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis,Escherichia coli,and Klebsiella pneumoniae except for the aqueous extract.Conclusions:Juglans regia extracts show potent antioxidant,antimicrobial,and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities.There is a correlation between saponin levels in Juglans regia leaf extracts and the studied activities.However,additional research is required to establish these relationships by identifying the specific saponin molecules responsible for these activities and elucidating their mechanisms of action.

Evolution of Antimicrobial, Antioxidant Potentials and Phytochemical Studies of Three Solvent Extracts of Five Species from Acacia Used in Sudanese Ethnomedicine

The ethanol, chloroform and acetone extracts of five species from Acacia (Acacia albidia stems, Acacia mellifera aerial parts, Acacia nubica aerial parts, Acacia seyal var. seyal stems and Acacia tortilis aerial parts) were investigated for their antimicrobial activity against two standard bacterial strains of Gram +ve bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923)), Gram -ve bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853)) and standard fungi Candida albicans (ATCC 90028) using the agar-plate well diffusion method. The chloroform extract was inactive compared to ethanol and acetone extracts. But ethanol extracts showed the maximum antimicrobial activity against the test organism. Amongst the plant species screened, ethanol extract of Acacia seyal stems showed maximum inhibitory activity (38 mm) and (37 mm) against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans, respectively. The ethanol, chloroform and acetone extracts of Acacia mellifera (aerial parts) did not show any activity against the test organisms. Cholorophorm and acetone extracts via DPPH, the radical scavenging activities were found to be 91 ± 0.03, 88 ± 0.01 and 85 ± 0.04, respectively. The results of phytochemical screening showed that all extracts of studied plant contain flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, steroids, alkaloids, phenols and tannins.

LC-MS Phytochemical Profiles of Phenolic Compounds and Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Antiplasmodial Activities of Ethanol Extracts of Pycnostachys erici-rosenii R.E.Fr and Leucas martinicensis (Jack.) R.Br (Lamiaceae)

This study has been conducted to analyze the chemical composition and antimicrobial, antioxidant and antiplasmodial properties of ethanol extracts of Pycnostachys erici-rosenii R.E.Fr and Leucas martinicensis (Jack.) R.Br that are not yet well known. The HPLC-DAD-MS-ESI+ method was used to investigate the chemical profile, the disc diffusion and microdilution method for the antimicrobial activities, the DPPH and FRAP assays for antioxidant property and SYBR Green I-based growth inhibition assay on Pf 3D7 (CQ-sensitive) strain for antiplasmodial properties. The results indicated significant amounts of hydroxybenzoic acid, flavonol and hydroxycinnamic acid in the two species. The total polyphenols analysis gave 209.0 ± 16.1 mg GAE/100g DW for P. erici-rosenii and 175.3 ± 1.6 mg GAE/100g DW for L. martinicensis while for total flavonoids analysis 33.4 ± 1.8 mg TE/100g DW was found for P. erici-rosenii and 39.6 ± 0.6 mg TE/100g DW for L. martinicensis. Moreover, antimicrobial tests revealed 0.125 mg/mL on E. faecalis ATCC25922 for ethanol extracts P. erici-rosenii and L. martinicensis. The antioxidant assays revealed IC50 56.17 μg/mL and 78.43 μg/mL for DPPH assay, and 112.03 μM TE/100mL and 90.46 μM TE/100mL) for FRAP assay for ethanol extracts of P. erici-rosenii and L. martinicensis respectively. Finally, for Antiplasmodial activity, IC50 was 4.07 μg/mL for P. erici-rosenii and 12.29 μg/mL for L. martinicensis. Therefore, the antimicrobial, the antioxidant, and the antiplasmodial results suggest that the ethanolic extracts of the aerial parts of P. erici-rosenii and L. martinicensis contain compounds with antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antiplasmodial properties, which can be searched in new drug discovery for treatment of infectious diseases.

Association between composite dietary antioxidant index and stroke among individuals with diabetes

BACKGROUND Recent research has underscored the potentially protective role of dietary antioxidants against chronic conditions,such as cardiovascular diseases and stroke.The composite dietary antioxidant index(CDAI),which reflects the overall intake of key dietary antioxidants,has been identified as a crucial metric for exploring this relationship.Although previous research has shown a negative correlation between CDAI levels and stroke risk in prediabetic individuals,there remains a substantial gap in understanding this association among individuals with diabetes,who are at an inherently greater risk for cerebrovascular events.AIM To investigate the association between CDAI and stroke risk in individuals with diabetes.METHODS Using a cross-sectional study design,this investigation analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey spanning from 2003 to 2018 that included 6735 participants aged over 20 years with diabetes.The CDAI was calculated from 24-h dietary recalls to assess intake of key antioxidants:Vitamins A,C,and E;carotenoids;selenium;and zinc.Multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline analysis were used to rigorously examine the relationship between CDAI and stroke risk.RESULTS The participant cohort,with an average age of 59.5 years and a slight male majority,reflected the broader demographic characteristics of individuals with diabetes.The analysis revealed a strong inverse relationship between CDAI levels and stroke risk.Remarkably,those in the highest quintile of CDAI demonstrated a 43%lower prevalence of stroke compared to those in the lowest quintile,even after adjustments for various confounders.This finding not only highlights the negative association between CDAI and stroke risk but also underscores the significant potential of antioxidant-rich diets in reducing stroke prevalence among patients with diabetes.CONCLUSION Our findings suggested that CDAI was inversely associated with stroke prevalence among patients with diabetes.These results suggest incorporating antioxidant-rich foods into dietary regimens as a potential strategy for stroke prevention.

Biosynthesis of Copper Nanoparticles using an Extract of the root of Asparagus racemosus:Basic Synthesis,Antimicrobial,and Anti-oxidant Potentials

Copper nanoparticles(CuNPs)have emerged as a promising alternative due to their unique antimicrobial properties.The synthesis of CuNPs using Asparagus racemosus,commonly known as Shatavari,offers a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to producing nanomaterials.Moreover,the resulting CuNPs have been found to possess excellent antibacterial,and antioxidant properties,which further expands their potential applications in medicine and environmental remediation.In this article,we discussed the in vitro characterization of the CuNPs.In vitro studies revealed that CuNPs have the potential for biomedical applications and as a base nanomaterial for the construction of drug delivery and targeting vehicles.

Phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of leaf extracts from ten Algerian Ficus carica L. varieties

Objective: To determine the total phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of methanolic leaf extracts of ten Algerian fig(Ficus carica L.)varieties(uniferous, biferous and caprifig tree).Methods: Phenolics were extracted by Soxhlet method and analyzed by the Folin–Ciocalteu colorimetric method. Flavonoids were determined by aluminum trichloride assay and the antioxidant capacity was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay. The antimicrobial activity was studied with the disc diffusion method and a macrodilution broth method was used to determine the minimal inhibitory concentrations and minimal lethal concentrations.Results: The mean extract yield was 14.10% ± 0.66%(n = 10). Leaf extract of biferous followed by uniferous varieties had the highest total phenolic contents [(52.296 ± 5.232)and(48.973 ± 2.015) mg gallic acid equivalent/g of dry plant extract respectively], flavonoids [(14.388 ± 0.333) and(14.136 ± 1.082) mg quercetin equivalent/g of dry plant extract] and antioxidant capacity [IC50(798.754 ± 108.590) and(825.004 ± 110.835) mg/m L]. Antioxidant capacity of fig leaves was significantly correlated with phenolic contents(r = 0.748). These extracts showed bactericidal activity and moderate antifungal activity, and the minimal inhibitory concentrations and minimal lethal concentrations were determined on Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus.Conclusions: All tested extracts contain phenolic compounds and exhibited an antioxidant activity and an antimicrobial effect against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Further researches on identification and purification of phenolic compounds are required.

Essential oils from Elaeoselinum asclepium: Chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties

Objective: To evaluate the chemical composition of the essential oil isolated from Elaeoselinum asclepium(L.) Bertol.(E. asclepium), and test the efficiency of the essential oil as an antimicrobial and antioxidant agent.Methods: Essential oil was obtained from the aerial parts of E. asclepium by hydro distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. We study for the first time the chemical composition of the essential oil of E. asclepium, followed by the in vitro antimicrobial activities, which were evaluated by agar diffusion method against six Gram-positive bacteria, five Gram-negative bacteria, and two fungi. In addition, The antioxidant activities were also investigated using assays of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and ferricreducing capacity.Results: The analyzed essential oil of the aerial parts of E. asclepium was rich in apinene(43.9%), other compounds detected in appreciable amounts were sabinene(27.9%) and b-pinene(16.0%). The essential oil yields 1.2%, the IC50 values of essential oil in 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl assay in the reducing power assay were 48.26 mg/m L and at 1 mg/m L, respectively. The absorbance value of essential oil at 700 nm was0.956. The antimicrobial effect was higher on Candida albicans ATCC 1024 strain with the inhibition zone 14.5 mm than bacteria and molds.Conclusions: The essential oil of E. asclepium has antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. These species may be used as an important source of natural antimicrobial and antioxidant agents.

Insecticidal,antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of bulb extracts of Allium sativum

Objective:To evaluate the insecticidal,antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of bulb extracts of Allium sativum(A.sativum).Methods:Dried bulbs of A.sativum were extracted with different solvents and evaluated for insecticidal,antimicrobial and antioxidant activities.Results: Aqueous and methanol extracts showed highest insecticidal activity(mortality rate of 81%and 64%respectively) against the larvae of Spodoptera litura(S.litura) at a concentration of 1000 ppm.With regard to antimicrobial activity,aqueous extract exhibited antibacterial activity against gram positive(Bacillus subtilis,Staphylococcus aureu,) and gram negative(Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia) strains and antifungal activity against Candida albicans.While methanol extract showed antimicrobial activity against all the tested micro organisms except two(Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans),the extracts of hexane,chloroform and ethyl acetate did not show any anti microbial activity.Minimum inhibitory concentration of aqueous and methanol extracts against tested bacterial and fungal strains was 100-150μg/mL. Antioxidant activity of the bulb extracts was evaluated in terms of inhibition of free radicals by 2.2’-diphenly-l-picrylhydrazyl.Aqueous and methanol extracts exhibited strong antioxidant activity(80%-90%of the standard).Conclusions:Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of A.sativum against the tested organisms therefore,provides scientific basis for its utilization in traditional and folk medicine.Also,our results demonstrated the insecticidal efficacy of A. sativum against S.litura,a polyphagous insect.

In vitro evaluation of antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of methanolic extract of Jasminum humile Leaves

Objective:To evaluate in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of methanolic extract of Jasminum humile（J.humile） leaves extract.Method:Methanolic extract of J.humile was evaluated for its antimicrobial activity by using agar well diffusion method & their possible antioxidant assay by two complementary test systems,namely DPPH and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity.These various antioxidant activities were compared to standard antioxidants such as ascorbic acid for both the tests.Results:In the DPPH & hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity,the IC50 value of methanol extract was 70.43μg/mL & 60.79μg/mL respectively. Further,the extract showed inhibitory activity for Gram-positive and negative bacteria at different concentrations.The maximum antibacterial activity of extract was exhibited against Staphylococcus aureus（S.aureus） at concentration 50 mg/mL when compared with ciprofloxacin Conclusions:These results clearly indicate that J.humile is effective in scavenging free radicals and has the potential to be a powerful antioxidant.Thus,the results obtained in the present study indicate that J.humile leaves extract could be considered as a potential source of natural antioxidants and that could be used as an effective source against bacterial diseases.

Chemical analysis and antioxidant content of various propolis samples collected from different regions and their impact on antimicrobial activities

Objective: To assess the antioxidant content, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of various propolis samples. Methods: Seven propolis samples were collected from different locations in Morocco, which are characterized by different plant predominant vegetations. The resin, wax and balsam of hydroalcoholic extract of propolis content were identified, and the antioxidant content was analyzed with the use of HPLC and colorimetric methods. The antioxidant activity was assessed by DPPH, ABTS.^+ and ferric reducing power assays. The antimicrobial activity was assessed against bacterial species, including methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans, and expressed as the minimal inhibitory concentration. Results: The propolis samples showed significant variations in the chemical composition and in the antioxidant or antimicrobial activities even when the samples were collected from the same location. Propolis with high resin and low wax content had high level of antioxidant compounds, and strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Gram-positive bacteria, especially, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus were more sensitive to all propolis samples than Gram-negative bacteria and Candida albicans. Conclusions: The chemical composition and the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of various propolis samples are different and rely on the geographic and plant origin of propolis collection. Propolis samples with low wax and high resin content might be more suitable to be used in future preclinical or clinical investigations.

Cytotoxic, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Nerium oleander collected in Morocco

Objective: To investigate the cytotoxic, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of ethanolic and aqueous crude extracts of Nerium oleander(N. oleander) leaves. Methods: Cytotoxic activities were evaluated by WST-1 bioassay on two human cancer cell lines, namely human colon adenocarcinoma cell line HT-29 and human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. The antioxidant property of N. oleander extracts was assessed by DPPH scavenging and he agar disc diffusion method was used for the determination of an毬-carotene bleaching tests. Ttimicrobial activity against different strains. Results: Using cell viability indices, the WST-1 test revealed that both extracts reduced cell viability in both cell lines. Our results also showed that aqueous extract was more active than ethanolic extract, with IC50 values of(1.67±0.22) μg/mL and(2.36±0.44) μg/mL on MDA-MB-231 cells, and(2.89±0.35) μg/mL and(5.09±0.52) μg/mL on HT29 cells, respectively. The study of the antioxidant activity showed that N. oleander extracts had a considerable scavenging capacity and exerted a significant preventive effect against the oxidation of 毬-carotene by the peroxide radicals. However, the antibacterial test showed that both ethanolic and aqueous extracts of N. oleander had a moderate antibacterial effect limited only to Gram-positive bacteria. Conclusions: Our results shows that N. oleander aqueous and ethanolic extracts have significant cytotoxic activities against tumor cell lines and possesses a strong antioxidant capacity, suggesting the presence of active compounds in N. oleander leaves that could be a potential source of phytochemicals with high medicinal value to be used in cancer treatment and prevention.

Variation of Polyphenols, Anthocyanins and Antioxidant Power in the Strawberry Grape (<i>Vitis labrusca</i>) after Simulated Gastro-Intestinal Transit and Evaluation of <i>in Vitro</i>Antimicrobial Activity

The influence of a simulated digestive process on some biochemical and biological aspects of strawberry grape (Vitis labrusca) was investigated. The amount of total polyphenols and anthocyanins as well as the antioxidant power were evaluated. Results evidenced that the simulated gastrointestinal transit caused a decrease of the polyphenols content and total anthocyanins;these last, however, were more resistant than polyphenols, decreasing only of 50% respect to the initial value (31.50 μg/ml of extract). The extract exhibited an excellent antioxidant power (EC50 3.8 mg/ml), which decreased of about four times after the simulated gastrointestinal transit. The antimicrobial activity of the extract, evaluated against three Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus cereus pathogen strains was enhanced by the simulated digestion, with an increase of the inhibition halo.

Antimicrobial,antiplasmodial,haemolytic and antioxidant activities of crude extracts from three selected Togolese medicinal plants

Objective:To investigate the antioxidant,antimicrobial,antiplasmodial,acute toxicity and haemolytic activities of methanolic extracts of three plants.Phytochemical analysis to determine the phenolic contents was also carried out.Methods:The 2,2-diphenyl-1- picryl-hydrazyl（DPPH） free radical scavenging,NCCLS broth microdilution and Plasmodium Lactate Dehydrogenase（pLDH） assays were used to determine antioxidant,antimicrobial and antiplasmodial activities,respectively.Haemolysis assay was conducted on A+ human red blood cells and acute toxicity on male Swiss albino mice.Phenolics were quantitatively determined using spectrophotometric methods.Results:The DPPH assay yielded interesting antioxidant activities of methanolic extract of Parinari curatellifolia（P.curatellifolia） and Entada africana （E.africana）(IC50 were 0.20±0.01μg/mL and 0.47±0.01μg/mL,respectively).This activity was highly correlated with phenolic contents of extracts.The antimicrobial tests displayed minimal inhibitory concentrations（MICs） values ranging from 0.90 to 1.80 mg/mL for Serratia marcescens （5.marcescens） the most susceptible bacterial strain.MIC value was 1.20 mg/mL for susceptible fungal strains including Mucor rouxi（M.rouxi）,Fusarium oxyporum（F.oxyporum） and Rhizopus nigricans（R.nigricans）.pLDH assay showed moderate antiplasmodial activity of Balanites aegyptiaca（B.aegyptiaca）(IC50= 24.56±3.45μg/mL),however this extract was highly haemolytic and toxic in mice(LD50= 625±128mg/kg).Conclusions:Our results support in part the use of the selected plants in the treatment of microbial infections.In addition the plant showed interesting antioxidant activity that could be useful in the management of oxidative stress.

Endophytic actinobacteria of medicinal plant Aloe vera: Isolation, antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytotoxicity assays and taxonomic study

Objective: To explore the new sources of novel bioactive compounds having pharmaceutical and agricultural interest and to search the endophytic actinobacteria from medicinal plants. Methods: NAF-1 an endophyte actinobacteria was isolated from leaves of medicinal plant Aloe vera collected in Marrakesh, Morocco using Bennett agar as selective medium. NAF-1 was tested for its antimicrobial activity against five pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus PIC 53156, Micrococcus luteus ATCC381, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 14579, Pseudomonas aeruginosa DSM 50090 and Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 and four human clinic fungi belonging to the Candida, Aspergillus and Microsporum genera. Several antioxidant activities were studied such as DPPH free radical scavenging, β-carotene and linoleic acid and reducing power assays. The total of phenol and flavonoid was also calculated. Using Artemia salina shrimp assay, the cytotoxicity of NAF-1 crude extract was determined. Results: The results revealed that the actinobacteria showed a high activity(≥20 mm) against only Gram positive bacteria but it had a moderate activity(between 13 and 15 mm) against Human clinic fungi. The isolate also exhibited a LD50 of 14.20 μg/mL in the cytotoxicity assay. The result showed that the crude extract presented an interesting free radical-scavenging activity with IC50 value of(5.58 ± 0.26) μg/mL and a high value of phenolic and flavonoid compounds with(15.41 ± 0.18) μg GAE/mg extract and(11.41± 0.06) μg QE/mg extract respectively. Moreover, the taxonomic position of our endophyte actinobacteria using the morphological and physiological criteria and using 16 S r RNA gene sequence(polyphasic approach) showed that the NAF-1 isolate was similar to Streptomyces hydrogenans which was never described as an endophyte actinobacteria. Conclusions: This isolated strain appears promising resources of bioactive agents and can be exploited to produce therapeutic agents active against pathogenic disease.

Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea L.) Extracts Obtained by Classical and Ultrasound Extraction

Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Echinacea purpurea L. (Asteraceae) extracts obtained by classical and ultrasound solvent extraction were compared. The dry aerial part of plant was extracted by 70% etha-nol at a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1︰10 (m/v) and 25°C. The extract obtained by classical solvent extraction contained 29% larger amounts of phenolic compounds and 20% higher content of flavonoids. 2,2-diphenyl-1-picril hydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging reached 93.6% and the values of EC50 were (34.16±0.65) μg·ml-1 and (65.48±1.12) μg·ml-1 for the extracts obtained by the classical and ultrasound extractions, respectively. The extracts, independent of the extraction technique applied, showed a considerable growth inhibition on Candida albicans and Saccharo-myces cerevisiae, while no growth inhibition zones were observed for Aspergillus niger. The diameters of inhibition zone observed for all the microorganisms were larger for extracts obtained by classical extraction than those by ul-trasound extraction.

Comparison of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Methanolic Extracts of the Artemisia sp.Recovered by Different Extraction Techniques

The polyphenol content,antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the extracts obtained by classical, ultrasonic and Soxhlet extractions from dry aerial parts of two Artemisia species(Artemisia vulgaris and Artemisia campestris)were compared.Ultrasound positively affected the yield of extractive substance and the kinetics of extraction,but the extract obtained by the classical extraction showed the highest antioxidant activities and contained higher total contents of phenolic compounds and flavonoids than the extracts obtained by two other extraction techniques.Both flavonoid aglycones(apigenin,quercetin,quercetin 3,3′-dimethyl ether)and flavonoid glycosides(rutin,hyperoside and kaempferol 3-rhamnoside)were identified by thin layer chromatograph(TLC)analysis in the extracts from both species.A.campestris extracts were richer in quercetin than A.vulgaris and its antimicrobial activity was also better than A.vulgaris.Extracts obtained from both species were found to be more effective on the tested yeasts than bacteria.The kinetics of the total extractive substances,such as phenolic,flavonoids and quercetin extraction,was successfully described by the model of unsteady-state diffusion.

Antioxidant antileishmanial cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of a local plant Myrtus nivellei from Algeria Sahara

To study the phytochemical constituents and in vitro biological activities of hydromethanolic extract and fractions from Algerian Sahara Myrtus nivellei (M. nivellei) collected in Hoggar region and to identify the active fraction that can act as an alternative of commonly used antibiotics and as antileishmanial or antioxidant agents.MethodsPhytochemical screening of M. nivellei aerial parts was realised according to the literature. Extract was firstly prepared by using aqueous methanol then fractionated with ethyl acetate and butanol solvents. Total phenolics, tannis and flavonoids, of the hydromethanolic extract and their fractions were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method as gallic acid equivalents and by aluminium chloride as rutin equivalent respectively. Extract and fractions were tested for their antimicrobial and antiparasital activities against standard bacteria using agar diffusion method and two kinds of leishmania visceral and cutaneous. The antioxidant activities were realized using phosphomolybdenum, FRAP and DPPH tests.ResultsPreliminary phytochemical screening exhibited the presence of flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and alkaloids. The experimental results showed that plant extract and fractions were high in phenolic compounds and exhibited an important role as antioxidant, antimicrobial and had a moderate antileishmanial activity.ConclusionsThese observations lead us toward more studies in this field, so that we can get more benefits from our local Algerian medicinal plants.

Investigation of the Phytochemicals, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Activity of the <i>Andrographis paniculata</i>Leaf and Stem Extracts

Andrographis paniculata (Kalmegh) has been considered as a medicinal shrub and used as a medicinal plant in the remote areas of Bangladesh. A. paniculata leaf and stem extracts were prepared using the polar (i.e., water, and 70% ethanol) and nonpolar (i.e., hexane) solvents. The phytochemical contents, total phenol contents (TPC), antioxidant activity, and antibacterial activity of all the extracts of A. paniculata leaf and stem were investigated. Both the gram-positive (i.e., Bacillus subtillis) and gram-negative (i.e., E. coli, and Salmonella typhi) strains of bacteria were used for the antibacterial activity assay of the sample extracts. The ethanolic stem extracts contained the maximum amount of TPC when compared to that of the leaf extracts. However, the aqueous stem extracts had the highest free radical scavenging activity in vitro. The extracts prepared from A. paniculata stem showed better antibacterial activity against all the strains of bacteria (i.e., E. coli, S. typhi, and B. subtillis) when compared to that of the leaf extracts. More specifically, the aqueous stem extract showed superior antibacterial effect against E. coli, and B. subtillis, and the zones of inhibition were 21 mm, and 29 mm in diameter, respectively. On the other hand, the ethanolic stem extract showed the maximum antibacterial activity against S. typhi and the zone of inhibition was 8.15 mm. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value and IC50 value for all the A. paniculata extracts were ~0.05 μg/μL, and ~1 μg/μL, respectively.