Abdelkader Mahrouk

This study investigated the phenolic profile, antioxidant capacity, and anti‐gout potential of methanolic extracts obtained from flowers, leaves, and stems of Diplotaxis harra subsp. crassifolia . Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were quantified spectrophotometrically, and individual phenolics were characterized by LC‐MS/MS, revealing 15 compounds in flowers, 11 in leaves, and 7 in stems, with quinic acid as the predominant constituent. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, FRAP, phosphomolybdenum, and metal‐chelation assays, in which flower extracts consistently exhibited the highest antioxidant potential. Xanthine oxidase (XO) enzyme inhibition assay revealed that the flower extract exhibited the best inhibition activity, with an IC ₅₀ of 0.212 mg/mL, comparable to that of the positive control allopurinol (0.25 mg/mL). Consistently, molecular docking showed that gentisic and protocatechuic acids, most phenolics in the extract, bind XO with more favorable energies than allopurinol through extensive hydrogen‐bonding and hydrophobic interactions at key active site residues. Overall, this initial organ‐specific evaluation of D. harra provides strong support for its flower extracts as promising candidates for standardized anti‐gout preparations and as scaffolds for future XO inhibitor development.

This study characterised four Algerian food-derived lactic acid bacterium (LAB) strains, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum MA2 (T2), Limosilactobacillus fermentum MA3 (L3), L. fermentum MA4 (L4), and Lactiplantibacillus pentosus MA1 (F2), to explore their potential in combating oxidative stress-related chronic diseases. The strains were assessed for probiotic resilience, antioxidant potential, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects, safety, and antimicrobial activity. All demonstrated strong survival (>75%) and high antioxidant capacity. T2 and L4 displayed notable α -amylase inhibition (68.54 and 54.42%) compared to acarbose (86.20%). T2 also exhibited outstanding anti-inflammatory activity (96.61 ± 0.90%), exceeding diclofenac (93.12 ± 0.35%; P < 0.05). A strong correlation was observed between FRAP and α -amylase inhibition ( r = 0.996). PCA revealed T2 as functionally distinct, linked to anti-inflammatory, DPPH, and SOD-like activities, while L3/L4 clustered with ABTS and FRAP traits. All strains were safe (non-haemolytic, antibiotic-sensitive) and inhibited enteropathogens. T2 and L4 combined strong bioactivity, stress tolerance, and safety, underscoring their probiotic potential against oxidative stress, hyperglycaemia, and inflammation.

In Algeria, a traditional remedy consisting of a mixture of olive oil and pine resin is widely used to treat respiratory ailments. Although the beneficial properties of olive oil are well-established, there is a notable lack of scientific research exploring its combination with pine resin. This study aimed to evaluate the total phenolic content, as well as the antioxidant and antifungal activities, of pure olive oil and its mixture with pine resin powder. The results demonstrated that incorporating pine resin powder into olive oil (OOR) led to a substantial increase in total polyphenol content (431.93±6.8mg GAE/kg) compared to pure olive oil (61.73 ± 0.5 mg GAE/kg). This enrichment was accompanied by a marked enhancement in antioxidant activity, which rose from 3.45±0.3% in olive oil alone to 40.45±2.3% in the OOR mixture. Additionally, antifungal assay showed that the OOR mixture exhibited inhibitory effects against Fusarium sp. (24.27 ± 2.71%), whereas olive oil alone (OO) displayed no antifungal activity. These findings suggest that the addition of pine resin significantly enhances the bioactive properties of olive oil by enriching its polyphenolic content, thereby improving its antioxidant capacity and imparting antifungal activity.

The current investigation aimed to highlight the potential of probiotics isolated from lactic acid bacteria of different Algerian ecosystems as antioxidant and antidiabetic agents. Fifty-four strains from different ecosystems were isolated anaerobically. The subsequent steps involved comprehensive characterization and in vitro assessments, including assays for scavenging DPPH and ABTS•+ radicals, measuring ferric ion reducing power (FRAP), and assessing the impact of the strains on the α-amylase enzyme. Additionally, the hydrophobicity potential, aggregation and coaggregation capacities, antibacterial activity, and absence of hemolytic activity were investigated. Ten (10) out of the fifty-four (54) strains exhibited characteristics of probiotics like resistance at a low gastric pH (2.0–3.0) (> 55% survival rate) and survival under different concentrations of NaCl and bile salts 0.3%-1% (> 80% survival rate). All the isolated strains exhibited high hydrophobicity potential, remarkable aggregation and coaggregation capacities, and antibacterial activity but no hemolytic activity. Because of the antioxidant capacity of the selected strains, every strain seems to be capable of efficiently scavenging DPPH and ABTS•+ radicals, superoxide dismutase and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, and high resistance to H₂O₂. The findings of this study strongly suggest that the identified strains hold significant promise as potential probiotic candidates. Their observed capabilities make them particularly valuable in addressing oxidative stress and associated conditions, such as diabetes. Graphical Abstract

Rice is subjected to various biotic and abiotic stresses as a significant constraint in rice production, leading to enormous yield losses worldwide. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) represent a class of beneficial microorganisms widely distributed in soil ecosystems. AMF form a symbiotic association with plant roots and play a pivotal role in improving plant growth and nutritional status, altering rhizosphere interactions, inducing systemic resistance, and enhancing plant tolerance. AMF-mediated protection from phytopathogens has been vastly exploited for crop plants. Still, their role in sustaining rice cultivation remains less dissected due to misconceptions. This chapter discusses the potential of AMF for the biocontrol of rice pathogens and the recent advances in integrated biocontrol approaches using AMF for sustainable rice production.

Background: many previous studies have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of N. sativa total oil fractions, neutral lipids (NLs), glycolipids (GLs), phospholipids (PLs), and unsaponifiable (IS) in asthma patients. We therefore tested its effect on airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells by observing its ability to regulate the production of glucocorticoid (GC)-insensitive chemokines in cells treated with TNF-α/IFN-γ, and its antioxidative and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging properties. Materials and methods: the cytotoxicity of N. sativa oil fractions was assessed using an MTT assay. ASM cells were treated with TNF-α/IFN-γ for 24 h in the presence of different concentrations of N. sativa oil fractions. An ELISA assay was used to determine the effect of N. sativa oil fractions on chemokine production (CCL5, CXCL-10, and CXCL-8). The scavenging effect of N. sativa oil fractions was evaluated on three reactive oxygen species (ROS), O₂•⁻, OH•, and H₂O₂. Results: our results show that different N. sativa oil fractions used at 25 and 50 µg/mL did not affect cell viability. All fractions of N. sativa oil inhibited chemokines in a concentration-dependent manner. Interestingly, the total oil fraction showed the most significant effect of chemokine inhibition, and had the highest percentage of ROS scavenging effect. Conclusion: these results suggest that N. sativa oil modulates the proinflammatory actions of human ASM cells by inhibiting the production of GC-insensitive chemokines.

Introduction: Nigella sativa L. is a widely used medicinal plant throughout the world. The low toxic effects and low price of this plant make it an excellent treatment choice for many diseases. The present study aims to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of N. sativa L. total oil (TO) and its neutral lipid fraction (NLF) via the estimation of circulating xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) level and anti-XOR antibodies titer. Methods: Antiradical activities of TO and NLF, in vitro, were carried out using three reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical, and hydrogen peroxide. In vivo study was conducted to determine the possible protective effects of TO and NLF against ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats feeding Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet in both sera and liver homogenate. Before conducting the hepatoprotective effects, we assessed the toxicity of our extracts using the same animal model. The administrated doses of 400 mg/kg for TO and 300 mg/kg for NLF showed no toxic effects. Results: ELISA assay indicated a significant increase (P<0.001) in the level of XOR and the titer of anti-XOR antibodies in rats treated with ethanol compared to the control group. After treatment with TO and NLF, the titer of anti-XOR antibodies and the level of XOR decreased significantly compared to the control group. Conclusion: XOR plays an important role in alcohol liver pathologies as a major source of free radicals. In addition, TO and NLF have significant potential as liver protective agents and might be utilized as new antioxidant therapeutics.