Aicha Mouane

Salvia balansae , an endemic Algerian species, remains poorly investigated despite the recognized medicinal importance of the Salvia genus. This study comprehensively evaluated its phytochemical composition, biological activities, and safety profile. Quantitative analyses revealed high levels of total phenolics, flavonoids, flavonols, condensed tannins, and triterpenoids, while LC–MS identified a distinctive Aurès‐region chemotype enriched in luteolin, rosmarinic acid, and flavonoid glycosides. The extract demonstrated strong antioxidant activity in free radical‐scavenging, metal‐chelating, and reducing‐power assays. Anti‐inflammatory activity was confirmed by inhibition of protein denaturation in vitro and significant suppression of croton oil‐induced ear edema and histopathological damage in vivo. Molecular docking predicted favorable binding of salvianolic acid, rutin, and apigenin‐7‐O‐glucoside to NLRP3 inflammasome components, suggesting a potential mechanism underlying the observed anti‐inflammatory effects. The extract also exhibited moderate inhibitory activity against cholinesterases and α‐amylase, indicating possible neuroprotective and antidiabetic potential. Acute oral toxicity testing at 2000 mg/kg showed no mortality, major clinical signs of toxicity, or apparent organ damage, although repeated‐dose studies are warranted. Collectively, these findings identify S. balansae as a polyphenol‐ and triterpenoid‐rich species with considerable promise for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.

BackgroundSexual size dimorphism is pervasive reptiles, yet systematic morphometric analyses of viperid populations in arid North African environments remain limited. C. vipera , a strictly psammophilous species provides an excellent model for investigating sex-related morphological variation under extreme ecological conditions. This study aimed to quantify biometric and scalametric variation between sexes in C. vipera, test for sexual size dimorphism, and explore the multivariate structure of morphological variation using Principal Component Analysis with pre-analysis tests and Discriminant Factor Analysis . A total of 97 individuals were captured in oued Souf, between June 2017 and June 2021. 11 morphological characters were measured. Generalized linear models (GLMs), Pearson correlations, PCA, and DFA were performed on standardized data. Males were significantly larger than females across all biometric traits (all P < 0.001); SSD index (TL) = −0.42 (male-biased, males 42% larger). Pearson correlations among biometric traits were very strong (r > 0.90). KMO = 0.88 (Meritorious) and Bartlett's χ2 = 1798.42 (df=78, P<0.001) confirmed PCA suitability. Two PCs were retained (70.65% variance): PC1 (55.45%) a body size axis, PC2 (15.20%) a scalametric axis. DFA yielded Wilks' λ = 0.154, F(13,83) = 35.11 (P<0.001), 91.8% resubstitution accuracy and 82.5% LOO cross-validation accuracy.

The Sandfish lizard (Scincus scincus) is well adapted to the harsh desert environment of the Algerian Sahara. This study investigated the effects of season and sex on the morphometric measurements and selected blood biochemical parameters of the Sandfish lizard, including 29 females and 31 males from the El Oued region in the southeastern Algerian Sahara. Morphometric and biochemical parameters were assessed across winter, spring, and summer (2024). The results indicated that males had significantly larger total length (TBL), snout-vent length (SVL), vent-to-tail length (TL), trunk length (TRL), forelimb length (FL), and hindlimb length (HL) compared to females (P < 0.05). However, no significant sex-related differences were found in the blood biochemical parameters. Significant seasonal variations (P < 0.05) were observed in body weight (Wt), hindlimb length (HL), forelimb length (FL), head width (HW), mouth length (ML), and body width (BW). Additionally, highly significant seasonal variations (P < 0.005) were found in all blood parameters except for calcium. These findings suggest that while morphometric characteristics vary significantly by sex, certain physiological parameters are more influenced by seasonal changes, highlighting the Sandfish lizard's adaptability to its environment.

This study aims to investigate the biochemical and histological impacts of pesticide exposure on the sandfish skink, Scincus scincus , in the agricultural region of El Oued‐Souf, Algeria. We carried out biochemical blood analysis and histological examination on lizards sampled from sites with high, moderate, and low exposure to pesticides. Biochemical analyses revealed significant disturbances in glucose and lipid metabolism, renal function, and systemic inflammation, correlating with varying levels of exposure to pesticides. The high‐exposure group exhibited marked hyperglycemia (2.06 ± 0.29 mmol/L), elevated cholesterol (1.99 ± 0.44 mmol/L), and triglycerides (1.28 ± 0.42 mmol/L), along with significant increases in C‐reactive protein levels (11.78 ± 9.4), indicating systemic inflammation. Histological examination of heart, liver, and stomach tissues revealed a clear, exposure‐gradient‐dependent spectrum of pathological alterations. In samples from high‐exposure sites, tissues exhibited prominent interstitial fibrosis, marked infiltration of inflammatory cells, and a pronounced disruption of normal cellular architecture. These findings provide compelling evidence that increasing levels of pesticide exposure in agricultural areas are linked not only to systemic biochemical disturbances but also to significant local tissue damage in Scincus scincus , thus underlining the broader ecological and public health risks associated with intensive pesticide use.

It is common knowledge that excessive consumption of alcohol by pregnant women may lead to neonatal mortality, a delay in fetal development and serious malformations. In this study, we used the chicken-embryo model to demonstrate the ethanol teratogenic effect on the development of the retina. Forty-nine fertilized eggs were employed in our experiment. As a result, the chicken embryos were injected with varying amounts of ethanol in the air space (10%, 30%, and 50%). The eggs were kept in a humid incubator with a temperature of 37 °C and a humidity level of 60–65%. On the 20th day of incubation, the eggs were cracked and the chicks were examined with their length and body weight taken into account. These operations were followed by the resection of the ocular globes for a histological examination. The eyes were fixed with formalin at 10%. The right eye was sectioned at 5μm with a Leica microtome. Hematoxylin-Eosin staining was, then, applied on the slides, which were also observed under a microscope. The optic-microscopic observation of the ocular samples of each group has revealed that the in ovo ethanol exposure has caused retina changes, including the internal plexiform and the ganglion-cell layers. In treated groups the thickness of these two layers decreased in comparison with the control group. In conclusion, the current findings indicated that treating chicken embryos with ethanol at an early stage resulted in significant abnormalities and a lower embryo survival rate. Ethanol has harmful effects on the embryonic development including growth retardation and ocular abnormalities; this effect is dose-dependent.

The study investigated the spatial and seasonal variations in arthropod diversity using different trapping methods within two types of cedar forests (dead and healthy) in Belezma National Park, located in Batna. The field survey was carried out from January 2017 to December 2018, employing three sampling techniques: Barber pots, coloured ...

The spatial and seasonal variations in amphibian and reptile diversity were studied in different biotopes (lowlands, desert pavements “Reg,” Sabkhas “salt lakes,” date palm groves, wadis, and urban sites) at the Algerian Sahara Desert. No prior research has explored the connection between the distribution of reptiles and amphibians in Algeria’s Sahara and the environmental diversity of biotopes and landscapes. This study aimed to address this significant knowledge gap by investigating the relationships between Saharan habitats and landscapes and their impact on herpetofaunal presence, abundance, and diversity. The diversity of amphibians and reptiles was assessed based on quantitative data of species captures using nonparametric diversity indices, species richness accumulation curves, and similarity analysis. At the Region of Oued Righ (Northern Sahara Desert), we identified 3 amphibians, 19 lizards, and 10 ophidian species. These 32 species (approximately 30% of the Algerian herpetofauna) were classified into 2 orders (Anura and Squamata), 15 families, and 23 different genera. The study area included 8 protected species in Algeria and 9 endemic species to the Mediterranean region, including 1 amphibian and 7 species of reptiles. Acanthodactylus dumerilii was the most abundant species (20.5% of the total), whereas Chalcides ocellatus occurred in 32.9% of specimens. The highest values of species richness were recorded in palm groves with 22 species and Shannon’s diversity index (H’) was 3.5, whereas the lowest values were obtained in Sabkhas (5 species) and urban sites (7 species). The number of individuals experienced significant variations between study biotopes and seasons. Overall, species richness estimators (Chao2 and Jackknife1) revealed that the current survey achieved 90% of inventory completeness. Estimates and interpolations of species richness showed higher values in urban sites, palm groves, desert pavements, and wadis compared to Sabkhas and lowlands where completeness ranged between 90% and 100%. The analysis of similarity indicated low similarity values (<50%) between biotopes studied. The highest similarities were noted between the mesic biotopes (Sabkhas, wadis, and palm groves), the xeric and undisturbed biotopes (desert pavements and lowlands), whereas urban sites showed a distinct herpetofaunal community that was completely different of that recorded in Sabkhas, wadis, and lowlands.