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Thymelaea (F. Thymelaeaceae) is a large genus comprising around 30 species of evergreen and flowering plants. Most of them are native to the Mediterranean area. Despite its interesting chemical diversity and potent activities, there is still a lack of information about the characterization of its chemistry and mechanisms of action. This review aims to highlight the chemical and biological profiles of different Thymelaea species along with their Ethnopharmacology. In general, Thymelaea species possess potent anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and antioxidant activities. The pharmacology of the different plants is due to their remarkable active ingredients that vary from daphnane diterpenes, lignans, flavonoids, and phenolic acids to volatile oils. From ethnopharmacology to preclinical evidence, Thymelaea species demonstrated a unique chemical profile with potent bioactivities. However, until now, there is a lack of information about their toxicological and clinical controlled trials, and so this review may give attention to more clinical trials to be proceeded on Thymelaea species.

Argan (Argania spinosa L.) fruit kernels' composition has been poorly studied and received less research intensity than the resulting Argan oil. The Moroccan Argan kernels contain a wealth of metabolites and can be investigated for nutritional and health aspects as well as for economic benefits. Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS) was employed to trace the geographical origin of Argan kernels based on secondary-metabolite profiles. One-hundred and twenty Argan fruit kernels from five regions ('Agadir', 'Ait-Baha' 'Essaouira', 'Tiznit' and 'Taroudant') were studied. Characterization and quantification of 36 secondary metabolites (33 polyphenolic and 3 non-phenolic) were achieved. Those metabolites are highly influenced by the geographic origin. Then, the untargeted UPLC-MS fingerprint was decomposed by metabolomic data handling tools, such as multivariate curve resolution alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) and XCMS. The two resulting data matrices were pretreated and prepared separately by chemometric tools and then two data fusion strategies (low- and mid-levels) were applied on them. The four data sets were comparatively investigated. Principal component analysis (PCA), Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA), and Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogies (SIMCA) were used to classify samples. The exploration or classification models demonstrated a good ability to discriminate and classify the samples in the geographical-origin based classes. Summarized, the developed fingerprints and their metabolomics-based data handling successfully allowed geographical traceability evaluation of Moroccan Argan kernels.

Foeniculum vulgare is a medicinal plant used in Moroccan folk medicine to treat several diseases such as diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine the phenolic bioactive compounds and to evaluate the antioxidant and antihyperglycemic activities of Foeniculum vulgare leaf and rootstock extracts. Phenolic compounds of F. vulgare rootstock and leaf extracts were determined using HPLC-DAD-QTOFMS analysis. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2’-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS•+) radicals. Moreover, the in vitro antihyperglycemic effects were tested by measuring the inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities. HPLC-DAD-QTOFMS analysis identified thirty-two phenolic components in both leaf and rootstock extracts. Caffeic acid, quinic acid, and chlorogenic acid were the major compounds of F. vulgare leaf extract (FVLE), while the main compound of F. vulgare rootstock extracts (FVRE) was quinic acid. In the DPPH assay, F. vulgare leaf extract showed important antioxidant activity (IC50 = 12.16 ± 0.02 μg/mL) than F. vulgare rootstock extract (IC50 = 34.36 ± 0.09 μg/mL). Moreover, fennel leaf extracts revealed also the most powerful antioxidant activity (IC50 = 22.95 ± 0.4 μg/mL) in the ABTS assay. The in vitro antihyperglycemic activity showed that F. vulgare rootstock extract exhibited a remarkable inhibitory capacity (IC50 = 194.30 ± 4.8 μg/mL) of α-amylase compared with F. vulgare leaf extract (IC50 = 1026.50 ± 6.5 μg/mL). Furthermore, the inhibition of α-glucosidase was more importantly with F. vulgare rootstock (IC50 of 165.90 ± 1.2 μg/mL) than F. vulgare leaf extracts (203.80 ± 1.3 μg/mL). The funding of this study showed that F. vulgare rootstock and leaf extracts presented several phenolic compounds and showed important antioxidant and antidiabetic effects. We suggest that the identified molecules are responsible for the obtained activities. However, further studies focusing on the isolation and the determination of antioxidant and antidiabetic effects of F. vulgare rootstock and leaf main compounds are required.

Dracocephalum moldavica L. is a significant component in the Iranian food basket. This study aimed to investigate the bioactive compounds and biological activities of different extracts obtained from D. moldavica aerial parts. From the aerial parts, a crude methanolic (MeOH) extract and its four sub‐fractions, that is, petroleum ether (Pet), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), n‐butanol (n‐BuOH), and aqueous (water) extracts were obtained. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents as well as the antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of the extracts were determined. Moreover, the phytochemical profiles of the essential oil (EO) and of those extracts with the highest antioxidant activity measured by GC/MS and UPLC–PDA‐ESI–QTOF–MS/MS. Results showed that the highest concentrations of phenols and flavonoids as well as the most potent antioxidant potential according to the DPPH method were determined in the EtOAc and MeOH extracts with IC50 values of 22.0 and 34.4 µg.ml‐1, respectively. Quantitative analysis of these extracts was subsequently performed by UPLC–PDA‐ESI–QTOF–MS/MS. Both extracts contained mainly rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, and 2‐hydroxycinnamic acid, which may be responsible for their high antioxidant activity. Moreover, none of the extracts showed cytotoxic effects against MCF7, SW48, and a normal cell line of mouse embryonic fibroblast cells (NIH/3T3) in the tested concentrations (up to 400 μg.ml‐1). Additionally, GC‐MS analysis showed that oxygenated monoterpenes (55.4%) were the main constituents of the EO of D. moldavica.

L’huile d’argan se distingue par un profil biochimique particulier, riche en acides gras oléique et linoléique, en tocophérols, en stérols, en polyphénols et en alcools triterpéniques, lui conférant des propriétés nutritionnelles, thérapeutiques et préventives contre certaines affections dermatologiques, métaboliques et prolifératives. L’objectif de ce travail est de savoir si la composition de l’huile d’argan pourrait également lui conférer une activité anti-inflammatoire éventuellement influencée par le mode d’extraction de l’huile. Les propriétés anti-inflammatoires de l’huile d’argan extraite selon deux différents procédés, traditionnel à la meule et moderne par presse, ont été évaluées in vivo sur des œdèmes induits par la carragénine et par traumatisme expérimental chez le rat Wistar. L’administration orale de l’huile d’argan traditionnelle à la dose de 5 ml/kg révèle une réduction significative du volume de la patte des rats de 70,52 % (œdème à la carragénine) et de 60,56 % (œdème par traumatisme), comparativement aux rats témoins et aux rats traités par l’indométacine molécule de référence, administrée à 10 et 20 mg/kg VO. En revanche, l’huile d’argan obtenue par presse à 5 ml/kg VO provoque une réduction significativement plus faible des œdèmes, soit de 48,24 % (œdème à la carragénine) et de 45,77 % (œdème par traumatisme). Nos résultats révèlent ainsi une activité antiinflammatoire de l’huile d’argan avec une meilleure efficacité de l’huile d’argan traditionnelle par rapport à l’huile d’argan de presse.

The Argan tree (Argania spinosa. L) is an evergreen tree endemic of southwestern Morocco. For centuries, various formulations have been used to treat several illnesses including diabetes. However, scientific results supporting these actions are needed. Hence, Argan fruit products (i.e., cake byproducts (saponins extract) and hand pressed Argan oil) were tested for their in-vitro anti-hyperglycemic activity, using α-glucosidase and α-amylase assays. The in-vivo anti-hyperglycemic activity was evaluated in a model of alloxan-induced diabetic mice. The diabetic animals were orally administered 100 mg/kg body weight of aqueous saponins cake extract and 3 mL/kg of Argan oil, respectively, to evaluate the anti-hyperglycemic effect. The blood glucose concentration and body weight of the experimental animals were monitored for 30 days. The chemical properties and composition of the Argan oil were assessed including acidity, peroxides, K232, K270, fatty acids, sterols, tocopherols, total polyphenols, and phenolic compounds. The saponins cake extract produced a significant reduction in blood glucose concentration in diabetic mice, which was better than the Argan oil. This decrease was equivalent to that detected in mice treated with metformin after 2–4 weeks. Moreover, the saponins cake extract showed a strong inhibitory action on α-amylase and α-glucosidase, which is also higher than that of Argan oil.

The characterization of Argan oils to classify them in three categories (‘Extra Virgin’, ‘Virgin’ and ‘Lower quality’) was evaluated. A total of 120 Moroccan Argan oils samples from the Taroudant Argan forest was investigated. The free acidity, peroxide value, spectrophotometric indices (K232 and K270), fatty acids, sterols, and tocopherol contents were assessed. The samples were also scanned by FTIR spectroscopy. The Principal Component Analysis ( PCA ) and four classification methods, Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA), Soft Independent Modelling of Class Analogy (SIMCA), K-nearest Neighbors (KNN), and Support Vector Machines (SVM), were applied on both the chemical and spectral data. Besides the conventional chemical profiling, FTIR spectra were evaluated for their feasibility as a rapid non-invasive approach for classifying and predicting the oil quality categories. The most important variables for differentiating the oil categories were identified as K232, peroxide value, ɣ-tocopherol, δ-tocopherol, acidity, stigma-8-22-dien-3β-ol, stearic acid (C18:0) and linoleic acid (C18:2) and could be used as quality indicators. Eight chemical descriptors or key features from the FTIR spectra (selected by interval-PLS) could also be established as indicators of quality and freshness of Argan oils.

The tomato is an important economic crop that is a main ingredient of some prepared food as well as a focus of the agricultural industry. Optimizing nitrogen (N) fertilizers is essential for sustainable agricultural development, while the excessive use of N fertilizers leads to environmental and food production problems. As a soil amendment, biochar has been widely used to improve soil quality and crop yield. However, little information is available on the effects of biochar and N fertilizer reduction on tomato plant, soil characteristics in tomato cultivation and tomato production. In this study, a greenhouse experiment was carried out in Yangling, Shaanxi province, China, including four biochar levels (0, 30, 50, and 70 t ha−1) under drip irrigation and four N application rates (170, 190, 210, and 250 kg ha−1). The results showed that adding too much biochar (e.g., 70 t ha−1) and reducing N fertilizer too far (e.g., by 32%) will not lead to satisfactory results in terms of tomato growth, tomato yield and quality, and economic benefits. Biochar addition could significantly enhance microbial abundance, enzyme activity, and tomato growth compared with non‒biochar treatments when reducing the amount of applied N fertilizer by 16% or 24% (N2 and N3). From the perspectives of tomato yield, tomato quality (sugar‒acid ratio and vitamin C (VC) content), and economic benefits, optimal application rate of biochar and N fertilizer based on the silty clay loam soil of northwest China under drip irrigation is proposed, respectively. The proposal is based on both multidimensional nonlinear regression models and a comparison with experimental treatments. For example, biochar addition at 50 t ha−1 and reducing N fertilizer by 24% achieved the greatest tomato yield. Compared with non-biochar treatment under the corresponding N fertilizer level, soil enzyme activity (urease, phosphatase, and catalase), microbial abundance (bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes), leaf gas exchange parameters (gs, Pn, and Tr), and biomass increased on average by 88.76%, 7.49%, 43.23%, and 39.67%, respectively. Based on a comprehensive consideration of tomato yield, VC content, sugar‒acid ratio, and economic benefits, 35 t ha−1 biochar and 200 kg ha−1 N fertilizer is the recommended combination of biochar and nitrogen fertilizer for local farmers.

Recognized for its nutritional and therapeutic use, extra-virgin Argan Oil (EVAO) is frequently adulterated. Selected-Ion Flow-Tube Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS) spectra were applied to quantify adulterants (i.e., Argan oil of lower quality (LQAO), olive oil (OO), and sunflower oil (SO)) in EVAO. Four data sets, i.e., using H3O+, NO+, O2+ reagent ions, and the combined data were considered. Soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA), and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were assessed to distinguish adulterated- from pure EVAO. The effectiveness of SIFT-MS associated with PLS and support vector machine (SVM) regression to quantify trace adulterants in EVAO was evaluated. Variable Importance in Projection (VIP), and interval-PLS (iPLS) were also investigated to extract useful features. Different models were built to predict the EVAO authenticity and the degree of adulteration. High accuracy was achieved. SIFT-MS spectra handled with the appropriate chemometric tools were found suitable for the quality evaluation of EVAO.

Despite the richness and biodiversity of invertebrates and algae in the Mediterranean Sea, these organisms are still poorly studied. The objective of our research is the discovery of bioactive lead compounds from the Mediterranean Sea sponge Hemimycale Collumella (HC). HC sponge (189.0 g) was collected from Mdiq costs on the Mediterranean Sea and extracted with methanol to yield (10 g) which was then subjected to fractionation. A bio-guided protocol was applied through evaluation of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging and Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC), α-amylase, β-glucosidase, pancreatic lipase inhibition as well as anti-collagenase, anti-elastase, antityrosinase and cytotoxic activity. 2,3-O-Hexahydroxydiphenoyl-(α/β)-glucose (1) and gentisic acid 2-O-β-glucoside (2) were isolated from the water fraction, quercetin-3-O-β-glucopyranoside (3), kaempferol 3-O-β-glucopyranoside (4) and isorhamnetin 3-O-β-glucopyranoside (5) from n-butanol fraction, gallic acid (6) from ethyl acetate fraction and gallic acid-3-methyl ether (7) from methylene chloride fraction. Compound 5 had the highest DPPH and ORAC activity. Compounds 1–5 had promising lipase inhibition activities which exceeded that of the standard Orlistat, while compounds 1–7 showed anti-tyrosinase activity higher than that of the standard Hydroquinone monomethyl ether. This is the first report for evaluation of the biological activities of 2, 3-O-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-(α/β)-glucose (1), gentisic acid 2-O-β-glucoside (2) and gallic acid-3-methyl ether (7).

In order to achieve a better understanding of the shelf-life behavior of extra virgin Argan oils (EVAO) during storage, the influences of storage periods, roasting process and packaging materials were studied. Those oils were extracted from roasted and unroasted kernels. The EVAO shelf life assessment was made by determining chemical properties (acidity, peroxide value, specific absorbances K232 and K270, tocopherol content, fatty-acids and sterol composition, and oxidative stability index) and by FTIR spectra. Sixty EVAO samples (30 roasted and 30 unroasted) were evaluated after production and then were packed in two glass bottle types (dark and clear), which resulted in 120 samples. They were stored under realistic storage conditions (ambient temperature) for two successive years and analysed 6-monthly. Chemometric data analysis was applied to study the shelf-life influence. PCA and PLS-DA, on either the chemical data or the FTIR spectra, allowed the discrimination between fresh and oxidized oils. The oil shelf-life was predicted by means of PLS regression. Thus, the time of storage after which the oil loses its extra virgin quality could be predicted. Finally, the potential of FTIR fingerprinting to quantify four physicochemical properties (i.e. acidity, PV, K232 and K270) during EVAO storage was established using PLS regression.

Nitrogen (N) transformation in soil directly determines the effectiveness of N for plant growth. Biochar has received evermore attention because of its significant ability to improve soil. However, the effects of biochar on N-related microorganisms (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) in tomato cultivation soil, N transformation, utilisation of water and N fertiliser, and tomato yield remain unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the responses of N-related microorganisms to biochar and N fertilisation in soil, along with the implications of biochar for altering N transformation, N uptake by tomatoes, and utilisation of water and N fertiliser. A two-year greenhouse experiment containing six biochar levels under drip irrigation (0, 10, 30, 50, 70, and 90 t ha–1) and two N fertiliser application rates (190 and 250 kg ha–1) was conducted in the northwest of China. The results showed that adding biochar significantly promoted urease activity, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), and the number of amoA-type nitrifiers in the soil. The MBC:N ratio and the number of nirS-type denitrifiers were significantly inhibited when the added amount of biochar was greater than or equal to 30 t ha–1. Moreover, biochar can increase the water content in the soil and can reduce the N lost to leaching. The inorganic N (NO3− and NH4+) in the soil could be better maintained in the rootzone and better absorbed by tomato plants when adding 30, 50, and 70 t ha–1 of biochar. The amount of N fertiliser could be reduced by 24% without a significant loss of tomato yield when the amount of biochar added was over 30 t ha−1. It was indicated that the yield of tomatoes and the net profits were quadratically related to the application rate of biochar. In the test area, 53 t ha−1 of biochar with 190 kg ha–1 of N and 44.6 t ha−1 of biochar with 190 kg ha–1 of N were calculated to be the best amounts from the perspectives of tomato yield and net profit, respectively. Thus, biochar promotes N transformation by regulating N-related microorganisms, hence, it increases the inorganic N in the roots of the plants, reduces N lost to leaching, and significantly promotes the N absorption of tomatoes. The results in this research are of great significance for the development of management strategies for tomato maintenance, environmental protection, and resource conservation.

Vitex agnus-castus is a medicinal plant of the Verbenaceae family, widely used in traditional medicine. This study is aimed at investigating the functional variability of phenolic compounds in different parts (leaves, stems, flowers, roots, and seeds) of Vitex agnus-castus methanolic extracts and at assessing their in vitro antidiabetic, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities. The results of HPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS indicated the presence of 25 phenolic compounds with a remarkable variability between plant parts; high levels were registered in chlorogenic, vanillic, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic, and 3-hydroxybenzoic acids; hesperidin; and luteolin. V. agnus castus fruits and stems presented higher antioxidant activities. The extracts inhibited the growth of five pathogenic bacteria with MIC values documented between 7.81 and 31.25 mg/mL. In vitro antihyperglycemic effect revealed higher effect in flowers (2921.84 μg/mL) and seeds (2992.75 μg/mL) against α-glucosidase and of leaves (2156.80 μg/mL) and roots (2357.30 μg/mL) against α-amylase. The findings of this showed that V. agnus castus is a promising source for antidiabetic bioactive compounds. However, further investigations regarding the evaluation of in vivo antidiabetic effects of these compounds are needed.

Dracocephalum moldavica L. is a significant component in the Iranian food basket. This study aimed to investigate the bioactive compounds and biological activities of different extracts obtained from D. moldavica aerial parts. From the aerial parts, a crude methanolic (MeOH) extract and its four sub‐fractions, that is, petroleum ether (Pet), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), n‐butanol (n‐BuOH), and aqueous (water) extracts were obtained. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents as well as the antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of the extracts were determined. Moreover, the phytochemical profiles of the essential oil (EO) and of those extracts with the highest antioxidant activity measured by GC/MS and UPLC–PDA‐ESI–QTOF–MS/MS. Results showed that the highest concentrations of phenols and flavonoids as well as the most potent antioxidant potential according to the DPPH method were determined in the EtOAc and MeOH extracts with IC50 values of 22.0 and 34.4 µg.ml‐1, respectively. Quantitative analysis of these extracts was subsequently performed by UPLC–PDA‐ESI–QTOF–MS/MS. Both extracts contained mainly rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, and 2‐hydroxycinnamic acid, which may be responsible for their high antioxidant activity. Moreover, none of the extracts showed cytotoxic effects against MCF7, SW48, and a normal cell line of mouse embryonic fibroblast cells (NIH/3T3) in the tested concentrations (up to 400 μg.ml‐1). Additionally, GC‐MS analysis showed that oxygenated monoterpenes (55.4%) were the main constituents of the EO of D. moldavica., Dracocephalum moldavica is a significant component in the Iranian food basket. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents as well as antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of D. moldavica extracts were determined. In addition, the phytochemical profile of the essential oil (EO) using GC/MS and those extracts with the highest antioxidant activity by UPLC–DAD‐ESI–QTOF–MS/MS were measured.

Vitex agnus-castus is a medicinal plant of the Verbenaceae family, widely used in traditional medicine. This study is aimed at investigating the functional variability of phenolic compounds in different parts (leaves, stems, flowers, roots, and seeds) of Vitex agnus-castus methanolic extracts and at assessing their in vitro antidiabetic, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities. The results of HPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS indicated the presence of 25 phenolic compounds with a remarkable variability between plant parts; high levels were registered in chlorogenic, vanillic, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic, and 3-hydroxybenzoic acids; hesperidin; and luteolin. V. agnus castus fruits and stems presented higher antioxidant activities. The extracts inhibited the growth of five pathogenic bacteria with MIC values documented between 7.81 and 31.25 mg/mL. In vitro antihyperglycemic effect revealed higher effect in flowers (2921.84 μg/mL) and seeds (2992.75 μg/mL) against α-glucosidase and of leaves (2156.80 μg/mL) and roots (2357.30 μg/mL) against α-amylase. The findings of this showed that V. agnus castus is a promising source for antidiabetic bioactive compounds. However, further investigations regarding the evaluation of in vivo antidiabetic effects of these compounds are needed.

The main goal of this work was to test the ability of vibrational spectroscopy techniques to differentiate between different polymorphic forms of fluconazole in pharmaceutical products. These are mostly manufactured with fluconazole as polymorphic form II and form III. These crystalline forms may undergo polymorphic transition during the manufacturing process or storage conditions. Therefore, it is important to have a method to monitor these changes to ensure the stability and efficacy of the drug. Each of FT-IR or FT-NIR spectra were associated to partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) for building classification models to distinguish between form II, form III and monohydrate form. The results has shown that combining either FT-IR or FT-NIR to PLS-DA has a high efficiency to classify various fluconazole polymorphs, with a high sensitivity and specificity. Finally, the selectivity of the PLS-DA models was tested by analyzing separately each of three following samples by FT-IR and FT-NIR: lactose monohydrate, which is an excipient mostly used for manufacturing fluconazole pharmaceutical products, itraconazole and miconazole. These two last compounds mimic potential contaminants and belong to the same class as fluconazole. Based on the plots of Hotelling’s T² vs Q residuals, pure compounds of miconazole and itraconazole, that were analyzed separately, were significantly considered outliers and rejected. Furthermore, binary mixtures consist of fluconazole form-II and monohydrate form with different ratios were used to test the suitability of each technique FT-IR and FT-NIR with PLS-DA to detect minimum contaminant or polymorphic conversion from a polymorphic form to another using also the plots of Hotelling’s T² vs Q residuals.

The present study aimed to determine the phenolic compounds of Aristolochia longa root extracts and to evaluate their antibacterial activities on multiresistant strains. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, and alkaloids. The HPLC-DAD analysis of A. longa extracts showed the presence of several major bioactive compounds such as ferulic acid, 4-hydroxycinnamic acid, citric acid, and quinic acid. The agar diffusion method was used for the sensitivity test, while minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration values were determined by microdilution assay. Different tests were carried out on 3 clinical multiresistant strains and 3 reference strains. The diameter of inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 induced by the ethyl acetate fraction at 200 mg/mL was 25 ± 1 mm. Moreover, Escherichia coli ATCC 29522 showed a great sensitivity toward all the concentrations tested. The MICs of the active extracts vary between 12.5 and 100 mg/mL with a bacteriostatic effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Enterococcus faecalis, and S. aureus ATCC 25923.

Fatty-acid profiling vs UV-Visible fingerprinting in combination with chemometric tools were applied to classify edible Extra Virgin Argan Oils (EVAO) with protected geographic indication according to their geographical origins. Secondly, three EVAO categories classification were classified according to their extraction process (mechanical or traditional) and/or on the kernels (seeds) used for their preparation (roasted or unroasted). A total of 150 edible EVAO samples were collected during the harvest periods of 2012–2015, from five Moroccan Argan forests, i.e. Ait-Baha, Agadir, Essaouira, Tiznit, and Taroudant. A second set of 30 samples from the Taroudant region (harvest 2015) was used to classify in three EVAO categories according to extraction process/kernel type applied. Firstly, the EVAO quality is checked by determining physico-chemical parameters and the fatty-acid composition. Then, the UV-Visible spectra are recorded. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA), were performed to classify the oils either according to their geographical origins or to their extraction process/kernel type. The results showed a highly significant discrimination of the five groups according to the region and of the three groups when considering the preparation. This study demonstrated the feasibility of UV-Visible fingerprinting (routine technique) for geographical classification or method preparation distinction.

International audience; The purpose of this study was to perform a discrimination and classification of diesel samples from the four major suppliers of petroleum products in Morocco using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Gas Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and chemometrics tools. Eighty diesel samples were collected from different gas stations owned by the four biggest brands in the Moroccan market. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed to depict the similarities between the samples and check the presence of outliers. Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) models were set up for the discrimination and the classification of the four groups of samples (i.e., diesel suppliers). The models proposed in this study, were characterized by good prediction abilities, especially the FTIR-PLSDA model that was characterized by 100% of accurate discrimination of the four groups. The approach of analysis showed that the FTIR spectra can provide a cheap and rapid means for the determination of the diesel origin and to ensure the traceability of diesel products marketed in Morocco with respect for the rules of the green chemistry.

This study investigated the effectiveness of SIFT-MS versus chemical profiling, both coupled to multivariate data analysis, to classify 95 Extra Virgin Argan Oils (EVAO), originating from five Moroccan Argan forest locations. The full scan option of SIFT-MS, is suitable to indicate the geographic origin of EVAO based on the fingerprints obtained using the three chemical ionization precursors (H3O+, NO+ and O2+). The chemical profiling (including acidity, peroxide value, spectrophotometric indices, fatty acids, tocopherols- and sterols composition) was also used for classification. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA), K-nearest neighbors (KNN), and support vector machines (SVM), were compared. The SIFT-MS data were therefore fed to variable-selection methods to find potential biomarkers for classification. The classification models based either on chemical profiling or SIFT-MS data were able to classify the samples with high accuracy. SIFT-MS was found to be advantageous for rapid geographic classification.

Echinoderms have attracted the attention of scientists over the past few years after identifying a variety of unique structures endowed by interesting biological properties. However, the Moroccan coast biodiversity is still uninvestigated. In our ongoing attempts to valorize the rich Moroccan marine environment, this study aimed at assessing the antimicrobial activity of extracts obtained from three echinoderms Astropecten irregularis, Luidia sarsi and Ophiura albida against the human pathogens: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica and Bacillus subtilis. Moreover, their antioxidant activities were tested using standard methods in addition to the antidiabetic activity which has been evaluated in vitro against α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes. HPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS analysis revealed a significant content of some phenolic compounds such as pyrogallol, gallic, sinapic, ferulic, p-hydroxybenzoic and salicylic acids whose existence can be related to the endophytic fungi and/or dietary intake whereas GC-MS analysis exhibited diverse chemical structures such as cholesterol, oleic acid and glycerol 1-palmitate. Keywords: Echinoderms, Phenolic, α-Amylase, α-Glucosidase, Antimicrobial

Tomato is an important economic crop that is widely consumed worldwide. Tomato production is mainly limited by the use of nitrogen fertilizer, sunlight, soil and water conditions. Biochar is one of the soil amendments, and it is recognized as a promising practice for improving crop production in agriculture. The effect of biochar on the photosynthetic traits and tomato yield under reduced nitrogen fertilizer application is still not well understood. The objective of this research is to investigate the influence of biochar application on the photosynthesis and yield of tomato under reduced nitrogen fertilizer application from the perspectives of the nutrient uptake of plants (nitrogen and phosphorus), leaf photosynthetic pigment and leaf gas exchange parameters. Two-year greenhouse experiments containing six biochar levels (0, 10, 30, 50, 70, and 90 t ha−1) and two nitrogen fertilizer application rates (190 and 250 kg ha−1) were conducted. Compared with C0, C50 significantly improved the nitrogen uptake (74–80%) and phosphorus uptake (76–95%) by tomato plants and further enhanced the photosynthetic traits of tomato leaves (net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (Tr) and chlorophyll (2–60%), which lead to the highest gains in tomato yield (more than 50%) even when the applied nitrogen fertilizer was significantly reduced (from 250 kg ha−1 to 190 kg ha−1). The photosynthesis rate had a linear correlation with the total nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation and tomato yield. The results will enhance our understandings about the effect of biochar on the photosynthesis and yield of tomato and be of importance for practical agricultural management.

According to the Food and Drug Administration and the European Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) guidelines, Annual Product Review (APR) is a mandatory requirement in GMP. It consists of evaluating a large collection of qualitative or quantitative data in order to verify the consistency of an existing process. According to the Code of Federal Regulation Part 11 (21 CFR 211.180), all finished products should be reviewed annually for the quality standards to determine the need of any change in specification or manufacturing of drug products. Conventional Statistical Process Control (SPC) evaluates the pharmaceutical production process by examining only the effect of a single factor at the time using a Shewhart's chart. It neglects to take into account the interaction between the variables. In order to overcome this issue, Multivariate Statistical Process Control (MSPC) can be used. Our case study concerns an APR assessment, where 164 historical batches containing six active ingredients, manufactured in Morocco, were collected during one year. Each batch has been checked by assaying the six active ingredients by High Performance Liquid Chromatography according to European Pharmacopoeia monographs. The data matrix was evaluated both by SPC and MSPC. The SPC indicated that all batches are under control, while the MSPC, based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA), for the data being either autoscaled or robust scaled, showed four and seven batches, respectively, out of the Hotelling T2 95% ellipse. Also, an improvement of the capability of the process is observed without the most extreme batches. The MSPC can be used for monitoring subtle changes in the manufacturing process during an APR assessment.

Herbal extracts and essential oils have been used over the centuries for their dietary, cosmetic and therapeutic properties. Quality control is needed to guarantee the safety and quality of these consumables. In this regard, fingerprinting techniques are important for inspection of the authenticity and for quality control. Analytical fingerprinting techniques provide signals related to the composition of a matrix (oil, plant extract, food…). The resulting fingerprint (spectrum or chromatogram) obtained for an untargeted or targeted approach is coupled to chemometric data processing, which may allow, for instance, the desired identification or discrimination of the sample considered. In this context, recent advances in untargeted/targeted fingerprinting approaches (especially chromatographic and spectroscopic) were described and their application in the taxonomic identification, classification and authentication of plants (medicinal) and essential oils discussed. An overview of the applications of untargeted/targeted fingerprinting techniques on herbal-extracts and essential-oils analysis, using different chemometric tools, has been included.

Background: Calendula arvensis is an annual Mediterranean plant growing in Morocco between Rabat and Khemissat. C. arvensisis is known in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory and antipyretic remedy. However, few reports have investigated its pharmacological properties. Methods: The objective of the present study was to determine chemical composition of C. arvensis flowers, and to investigate their antidiabetic activities by mean of digestive enzyme inhibition. The profile of phenolic compounds was established by HPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS analysis. While the antidiabetic activity was evaluated by the in vitro enzyme inhibition assays. Results: Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of anthocyanins, flavonoids, tannins, and saponins as major elements. Whereas, alkaloids and terpenes were not detected in the plant samples. The chromatographic quantification identified 18 metabolites, with the caffeic acid as a major element. C. arvensis aqueous and methanolic extracts exhibited higher inhibitory potential against α-amylase, α- glucosidase and ß-galactosidase compared to the hexanic extract. Conclusion: The present study brings evidence to the hypoglycemic effect of C. arvensis flowers through enzyme inhibitory activities, and identifies the possible phenolic compounds associated with this activity.

The present study aimed to characterize the nutraceutical properties and the antimicrobial effect of MoroccanSpirulina(Arthrospira platensis). The nutritional composition was evaluated, including water content, crude protein, total carbohydrates, lipids, phenolic composition, macro- and micromineral content, fiber content, and energy value. Then, the microbiological analysis and antioxidant activity were measured. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the minimum inhibitory concentration method on bacteria and fungi. MoroccanSpirulinacontained a large amount of protein (76.65 ± 0.15%), followed by carbohydrates (6.46 ± 0.32%), minerals (20.91 ± 0.88%), crude fiber (4.07 ± 1.42%), lipids (2.45 ± 0.82%), ash (14.56 ± 0.74), and twenty phenolic acids being identified and quantified. Moreover, flavonoid and phenolic contents were present at 15.60 ± 2.74 mg RE/g dw and 4.19 ± 0.21 mg GAE/g dw, respectively. Microbiological risk assessment indicated that this product is safe to be consumed as a human food product. The antioxidant activity was higher in the methanolic fraction (23 mg TE/g dw) (DPPH).

Therapy combination is known for less side effects and higher efficacy. Essential oils (EOs) and mixture from two well-known plants (Syzygium aromaticum and Pelargonium graveolens) were tested for in vivo antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The chemical analysis of the investigated Oils has lead to the identification of Eugenol (74.06%), Caryophyllene (11.52%) and Carvacrol acetate (7.82%) as the major element in S. aromaticum; while P. graveolens was much higher in Citronellol (30.77%), 10-epi-γ-Eudesmol (22.59%), and Geraniol (13.95%). In our pharmacological screening, both EOs demonstrated good antioxidant effects; especially S. aromaticum activity was much higher. In contrast, the in vivo investigation of the antioxidant activity using antioxidant enzymes (MDA, SOD and CAT) in the protozoa model (Tetrahemena pyriformis) demonstrated a higher protective effect of P. graveolens and EOs mixture. On the other hand, EOs demonstrated anti-inflammatory effect on the two phases of inflammation in the carrageenan induced edema model. Results from this study indicate that EOs from S. aromaticum and P. Graveolens can be used as a multitarget therapy.

In this work, transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was associated with chemometric tools, especially principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares regression (PLSR), to discriminate and quantify gasoline adulteration with diesel. The method is composed of a total of 100 mixtures were prepared, and then FTIR fingerprints were recorded for all samples. PCA was used to verify that mixtures can be distinguished from pure products and to check that there are no outliers. As a result of using just PC1 and PC2, more than 98% of the general variability was explained. The PLSR model based on infrared spectra has shown its capabilities to be suitable for predicting gasoline adulteration in the concentration range of 0 to 98% (w/w), with a high significant coefficient of determination (R2 = 99.25%) and an acceptable calibration and prediction errors (root mean squared error of calibration = 0.63 and root mean square of external validation and/or prediction = 0.69).

The present work examined and assessed the in vivo anti-inflammatory effect of polyphenolic extracts from Moroccan edible Argan oils (Argania spinosa L.), extracted by two extraction processes: Hand pressing and mechanical pressing. Chemical properties, such as acidity, peroxide index, ultraviolet indices, total polyphenols composition, fatty acid composition, tocopherol composition, phenolic profiling, and sterol composition were studied. Then, the anti-inflammatory potential was determined by applying carrageenan, an induced paw edema test in rats. The results revealed an anti-inflammatory effect of edible Argan oil and indicated a higher efficiency of hand-pressed oil compared to mechanical-pressed oil, supporting its traditional use in human health, related to pain and inflammations. The chemical composition of these oils was evaluated, and total polyphenols, tocopherol composition, and some phenolic compounds were found highly concentrated in the hand-pressed oil. Practical applications: The present study highlights and compares the in vivo anti-inflammatory effect of polyphenolic compounds, extracted from Argan oil by two processes (hand and mechanical extraction). The study demonstrated the better quality of hand-pressed oil over mechanically pressed, supporting the traditional uses of this oil in treating several inflammations and pain-related situations. Moreover, the edible Argan oil may be introduced as a regular diet and food ingredient.

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy was selected as a rapid, non-destructive, cheap and a high sensitive technique combined with chemometric tools in order to detect and discriminate smuggled diesel samples from authentic products. A total of nineteen authentic diesels and eleven smuggled diesel samples were collected, their quality was checked by determining their chemical composition using the GC MS technique in order to avoid the use of adulterated products. Secondly, infrared fingerprints of all samples were recorded, and the resulting spectra processed by Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to visualize classes and to detect outliers. Partial Least Square Discriminate Analysis (PLS-DA) was carried out to classify samples in two classes (authentic or smuggled). The PCA results were able to indicate the dissimilarities between the two diesel classes, and the PCA scores-plot observed two groups. On the other hand, spectral data associated with PLS-DA models allowed a better classification between the two classes of diesel with a high specificity and sensitivity.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a fast and powerful analytical tool in the food industry. As an advanced chemometrics tool, multi-way analysis shows great potential for solving a wide range of food problems and analyzing complex spectroscopic data. This paper describes the representative multi-way models which were used for analyzing NIRS data, as well as the advances, advantages and limitations of different multi-way models. The applications of multi-way analysis in NIRS for the food industry in terms of food process control, quality evaluation and fraud, identification and classification, prediction and quantification, and image analysis are also reviewed. It is evident from this report that multi-way analysis is presently an attractive tool for modeling complex NIRS data in the food industry while its full potential is far from reached. The combination of multi-way analysis with NIRS will be a promising practice for turning food data information into operational knowledge, conducting reliable food analyses and improving our understanding about food systems and food processes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that systematically reports the advances on models and applications of multi-way analysis in NIRS for the food industry.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. or Milk thistle is a medicinal plant native to Northern Africa, Southern Europe, Southern Russia and Anatolia. It also grows in South Australia, North and South America. In traditional knowledge, people have used S. marianum for liver disorders such as hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and gallbladder diseases. The main active compound of the plant seeds is silymarin, which is the most commonly used herbal supplement in the United States for liver problems. Nowadays, S. marianum products are available as capsules, powders, and extracts. Aim of study The aim of our study is to draw a more comprehensive overview of the traditional heritage, pharmacological benefits and chemical fingerprint of S. marianum extracts and metabolites; as well as their metabolism and bioavailability. Materials and methods An extensive literature search has been conducted using relavant keywords and papers with rationale methodology and robust data were selected and discussed. Studies involving S. marianum or its main active ingredients with regards to hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, cardiovascular protection, anticancer and antimicrobial activities as well as the clinical trials performed on the plant, were discussed here. Results S. marianum was subjected to thousands of ethnopharmacological, experimental and clinical investigations. Although, the plant is available for use as a dietary supplement, the FDA did not yet approve its use for cancer therapy. Nowadays, clinical investigations are in progress where a global evidence of its real efficiency is needed. Conclusion S. marianum is a worldwide used herb with unlimited number of investigations focusing on its benefits and properties, however, little is known about its clinical efficiency. Moreover, few studies have discussed its metabolism, pharmacokinetics and bioavailability, so that all future studies on S. marianum should focus on such areas.

International audience; Cetane number (CN) is an important property which indicates the ignition quality of fuels and especially diesel oil. The usual method for CN determination is a most involving and risky task that requires specific devices. In this paper, Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR) was successfully used for the prediction of diesel cetane number based on Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The proposed model was characterized by a high correlation coefficient between real and predicted CN values (R-2 = 0.99), with small prediction error values (RMSEC = 0.28 and RMSEP = 0.42) compared to previously published models developed using spectroscopic techniques, namely NIR and Raman spectroscopy Thus, the proposed approach that uses the FTIR spectroscopy for cetane number determination can be highly recommended as a clean, environment friendly, rapid and reliable solution for the prediction of this important quality parameter of diesel fuels.