Artemisia Herba-alba Research Articles

Cardioprotective properties of Artemisia herba alba nanoparticles against heart attack in rats: A study of the antioxidant and hypolipidemic activities

Recently, pharmaceutical scientists' interest has increased to find novel pharmaceutical natural substances with potent antioxidant capacity and very low side effects to be used safely in preventive medicine. One of the most common types of diseases with a large spread globally is cardiovascular diseases, which cause a high rate of deaths annually. The present study evaluated the use of Artemisia herba alba leaves’ extract (AHALE) and AHALE zinc oxide nanoparticles (AHALE–ZnONPs) against isoproterenol (ISO) inducing myocardial infarction (MI) in male rats. Several groups of Wistar male rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD) were pretreated with several doses of AHALE or AHALE–ZnONPs for one month followed by exposure to ISO for two days. After treatment, samples of the rats’ heart tissues and blood were collected for several molecular biological and biochemical analyses. Heart enzymes, antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation compounds, lipid markers, activities, ROS generation, apoptosis, DNA damage and expression of lipid metabolism genes were analyzed in rats pretreated with AHALE or AHALE–ZnONPs followed by exposure to ISO. The results showed an increase in the levels of AST, ALT, LDH, CK, CK-MB, and cTnT (heart markers), elevation in TG, TC, and LDL levels (lipid profile markers), levels of TBARS and LOOH (lipid peroxidation products), ROS generation, DNA damage, apoptosis, and upregulation of PPAR-α, ADD1, FASN, and ACC genes in animals exposed to ISO in comparison with the control animals. Moreover, a decrease in antioxidant enzyme activities, including GPx, GRx, and GST, was observed in animals exposed to ISO in comparison with control rats. In male rats pretreated with AHALE or AHALE–ZnONPs followed by exposure to ISO, the oxidative stress induced by ISO was prevented. The results suggest that Artemisia extract could be considered for use as one of the natural compounds for prevention of atherosclerosis and heart diseases due to its high antioxidant and hypolipidemic activities. The reduced oxidative stress of Artemisia extract may be a result of the existence of flavonoids and phenolic substances.

In Vivo Anti-Candida Activity of Artemisia herba alba asso and Citrus aurantium Extracts Formulated in Different Ointments

Introduction: Today, people around the world have resorted to herbal medicine, due to the increase in antibiotic resistance and the side effects of synthetic drugs. Methods: Our research focused on the in vivo antifungal activity of three ointments formulated on the basis of methanolic extract of Citrus aurantium peel, ethanolic extract of the aerial part of Artemisia herba alba asso, and essential oil of Artemisia herba alba asso. Wistar rats were made immunosuppressed by Dexamethazone and Tetracycline. Three strains of Candida albicans, S1, S2 and S3 were inoculated. The fungal load of the area tested, the weight of the rats, as well as the macroscopic and microscopic appearance of the skins, were determined. Results: Cutaneous candidiasis was manifested as red, thick, scabbed lesions, mostly located on the infected area of t he animals. Microscopic observation of histological skin sections of animals infected and treated with the ointments, P1, P2 and P3 showed a well-preserved architecture of the skin. Erythema, edema, ulceration, erosion were seen in the skin of animals receiving placebo or Nystatin. The P3 ointment exerted a very powerful antifungal effect against especially the strain S1 compared to the other ointments (log 3.07±0.006 CFU/ml). The weight was regained significantly in the groups of animals receiving the ointments, and regression of growth was observed in the untreated animals and those treated by Nystatin and placebo. Conclusion: The EAH and MCP ointment and the essential oil of Artemisia developed, allowed to retain their significant antifungal activity against Candida.

Soil fertility indicators and soil stoichiometry in semi-arid steppe rangelands

Soil fertility depends on vegetation cover, climatic conditions and soil-specific edaphic factors that regulate transformation processes of plant residues and organic matter. Soil physicochemical characteristics in drylands negatively affect evolutionary process of soil materials resulting in fertility loss. This study investigated the variability of soil physicochemical parameters and fertility estimates in three types of semi-arid steppe rangelands of North Africa, viz. Stipa tenacissima, Artemisia herba-alba and Atriplex halimus. The effect of soil parameters on the evolution of soil fertility was appraised using soil organic carbon (SOC), available phosphorus (AP) and C:P ratio as fertility indicators. In two semi-arid regions with haplic calcisols, soil was sampled in six replicates at each steppe rangeland and a control (bare soil). Using standard protocols, each sample was analyzed to determine pH, electrical conductivity (EC), SOC, AP, C:P ratio, total and active CaCO3. All the soil physicochemical parameters tested, except total CaCO3, showed positive increases in A. halimus and S. tenacissima steppe rangelands. The variation of pH and EC values among rangelands was significant, with A. halimus rangelands had significantly the highest scores and A. herba-alba rangelands the lowest scores. The redundancy analysis showed that the edaphic factors triggering significant increases in scores of soil fertility indicators, when compared to the control, were active CaCO3, EC and pH. These physicochemical parameters positively determined the accumulation of AP and SOC, especially in A. halimus rangelands. The high values of stochiometric C:P ratio were associated to soil characteristics of S. tenacissima and A. herba-alba rangelands. Our findings suggest that soil physicochemical parameters of semi-arid steppe rangelands - compared to bare soil - influenced the evolution of soil fertility and stoichiometric C:P ratio. The type of steppe vegetation differently affects the physicochemistry and stoichiometry of the soil.

Therapeutic effect of biosynthetic gold nanoparticles on multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli and Salmonella species isolated from ruminants.

Background and Aim:Multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogenic microorganisms have become a global problem in ruminants as a result of the intensive use of antibiotics, causing the development of resistance among gut microbiota. The antibiotic-resistant microorganisms can be transferred from diseased animals to humans. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of MDR Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. isolated from cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and goats suffering from respiratory signs, diarrhea, and mastitis and to screen the antibiotic sensitivity of selected isolated bacteria. It also detected antibiotic-resistance genes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), produced green gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using plant extracts (Artemisia herba-alba and Morus alba), and evaluated the antimicrobial activities of these biosynthesized nanoparticles on selected pathogens (E. coli and Salmonella spp.).Materials and Methods:MDR E. coli and Salmonella spp. were investigated using fecal samples (n=408), nasal swabs (n=358), and milk samples (n=227) of cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and goats with or without clinical signs, including respiratory manifestations, pneumonia, diarrhea, and mastitis, from different governorates in Egypt. E. coli and Salmonella spp. were isolated and identified on selective media, which were confirmed by biochemical reactions and PCR. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing against 10 commonly used antibiotics was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Antibiotic resistance genes blaTEM, blaSHV, blaOXA, and blaCTX−M were detected by PCR. The antibacterial effect of the biosynthesized AuNPs was evaluated by MIC and well diffusion assay. The biosynthesized AuNPs were also characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).Results:Among all fecal samples, the prevalence of E. coli was 18.4% (183/993) and that of Salmonella spp. was 16.7% (66/408), as determined by cultural and molecular tests. All isolates of E. coli and Salmonella spp. were 100% resistant to ampicillin (AM) and amoxicillin and highly resistant to cefoxitin and AM-sulbactam. The total rate of resistance genes in E. coli was 61.2% (112/183), while that in Salmonella was 63.6% (42/66) for pathogens isolated from ruminants with respiratory manifestations, pneumonia, diarrhea, and mastitis. Among the resistance genes, blaTEM had the highest prevalence rate in E. coli (25.9%, 21/81) while blaSHV had the lowest (9.8%, 8/81) in fecal swabs. AuNPs were successfully synthesized using aqueous leaf extract of A. herba-alba and M. alba as bioreducing agents. TEM analysis showed particle size of 10-42 nm for A. herba-alba and M. alba AuNPs. The biosynthesized AuNPs showed antibacterial activity against MDR E. coli and Salmonella spp.Conclusion:Rapid and accurate diagnostic methods are the cornerstone for effective treatment to reduce the risk of antimicrobial-resistant pathogenic microorganisms. This is particularly important for overcoming the increasing rate of MDR in ruminants with respiratory manifestations, pneumonia, diarrhea, and mastitis. This can be complemented by the development of AuNPs synthesized in an environmentally friendly manner AuNPs using natural plant extracts for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms.

Plant extract FRAP effect on cation vacancies formation in greenly synthesized wüstite (FexO) nanoparticles: A new contribution

The Ferrous Reducing Antioxidant Potential (FRAP) of aqueous plant ex-tracts is investigated for the purpose of studying FRAP effect on Fe2+ va-cancies formation in greenly synthesized wüstite (FexO) nanoparticles. This study used four aqueous plant extracts as reducing agents with FeCl3 as pre-cursor to synthesize FexO nanoparticles. Plants dealt with in this study are Rosemarinus officinalis.L, Juniperus phoenicia.(L), Matricaria Pubescent.(L), and Artemisia herba-alba.(L). In this paper, a novel study that investigates how variation in FRAP impacts the formation of cation vacancies within greenly synthesized FexO samples was conducted. The synthesized samples are characterized by XRD, SEM, ATR-FTIR, and UV–Vis. Therefore, lattice parameters are calculated through XRD data, and then wüstite compositions are calculated using McCammon equation. Results show that the FRAP has a clear effect on Fe2+ vacancies formation within wüstite nanoparticles. In- deed, The increase in the FRAP leads to a decrease in Fe2+ defects and consequently an increase in the grain size. Furthermore, studying iron va-cancies’ effect on wüstite formation thermodynamic showed that free energy of wüstite formation ΔG0f FeO (x) is impacted by cation vacancies and hence by FRAP.

Thymus algeriensis and Artemisia herba-alba Essential Oils: Chemical Analysis, Antioxidant Potential and In Vivo Anti-Inflammatory, Analgesic Activities, and Acute Toxicity.

The study of bioactive molecules of natural origin is a focus of current research. Thymus algeriensis and Artemisia herba-alba are two medicinal plants widely used by the Moroccan population in the traditional treatment of several pathologies linked to inflammation. This study aimed to evaluate the single and combined antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of the essential oils extracted from these two medicinal plants, and also their potential toxicity. Essential oils were extracted using hydro-distillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by two methods: the scavenging of the free radical DPPH, and the reduction in iron. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by evaluating the edema development induced by carrageenan injecting, while the analgesic power was evaluated according to the number of abdominal contortions induced by the intraperitoneal injection of acetic acid (0.7%). The acute oral toxicity was performed to assess the potential toxicity of the studied EOs, followed by an analysis of the blood biochemical parameters. The results of the two antioxidant tests indicated that our extract mixture exhibits good iron reduction capacity and very interesting DPPH free radical scavenging power, with an IC50 of around 4.38 ± 0.98 μg/mL higher than that of the benchmark antioxidant, BHT. The anti-inflammatory test demonstrated that the mixture administered orally at a dose of 150 mg/kg has a better activity, exceeding that of 1% Diclofenac, with a percentage of maximum inhibition of the edema of 89.99 ± 4.08. The number of cramps in the mice treated with the mixture at a dose of 150 mg/kg is significantly lower (29.80 ± 1.92) than those of the group treated with Tramadol (42.00 ± 2.70), respectively. The toxicity results show no signs of toxicity with an LD50 greater than 150 mg/Kg. These interesting results show that the two plants’ EOs had an important anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant activity, and also a powerful synergistic effect, which encourages further in-depth investigations on their pharmacological proprieties.

Efficacy of some Egyptian native plant extracts against\xa0Haemonchuscontortus in vitro and in experimentally infected sheep along with the associated haematological and biochemical alterations

BackgroundHaemonchosis is a serious disease affecting ruminants’ productivity worldwide. Medicinal plants are deemed one of the most natural bio-products safely used as alternatives to the synthetic anthelmintics. In the present study, comparative efficacy of crude ethanolic extracts (CEEs) of Artemisia herba-alba (A. herba-alba), Balanites aegyptiaca (B. aegyptiaca) and Allium sativum (A. sativum) as alternative treatments was tested on Haemonchus contortus ( H. contortus). An in vitro test to evaluate the anthelmintic efficacy of various concentrations of extracts at 25, 30 and 50 mg/ml was accomplished on motility and viability of adult worms in comparison with albendazole, reference drug at 10 μg/ml at various time intervals. An in vivo test was carried out in lambs experimentally infected with H. contortus to detect anthelmintic activity of CEEs of A. herba-alba and B. aegyptiaca compared to albendazole. Fifteen parasite-free Baladi Egyptian lambs aged 4–8 months old were categorized into five groups, each of three lambs as follows: G1 was kept as uninfected untreated one, G2 was utilized as infected untreated group, G3 was given CEE of A. herba-alba, G4 was received CEE of B. aegyptiaca, and G 5 was treated with albendazole.ResultsThe in vitro test revealed that CEE of B. aegyptiaca had the most significant anthelmintic activity on adult H. contortus followed by A. herba-alba, while A. sativum was of the lowest effect. The in vivo test showed that the CEE of B. aegyptiaca achieved an excellent faecal egg reduction (100%) at the 7th day post-treatment. The most efficient treatments that improved the haematological parameters and regained the level of serum total protein, albumin and A/G ratio, serum globulin, SGoT, SGPT, urea and creatinine to the almost normal levels were CEE of B. aegyptiaca, albendazole and CEE of A. herba-alba, respectively.ConclusionsThis study highlighted the marked anthelmintic potency of the CEEs of B. aegyptiaca and A. herba-alba on H. contortus and the superiority of CEE of B. aegyptiaca as a talented anti-parasitic medicinal plant for sheep.

Experimental and theoretical evaluation of the adsorption process of some polyphenols and their corrosion inhibitory properties on mild steel in acidic media

Polyphenols are now widely acknowledged as safe and biodegradable corrosion inhibitors due to their cost-effectiveness. As a result, this research examines how well polyphenols extracted from Artemisia Herba alba (AHA) prevent mild steel corrosion in a 1 M HCl solution. Inhibitory performance is determined using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), potentiodynamic polarization, and weight loss tests. The shape and chemical content of the mild steel sample surface are evaluated by atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) after contact with AHA secondary metabolites in the acidic solution. According to the results of polarization curves, AHA extract works as a mixed-type inhibitor. For all AHA concentrations tested, the Nyquist plots show a semi-circular capacitive loop. On metal surfaces, the Langmuir isotherm regulates inhibitor adsorption. The effectiveness of inhibition is proportional to the extract concentration, reaching 92.9% at 900 ppm. On metal surfaces, the Langmuir isotherm governs inhibitor adsorption. The effectiveness of inhibition is proportional to the extract concentration, reaching 92.9% at 900 ppm. These findings are supported by metal surface experiments, which show that the deposited inhibitor molecules successfully prevent HCl attacks at steel grain boundaries. Finally, quantum chemistry simulations show that dicaffeoylquinic acids, which were found to be the most prevalent AHA extract components, are effective corrosion inhibitors.

Using Traditional Medicinal Plants from Arid and Desert Rangelands as a Potential Treatment for Covid-19 in Southern Tunisia

Rangelands provide good services, including forage for livestock, aromatic and medicinal plants, wildlife habitat, fuel wood, and the watershed. In the arid and desert rangelands of Tunisia, several medicinal plants are used locally in traditional medicine. Many of them have been scientifically investigated and validated. This study aimed to document the different plants used recently to treat and prevent Covid-19 by the rural communities in southern Tunisia. One hundred persons that were ensured to be cured after their infection by Covid-19 were asked to indicate what plants were used to prevent or treat the pandemic disease. It is noteworthy that the selected respondents did not use any other medication than medicinal plants due to the high price of medicament. Additionally, they had not received any Covid-19 vaccinations to date. Five species were harvested from the range lands to be used by the rural population in south Tunisia to treat and prevent Covid- 19. The plants included Rosmarinus officinalis, Thymbra capitata, Peganum harmala, Artemisia herbaalba and Astragalus armatus. These species are medicinally essential when it comes to treating several human diseases. Still, there are no new scientific findings on whether these conclusions are valid. These results can still be the subject of future scientific research.

Effect of aqueous extract of Artemisia herba-alba on functional sperm parameters of male rats

Artemisia species have a high economic value in several fields, as food plants and as antihelminthic and antimalarial in medicine Many of the species of Artemisia have found their way into folklore medicine. In Libya commonly referred to as wormwood also called Alshih, the genus Artemisia is represented in Libya by seven species namely A. arborescens L, A. campestris L, A. glutinosa, A. herba-alba, A. judaica, A. monosperma and A. variabilis. This study, for the first time, documented the effects of an aqueous extraction of Artemisia Herba-Alba in the rat investigating male reproductive functions. From the results obtained, it is evident that the herbal extract in the low dose (10mg/kg) had a beneficial effect on all parameters, with the exclusion of sperm morphology. In this regard, active compounds present in the plant might have caused an increased production of serum testosterone which resulted in the enhancement of sperm quality in the rat. Another explanation for the increase in sperm functionality might have been induced by the presence of components within the plant of Artemisia Herba-Alba causing the efficient removal of zinc from spermatozoa enabling them to reach optimal motility. It is also possible that these two explanations given above could have occurred simultaneously, thereby enhancing the positive effects observed within this study. This study indicated that the traditional use of this herbs has effects on male reproductive health.

Bioactivities of endophytic actinobacteria inhabiting Artemisia herba-alba emphasizing differences from free-living strains.

The endophytic actinobacteria associated with Artemisia herba-alba (synonym: Seriphidium herba-alba) are highly diverse. This study aimed to illustrate the extent of their differences from the free-living actinobacteria in the surrounding environment. A selection of eighteen actinobacteria inhabiting A. herba-alba were compared with twenty and ten actinobatceria isolates from the surrounding desert and groundwater, respectively, representing six genera. Antagonistic and enzymatic activities, plant growth-promoting traits, and the occurrence of biosynthetic genes were compared among the isolates. Data were analyzed statistically using principal component analysis (PCA) and were visualized using heat map. Endophytic strains showed higher antimicrobial activity and production of plant growth promoters compared to desert and groundwater strains. Polyketide synthase and non-ribosomal peptide synthetase gene clusters were detected at higher frequencies in the endophytic strains (8 and 11 strains, respectively) than the desert strains (1 and 2 strains, respectively). In contrast, both gene clusters were not detected in the groundwater strains. The PCA revealed unique metabolic characteristics of the endophytes. The heatmap clustered the endophytic strains apart from the free-living strains, indicating distinctive qualitative and quantitative bioactivities. Analysis of 16S rRNA genes confirmed the chemotaxonomic identity of all but two strains, with > 94.5% similarity. Six endophytes displayed < 99.5% similarity with their closest type strains, which might indicate species novelty. This study provides an evidence of functional differences and possible species novelty of the endophytic actinobacteria inhabiting A. herba-alba, compared with the free-living species.

Green synthesis of Ag nanoparticles in oil-in-water nano-emulsion and evaluation of their antibacterial and cytotoxic properties as well as molecular docking

Increasing use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in various fields as mentioned recently like cosmetology, clinical nanotechnologies and medicine causes the growth of a nontoxic and green synthesis methodology. The present study provided a facile stable one-step synthesis of AgNPs in the presence of Artemisia herba-alba, Mentha, Rosmarinus and Ranunculus aqueous oil extract as reductant and stabilizer via oil-in-water nano-emulsion. Due to experimental results, in the presence of Artemisia herba-alba extract, AgNPs indicated smaller size, uniform shape and well dispersed NPs. Synthesized nanostructures characterized by using various techniques like XRD, UV–Vis, FT-IR, TEM, SEM, nano sizer and zeta potential measurements. The effect of some reaction parameters (the molar ratio of AgNO 3 , extract volume, pH and temperature) on the AgNPs investigated as well. Additionally, strong antibacterial effects of AgNPs found against four gram-negative and three gram-positive bacteria due to cell death according to increasing membrane permeability and bacterial wall integrity disruption. WST-1 exposed cytotoxicity potent index on the cancerous cell lines as established by the low IC50 value of 1 ppm. Binding energy of Ag metal with bacteria calculated by molecular docking and indicated that all bacteria have good interaction with silver NPs and confirmed antibacterial manner of Ag. Therefore, Produced AgNPs can be introduced as an effective antibacterial agent as well as a potent index of cytotoxicity effect on cancerous cell lines that leads to effective usage in nono-drug design and formulations in near future.

First quantitative data on the feeding ecology of an arid zone rodent, the Common gundi (Ctenodactylus gundi)

Abstract One species of the family Ctenodactylidae, the Common gundi, Ctenodactylus gundi, occupies a restricted area between the Saharan and Mediterranean domains where annual rainfall is between 50 and 400 mm. Its presence seems also conditioned by the vegetation, so its feeding ecology was investigated by the microhistological analysis of faeces collected in two stations (Baniane and Bazem) of the Aurès massif (Eastern Algeria) during two years from June 2015 to May 2017, and by the evaluation of the available food. The diet included a total of 34 plant species, 16 in Baniane and 20 in Bazem. Results show that in Baniane, Asteraceae were predominant with Artemisia herba-alba (relative abundance, A% = 33.13%), followed by Fabaceae with Argyrolobium uniflorum (A% = 20.32%) and Poaceae with Aristida sp. (A% = 14.95%). In Bazem, the most consumed plant species were Lamiaceae with Thymus ciliatus (A% = 42.77%) and Poaceae with Lolium rigidum (A% = 13.19%). Overall, C. gundi fed on a large number of plant species, and its diet appeared to be influenced more by the diversity than by the availability of vegetation. Seasonal variations in diet indicate that this rodent eats perennial vegetation throughout the year and opportunistically consumes annual plants to a lesser extent in the spring, with a certain time shifting between the two stations probably due to rainfall and temperature differences.

Anti-inflammatory and prolonged protective effects of Artemisia herba-alba extracts via glutathione metabolism reinforcement

Artemisia herba-alba (AHA) is a medicinal plant known for its preventive capacities against chronic diseases. Inflammation is a naturally occurring cellular response to noxious stimuli, and both acute and chronic inflammation are involved in human disorders. Preventing and limiting the negative impact of inflammation by using phytocompounds has attracted a lot of attention. Here, we show that AHA extracts are potent anti-inflammatory products at low doses in white blood cells, treated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), a pro-inflammatory trigger. Regardless of the mode of extraction, i.e. maceration or microwave, all extracts reduced on dose-dependent manner reactive oxygen species (ROS) production induced by the pro-inflammatory compound PMA in white blood cells and leukemic Jurkat cell line. The induction of the anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated by the measurement of glutathione metabolism (glutathione reductase, transferase, and peroxidase), and protein-free thiols in Jurkat cells. Jurkat cells incubated with low to high concentrated AHA extracts, ranged from 10 to 100 g/mL, induced a fast cell response measured at one and six hours. Interestingly, extracts from the microwave showed a stronger induction, 5 to 10 fold changes at early time points, and maintained over 72 h. On the other hand, AHA extracts showed a moderate anti-proliferative effect in the leukemic Jurkat line. We concluded that AHA extracts enhance directly anti-inflammatory cell response, earlier via ROS induction. Later, however, vigorously maintained, independently from ROS, suggesting the intervention of the cellular metabolism in enhancing these effects. Considering the preventive and anti-inflammatory potential of AHA, regular consumption is advisable, and phytotherapeutic applications are encouraged to treat local inflammations.

Assessment of the protective effect of Artemisia herba-alba Asso against Eimeria tenella induced coccidiosis in broilers

Background: The present study was designed to investigate the protective effect of a natural product to control coccidiosis in broilers. We studied the effect of the dried leaves of Artemisia herba alba Asso supplement against artificially induced coccidiosis in broilers. Methods: One hundred twenty chickens were allocated into four equal groups of thirty, negative control (UUG), positive control (IUG), Monensin-treated Group (MTG), and Artemisia-treated group (ATG). The infected chickens with E. tenella were treated with 100ppm of monensin and, 5% of Artemisia in the feed. Results: No mortality was recorded in ATG animals. Oocysts excretion was significantly (p&lt;0.05) reduced in ATG animals at the 6th and the 8th days post-infection. The highest reduction of oocysts shedding in faecal samples (79.04%) was in Artemisia-treated chickens. The effect of Artemisia was comparable to that of monensin. Conclusion: Artemisia herba alba Asso is of particular interest in fighting coccidiosis since it has a preventive effect on mortality and reduction of oocysts faecal shedding during caecal coccidiosis.

Chemical characterization and bioactivities assessment of Artemisia herba-alba Asso essential oil from South-western Algeria

Artemisia herba-alba Asso is a medicinal plant used widely in Algerian folk medicine for the treatment of several diseases. The present work is aimed to elucidate the chemical composition of essential oil (EO) of Artemisia herba-alba. The in vitro antibacterial activity against 11 bacterial strains, and the in vivo acute toxicity and anti-inflammatory activity were evaluated. In this study fifty-four compounds accounting for 94.1% of total oil were identified by GC-FID and GC-MS analysis of the essential oil obtained from leaves. α-thujone (48.0%), β-thujone (13.4%), and camphor (13.1%) are found to be the major compounds. The results of the antibacterial activity using disc diffusion method revealed inhibition zones ranging from 10.00±0.0 to 36.00±0.9mm. Gram-positive was more sensitive to EO compared with Gram-negative bacteria. EO exhibited minimum inhibitory concentrations and bactericidal concentrations of 2.5 mg/ml to 10 mg/ml, and 5 mg/ml to 10 mg/ml respectively. The oil was moderately toxic and belongs to category 4 according to GHS, mortality was achieved at the dose of 2000 mg/kg. EO of A. herba-alba reduced significantly the edema induced by carrageenan in rat paw at 44.07% and 44.37% (after five hours) at the doses of 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg respectively.

Ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal analysis of wild medicinal plants traditionally used in Naâma, southwest Algeria.

Algerian people largely rely on traditional medicine practices as part of a community’s identity. This first ethnobotanical study aimed to quantify and document the wild medicinal plant taxa from four family and the related traditional knowledge in Naâma province, Algeria. The survey was carried out between 2018 and 2020. The socio-demographic data and the use of medicinal species were recorded and collected randomly from 84 indigenous people using pre-prepared questionnaire. The result was evaluated using quantitative indices. A total of 27 medicinal plant species belonging to 21 genera used in the community were mostly recorded. The most represented families were Lamiaceae and Asteraceae (12 species for each of them). The aerial parts were the most frequently used plant part (73 %), while a decoction (34 %), and infusion (31 %) were the major modes of remedy preparation. The species with high UV were Rosmarinus officinalis L. (0.80), Artemisia herba-alba Asso (0.76), and Juniperus phoenicea L. subsp. phoenicea (0.75). Species with highest FL were: Ephedra alata subsp. alenda (Stapf) Trab (100 %), Teucrium polium L. (60 %), and Ballota hirsuta Benth (57.14.5 %). Atractylis caespitosa Desf and Nepeta nepetella subsp.amethystina (Poir.) Briq were newly cited as medicinal plants and have not been recorded previously in Algeria. Artemisia herba-alba Asso and Thymus algeriensis Boiss. & Reut were reported to treat COVID-19 symptoms. The results obtained indicate the richness of the area with medicinal plants as well as knowledge of alternative medicine. The most cited plants could be contained molecules that can be tested for therapeutic uses.

Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants used to treat cutaneous leishmaniasis in Ain Sekhouna, Saida, Algeria

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a common anthropozoonosis and a major public health problem in Algeria. Therefore, we conducted an ethnopharmacological survey in the locality of Ain Sekhouna (located in the highlands of western Algeria), one of the foci of cutaneous leishmaniasis. We aimed to identify the medicinal plants and natural remedies used by the local population to treatment cutaneous leishmaniasis. We identified three plant species, belonging to three distinct families, used as natural remedies against the disease, namely, Haloxylon scoparium Pomel (Chenopodiaceae, 73%), Artemisia herba-alba Asso. (Asteraceae, 18%), and Camellia sinensis L. (Theaceae, 9%). Additionally, 35% of the plant-based medicines mostly comprised the powdered form of the aerial parts of the plant. According to the respondents, the powder is combined with butter, cade oil, or honey and is applied exogenously on the skin. Overall, these medicinal plants can be used as a source of natural medicines, in combination with commonly used dermatological excipients, to treat cutaneous leishmaniasis.

In vitro anticoagulant activity of methanolic extracts of Artemisia herba-alba, Achillea fragrantissima and Citrullus colocynthis grown in Saudi Arabia

Several medicinal plants are known to possess anticoagulant activity. This study proposed to evaluate the in vitro anticoagulant effect of methanol extracts of Citrullus colocynthis (fruits), Achillea fragrantissima (aerial parts) and Artemisia herba-alba (aerial parts) on normal human plasma. A total of 100 blood samples used in this study were taken from healthy volunteers at the Hematology laboratory of King Khalid Hospital, Al-Majmaah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from November 2018 to March 2019, using 3.2% sodium citrate tubes with a collection ratio of 9:1 blood to anticoagulant. PT, INR and PTT were used to assess the anticoagulant activity of these plants. The highest PT results were observed for 1000 μg/mL methanol extract of C. colocynthis (33.7±3.4 s) followed by 1000 μg/mL methanol extract of A. fragrantissima (28.2±2.6 s) and 1000 μg/mL methanol extract of A. herba-alba (26.4±0.2 s). Moreover, the highest PTT values were observed for 250, 500 and 1000 μg/mL A. fragrantissima (87.9±1.0, 97.9±5.1 and 112.5±1.1 s, respectively), 500 μg/mL and 1000 μg/mL C. colocynthis (65.1±1.0 and 106.4±0.4 s, respectively) and 1000 μg/mL A. herba-alba (157.0±3.0 s). The anticoagulant effect of methanol extracts of A. herba-alba, A. fragrantissima, and C. colocynthis were evaluated using coagulation assays, in which prolonged clotting time of their methanol extracts was observed. These findings potentially justify the use of these plants in managing arterial and venous thrombotic disorders.

COMPOSITION OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF THE LEAVES OF ARTEMISIA HERBA ALBA ASSO (ASTERACEAE) AND ITS INSECTICIDAL ACTIVITY ON CALLOSOBRUCHUS MACULATUS FABRICIUS (COLEOPTERA: BRUCHIDAE)

In order to develop a strategy for the safe management of insect pests in stored agricultural commodities, the essential oil of Artemisia herba alba Asso. was tested against Callosobruchus maculatus Fabricius raised on seeds of Cicer arietinum (L.) at 20-30°C and 65±5% relative humidity under storage conditions. Chickpea seeds were fumigated with concentrations of essential oil and then infested by young adults of bruchids. On each treated or control lot, 10 newly emerged pairs were released. The number of dead bruchids and number of eggs hatched and unhatched from the seeds were counted. At the end of their development, adults emerged from treated and untreated seeds were counted separately by sex and the success rate was calculated. Three replicates were conducted for each treatment. The essential oil extracted from Artemisia herba alba Asso was analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The chromatogram of the essential oil of Artemisia herba alba Asso shows 15 signals relating to the 15 compounds of which camphor is the major constituent with a percentage of 96.15%. The results of the biological tests obtained showed that the essential oil of Artemisia herba alba Asso exerts repellent and toxic effects on Callosobruchus maculatus. It causes a high mortality of adults and affects its fertility, fertility, and success rate in a very significant way compared to controls. These show that fumigation of stored commodities with the essential oil of Artemisia herba alba Asso against insect pests can be considered under storage conditions without risk to consumers and the environment.