Caralluma Europaea Research Articles

A review of Moroccan medicinal plants used in the treatment of inflammation

Inflammation is a mechanism that occurs against aggressive agents such as infections, wounds, pollens, autoimmune diseases, and tissue damage. Morocco has traditionally used herbal remedies to treat many illnesses, including inflammation. The objective of this study was to describe the Moroccan medicinal plants used in inflammation treatment. This systematic review examines ethnobotanical studies published in English and French in the literature as well as the pharmacological studies that assess anti-inflammatory activity in vitro and in vivo, from databases (Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Springer). The research was carried out until August 2021. In ethnobotanical surveys, 100 medicinal plants were identified, which belonged to 52 families of which the most often cited are Lamiaceae with 18 species, followed by Apiaceae (13 species) and Asteraceae (10 species). The most used plants to treat inflammation in Morocco are: Coriandrum sativum L, Caralluma europaea (Guss.) Nebr., Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., Capparis spinosa L., Anacyclus pyrethrum (L.) Lag, Ajuga iva (L.) Schreb., Thymus atlanticus (Ball) Pau, Thymus saturejoides Coss, Thymus zygis L., Lawsonia isermis L. and Rosmarinus officinalis L. This review highlighted Moroccan medicinal plants used in traditional medicine to treat inflammation. Many of this plant species require additional pharmacological, and clinical studies to verify which plants are effective in treating inflammation.

Lipids Fraction from Caralluma europaea (Guss.): MicroTOF and HPLC Analyses and Exploration of Its Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, Anti-Inflammatory, and Wound Healing Effects

Caralluma europaea is a medicinal plant used in Morocco to cure a variety of illnesses. This study was conducted to determine the chemical composition, the antioxidant, antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing activities of C. europaea lipids. The chemical composition of C. europaea was analyzed using time-of-flight mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography. The antioxidant potential was determined using the 2,2-di-phenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) tests. The antiproliferative effect was evaluated by MTT assay against HL60, K562, Huh-7 cancer cells, and normal Vero cells. The anti-inflammatory potential was conducted against carrageenan-induced paw edema. The wound healing effect was evaluated against skin burns for 21 days. The identified phytochemical compounds were docked for their effect on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase, caspase-3, lipoxygenase, glycogen synthase kinase-3-β, and protein casein kinase-1. The results showed the presence of some lipids, such as linoleic acid and vitamin D3. The DPPH (IC50 = 0.018 mg/mL) and FRAP (EC50 = 0.084 mg/mL) of C. europaea lipids showed an important antioxidant effect. For the anti-inflammatory test, an inhibition of 83.50% was recorded after 6 h of treatment. Our extract showed the greatest wound retraction on the 21st day (98.20%). C. europaea lipids showed a remarkable antitumoral effect against the K562 cell line (IC50 = 37.30 µg/mL), with no effect on Vero cells (IC50 > 100 µg/mL). Lignoceric acid was the most active molecule against caspase-3 (−6.453 kcal/mol). The findings indicate the growing evidence of C. europaea as a potential treatment for several diseases.

Antitumoral activity of Caralluma europaea on colorectal and prostate cancer cell lines

ABSTRACT Caralluma europaea is a medicinal plant used in Moroccan popular medicine, which has been employed as a remedy attributed to its anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antinociceptive, antidiabetic, neuroprotective, and antiparasitic properties. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antitumor activity of both the methanolic and aqueous extract of C. europaea. The effects of increasing concentrations of aqueous and methanolic extracts on human colorectal cancer HT-29 and HCT116 cell lines and human prostate cancer PC3 and DU145 cell lines were examined on cell proliferation using MTT assay and cell cycle analysis. The induction of apoptosis was also assessed by determining protein expression of caspase-3 and poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage by western blot. The methanolic extract of C. europaea exerted significant antiproliferative effects on HT-29 (IC50 values 73 µg/ml), HCT116 (IC50 values 67 µg/ml), PC3 (IC50 values 63 µg/ml) and DU145 cells (IC50 values 65 µg/ml) after 48 hr treatment. Further, incubation with methanolic extract of C. europaea induced cell cycle arrest in G1 phase and an apoptotic process for all treated cell lines. In conclusion, the present results suggest that C. europaea, exhibited that these natural compounds are significant apoptosis inducers which may have considerable potential for development of effective natural product anticancer agents.

Phenolic Composition, Wound Healing, Antinociceptive, and Anticancer Effects of Caralluma europaea Extracts.

Caralluma europaea (Guss.) is an important medicinal plant widely used in Morocco for various traditional purposes. Our work aimed to evaluate the phenolic composition, wound healing, antinociceptive, and anticancer activities of C. europaea extracts. Moreover, this study assessed the beneficial effect of C. europaea phytocompounds on the TRADD, cyclooxegenase-2, Wnt/β-catenin, and tyrosine kinase signaling pathways. The wound healing effect of C. europaea formulations against skin burn was evaluated for 21 days. The cytotoxic effect of the C. europaea extracts was evaluated against human leukemic (K562 and HL60) and liver cancer cell lines (Huh-7) using the MTT test. All the phytoconstituents identified by UHPLC in the polyphenols were docked for their inhibitory power on protein casein kinase-1, glycogen synthase kinase-3-β, cyclooxegenase-2, tyrosine kinase, and TRADD. Luteolin and kaempferol are the main compounds identified in C. europaea polyphenols. The group treated with polyphenols showed the greatest wound contractions and all tested extracts presented a significant antinociceptive effect. Polyphenols showed a remarkable antitumoral activity against the K562, HL60 and Huh-7 cell lines. Saponins exerted an important cytotoxic effect against the Huh-7 cell line, whereas no cytotoxicity was observed for the hydroethanolic and flavonoids extracts. Hesperetin and trimethoxyflavone presented the highest docking G-score on tyrosine kinase and cyclooxygenase, respectively.

Antifungal activity of plant extracts against tomato’s fungal diseases

Fungal diseases have always been a major problem for tomato crops. Growers generally use chemical fungicides to treat this type of diseases. However, these products are toxic to the environment and the consumer, especially if the pre-harvest interval is not respected. The present study aims to find non-polluting alternatives. Five plant extracts (Peganum harmala, Ocimum basilicum, Caralluma europaea, Nerium oleander and Eucalyptus globulus) are tested for their in vitro efficiency against four pathogenic fungi:Alternaria solani, Botrytis cinerea, Botrytis cinereataken from fruit,Phytophthora infestans and Oïdium oxysporum. The obtained results reveal that the extract ofOcimum basilicumis the most effective on the studied fungi. Indeed, at a concentration of 0.4%, it inhibited at 80% the development ofBotrytis cinereaand at 81%Oïdium oxysporumat a concentration of 0.2%. Followed byPeganum harmalaandNerium oleander, which also showed an antifungal effect (Peganum harmalainhibited up to 73% of the growth ofAlternaria solaniat a dose of 4%). The extracts ofCaralluma europaeaandEucalyptus globulusproved similar antifungal activity, which exceeded 30%. The study of the fungal/fungistatic effect revealed that all the studied extracts have a fungal effect against the treated fungi. The phytochemical screening showed that the plants extracts are rich in polyphenols especiallyOcimum basilicum, Peganum harmalaandNerium oleander. This leads us to deduce that the antifungal activity may be due to this.

Evaluation of the toxicity of Caralluma europaea (C.E) extracts and their effects on apoptosis and chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer cells

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a disease with no effective treatment. Chemo-resistance contributes to the dismal prognosis for patients diagnosed with the disease. This study aims to evaluate the toxicity and the effect of Caralluma europaea (C.E) extracts on cancer cell survival, apoptosis, chemo-resistance, and pro-cancer pathways, in pancreatic cancer. The acute and subacute toxicities of C.E extracts were evaluated. The cytotoxic effect on pancreatic cancer cell survival and apoptosis was determined by MTT assay and DNA fragmentation. The expression of cancer stemness markers was measured using Western blot. A molecular docking was used to test the possible effects of C.E compounds in inhibiting the Hedgehog and activating caspase-3. The hydroethanolic extract’s DL50 was over 5000 mg/kg. During the subacute toxicity, only saponins extract showed some hepatic toxicity signs. Cells treated with C.E extracts combined with gemcitabine revealed an additive anti-survival activity. C.E extracts sensitized resistant MIA-PaCa-2 to gemcitabine treatment. Most of the C.E extracts downregulated the expression of cancer stemness-associated genes. Luteolin-7-O-glucoside presented the highest docking Gscore on human Smoothened. Isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside induced apoptosis via activation of caspase-3. C.E extracts can be considered safe in inhibiting pancreatic cancer cell survival, inducing apoptosis, and sensitizing cells to chemotherapy via Hedgehog inhibition and caspase-3 activation. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

In Vitro Antioxidant Properties, Glucose-Diffusion Effects, α-Amylase Inhibitory Activity, and Antidiabetogenic Effects of C. Europaea Extracts in Experimental Animals.

Caralluma europaea (Guss.) N.E.Br. (C. europaea), is a medicinal plant used traditionally to treat diabetes mellitus (DM) in Morocco. This study aimed to investigate the in vitro antioxidant properties, glucose diffusion effects, α-amylase inhibitory activity, and pancreatic protective effects of C. europaea in experimental alloxan-induced diabetes in mice. Total phenolic contents were determined by Folin–Ciocalteu colorimetric method, total flavonoid contents were measured by aluminum chloride colorimetric assay, and tannins contents were determined by employing the vanillin method. C. europaea ethyl acetate fraction exhibited high antioxidant potential in terms of radical scavenging (DPPH) (IC50 = 0.22 ± 0.01 mg/mL), β-carotene bleaching activity (IC50 = 1.153 ± 0.07 mg/mL), and Ferric-reducing antioxidant power. Glucose diffusion was significantly inhibited by the ethyl acetate fraction at 60,120and 180 min, while the aqueous extract did not have this inhibitory effect when compared with the control group. Potent α-amylase inhibitory activity was observed in the ethyl acetate fraction and the aqueous extract in vitro and in vivo using STZ-diabetic rats. On the other hand, the administration of the ethyl acetate fraction (60 mg/kg) significantly attenuated alloxan-induced death and hyperglycemia in treated mice. Furthermore, histopathological investigations revealed that the ethyl acetate fraction protected islets of Langerhans against alloxan-induced tissue alterations. These results suggest that C. europaea exhibited an important antihyperglycemic effect via the inhibition of glucose diffusion and pancreatic α-amylase activity. In addition, the antidiabetogenic effect of C. europaea might be attributed to their polyphenol and flavonoid compounds, which could be reacted alone, or in synergy, to scavenge the free radicals produced by the alloxan.

Caralluma europaea (Guss.) N.E.Br.: Anti-Inflammatory, Antifungal, and Antibacterial Activities against Nosocomial Antibiotic-Resistant Microbes of Chemically Characterized Fractions.

Caralluma europaea (Guss.) N.E.Br.: (C. europaea) is a wild medicinal plant belonging to the family Apocynaceae. It is commonly used in traditional medicines for treating several diseases. The present work aims to evaluate the anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal potentials of C. europaea fractions including hydro ethanol (ET CE), n-butanol (But CE), and polyphenol (Poly CE). The chemical composition of hydroethanol, n-butanol, and polyphenol-rich fractions from C. europaea were determined using GC-MS after silylation. The anti-inflammatory effect of hydroethanol, n-butanol, and polyphenol-rich fractions was studied by carrageenan-induced paw edema. Antibacterial and antifungal activities of hydroethanol, n-butanol, and polyphenol-rich fractions against Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and yeasts were assessed using the disc diffusion and micro-dilution assays. The findings of the chemical characterization affirmed the presence of interesting bioactive compounds in C. europaea fractions. The polyphenol-rich fraction was the best inhibitor of edema by75.68% after 6 h of treatment. The hydroethanol fraction was the most active against both bacteria and yeasts. This study contributes to society as it provides potential bioactive compounds in C. europaea extract, which may help in fighting nosocomial antibiotic-resistant microbes.

Phytochemical Study on Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Activities of Moroccan Caralluma europaea Extract and Its Bioactive Compound Classes.

Background Caralluma europaea (C. europaea) is a medicinal plant used in Moroccan popular medicine. Objective of the Study. The present work was aimed at identifying the chemical composition and the antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of hydroethanolic and bioactive compound classes of C. europaea) is a medicinal plant used in Moroccan popular medicine. Materials and Methods. The chemical composition was analyzed using HPLC. The antioxidant power was determined using both DPPH and FRAP assays. The antiproliferative activity was effectuated against cancerous cells using WST-1. Results The chemical analysis showed the presence of bioactive constituents such as quercetin, myricetin, and hesperetin. The polyphenol and flavonoid contents were estimated at 51.42 mg GA/g and 20.06 mg EQ/g, respectively. The EC50 values of FRAP assay of hydroethanolic, flavonoid, saponin, and mucilage extracts were 5.196 mg/ml, 4.537 mg/ml, 3.05 mg/ml, and 6.02 mg/ml, respectively. The obtained IC50 values with the DPPH test were 1.628 mg/ml, 1.05 mg/ml, 1.94 mg/ml, and 9.674 mg/ml, respectively. Regarding MDA-MB-231, saponins were highly effective even with the lowest concentration (15.62 μg/ml). The flavonoids decreased the cell viability with IC50 values of 43.62 ± 0.06 μg/ml). The flavonoids decreased the cell viability with IC50 values of 43.62 ± 0.06 μg/ml). The flavonoids decreased the cell viability with IC50 values of 43.62 ± 0.06 Conclusion The present results suggest that C. europaea) is a medicinal plant used in Moroccan popular medicine.

Exploring Caralluma europaea (Guss.) N.E.Br. as a potential source of bioactive molecules: In vitro antioxidant and antidiabetic properties, and phenolic profile of crude extracts and fractions

Caralluma europaea (Guss.) N.E.Br is a succulent medicinal species used in the Moroccan traditional medicine for its anticancer and antidiabetic properties. In this work, this species was explored for the in vitro antidiabetic and antioxidant properties of crude methanol and dichloromethane extracts, and obtained fractions, from its aerial organs. In vitro antidiabetic properties were evaluated towards baker’s yeast and rat’s intestinal α-glucosidase, and α-amylase. Four in vitro methods were used to appraise the antioxidant potential, namely radical scavenging activity (RSA) on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS), and iron and copper chelating assays. Finally, the profile of the main phenolic compounds present in the samples was assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD). The highest inhibition of baker’s yeast α-glucosidase was obtained with the methanol extract (87%), and its fractions, with a maximum inhibition of 83% at the concentration of 10 mg/ml. The most significant inhibition of mammalian α-glucosidase was obtained with the dichloromethane crude extract (85%), and corresponding fractions at 10 mg/ml. Moderate activity was achieved with the two extracts against α-amylase (52–53%) at 10 mg/ml, but no relevant activity was detected for most fractions. Crude extracts had a significant RSA against DPPH and ABTS, with range values of 83–98% (methanol extracts) and 53–80% (dichloromethane extracts). Fractions from the methanol extract were more active against tested radicals. Crude extracts had chelating activity on both metals, and the highest copper chelation was achieved with the methanol extract, while the dichloromethane extract and the majority of fractions from both extracts presented the highest iron chelation at 10 mg/ml. A total of 21 phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by HPLC-DAD in the samples, and the main compounds detected were catechine hydrate and salicylic and caffeic acids. Our results suggest that C. europaea extracts contain compounds with in vitro antioxidant and antidiabetic properties with potential applications in the pharmaceutical and food industries.

Antioxidant Activity, Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Effects of Caralluma europaea (Eddaghmouss) in Mice

The aim of the current study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and analgesic properties of ethanolic (100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) and ethyl acetate extracts (100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) of Caralluma europaea. Formalin-induced paw licking test, Acetic Acid induced Writhing Test and Hot-PlateTest were used to assess the analgesic activity. Xylene-induced ear edema test was used to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity of those extracts. In this work, the High-Performance Liquid Chromatography technique (HPLC), allowed us to identify and quantify the main phenolic compounds present in ethanolic and ethyl acetate extracts. In vitro anti-oxidant propriety was evaluated using two methods, the 2,2-Diphenyl-1Picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method and reducing power methods. The main phenols identified were Catechin (24%) and quercetin (18%) in ethanolic extract, while in the ethyl acetate extract, they were quercetin (36%), P-coumaric (30%) and 2-hydroxycinnamic (25%). Analysis of our results had shown that Caralluma europaea extracts had exhibited a very potent analgesic activity. Percentage of Pain Inhibition (PPI) in the writhing test, 63.60±4.24% for the Ethanolic Extract (EE) (200 mg/kg, p.o.) and 65.39±3.27% for the Ethyl Acetate Extract (EAE). The PPI of early and late phase in the formalin test were respectively, 41% and 73% for EAE (200 mg/kg; p.o), 28% and 75% for EE. In the hotplate test, latency to the thermal stimuli was increased in a dose dependent manner after the administration of EE and EAE. However, the analgesic potential of EAE seems to be higher than EE. Both EE and EAE presented a significant in vitro redox potential and high anti-inflammatory activity. Our results have shown that Caralluma europaea is rich in phenolic compounds and possesses an important antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity.

Antidiabetic potential of Caralluma europaea against alloxan-induced diabetes in mice.

Medicinal plants play an important role in the management of diabetes mellitus especially in developing countries where resources are lacking. Herbal of natural origin, unlike the synthetic compounds, are more effective, safer and have less side effects. For continuing research on biological properties of Moroccan medicinal plants, the present work was undertaken to evaluate the potential and mechanism of the antidiabetic activity of the Caralluma europaea methanolic extract in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. A high-performance liquid chromatography technique (HPLC) was used to identify and quantify the major phenolic compounds in the methanolic extract. The in vitro antioxidant property was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging method, reducing power and ß-carotene-linoleic acid assays. The acute toxicity of the extract was evaluated by giving it orally to mice at single doses of 200, 500, 1000, 2000 mg/kg body weight. The antidiabetic effect was conducted on Swiss albino mice. Diabetes was induced with single intraperitonial injection of alloxan monohydrate (200 mg/kg body weight) and animals were treated with methanol extract at a dose of 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg body weight. The blood glucose levels were measured and histopathological analysis of pancreas was performed to evaluate alloxan-induced tissue injuries. The main phenols identified and quantified in the extract were ferulic acid, quercetine, 3,4 dihydroxybenzoic acid, rutin, epigallocatechin, and catechin. Ferulic acid was found to be the main phenolic compound ant its proportion was up to 52% of total phenolic compounds, followed by quercetin (36%). The result showed that methanol extract exhibited an antioxidant effect. Acute toxicity studies revealed that C. europaea extract was safe up 2000 mg/kg body weight and approximate LD50 is more than 2000 mg/kg. Moreover, the methanol extract prevented the diabetogenic effect of alloxan and decreased significantly the blood glucose level (P < 0.001) in treated mice. Morphometric study of pancreas revealed that C. europaea extract protected significantly the islets of Langerhans against alloxan-induced tissue alterations.

Inhibition of α-Glucosidase, Intestinal Glucose Absorption, and Antidiabetic Properties by Caralluma europaea.

Many medicinal plants around the world are used for therapeutic purposes against several diseases, including diabetes mellitus. Due to their composition of natural substances that are effective and do not represent side effects for users, unlike synthetic drugs, in this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of Caralluma europaea (CE) on α-glucosidase activity in vitro; then the kinetics of the enzyme were studied with increasing concentrations of sucrose in order to determine the inhibition type of the enzyme. In addition, this effect of Caralluma europaea (CE) was confirmed in vivo using rats as an experimental animal model. Among the five fractions of CE, only the ethyl acetate fraction of C. europaea (EACe) induced a significant inhibition of α-glucosidase and its inhibition mode was competitive. The in vivo studies were conducted on mice and rats using glucose and sucrose as a substrate, respectively, to determine the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The results obtained showed that the EACe and the aqueous extract of C. europaea (AECe) have significantly reduced the postprandial hyperglycemia after sucrose and glucose loading in normal and diabetic rats. AECe, also, significantly decreased intestinal glucose absorption, in situ. The results obtained showed that Caralluma europaea has a significant antihyperglycemic activity, which could be due to the inhibition of α-glucosidase activity and enteric absorption of glucose.

Toxicological Evaluation of the Aqueous Extract of Caralluma europaea and Its Immunomodulatory and Inflammatory Activities.

Background:Caralluma europaea (CE) has been studied for its chemical constituents, and no information is available on its toxicity or its pharmacological activities.Objective:To determine the toxicity of an aqueous extract of CE stems in vitro and in vivo after acute and subchronic oral gavages in Swiss albino's mice and its immunomodulatory and inflammatory activities.Materials and Methods:The extract was administrated in single oral dose at 5 g/kg body weight for the acute toxicity test and by gavages daily at doses of 1, 2.5, or 5 g/kg for 30 consecutive days for the subchronic toxicity test. The immunomodulatory activities and inflammatory activities were tested by the evaluation of hemagglutination antibodies (HAs) titers and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response.Results:For the dose of 1 g/kg, no visible toxic effects were observed. However, for the higher doses, clinical observations of toxicity were noted after 1 week of treatment. This was confirmed by the biochemical parameters values and the histology analyses of the spleen, liver, and kidney tissues. The high cellular mortality rate in vitro when treated with CE extract confirmed their toxicity potential. There was also increase of “HA titer” and “DTH” response in mice treated with nontoxic dose of CE (1 g/kg) compared to control group. This immune activity was confirmed by the high number of lymphocytes infiltrates noted in the different organs.Conclusion:We conclude that CE at the dose up of 1 g/kg produced toxic effect in mice that induced an immune inflammatory reaction.SUMMARY Caralluma europaea (CE) has been studied for its chemical constituents, and no information is available on its toxicity or its pharmacological activities. The objective is to determine the toxicity of an aqueous extract of CE stems in vitro and in vivo after acute and subchronic oral gavages in Swiss albino's mice and its immunomodulatory and inflammatory activities. For the dose of 1 g/kg, no visible toxic effects were observed. However, for the higher doses, clinical observations of toxicity were noted after 1 week of treatment. This was confirmed by the biochemical parameters values and the histology analyses of the spleen, liver, and kidney tissues. The high cellular mortality rate in vitro confirmed their toxicity potential. There was also increase of “hemagglutination antibody titer” and “delayed-type hypersensitivity” response in mice treated with nontoxic dose of CE (1 g/kg) compared to control group. This immune activity was confirmed by the high number of lymphocytes infiltrates noted in the different organs. We conclude that CE at the dose up of 1 g/kg produced toxic effect in mice that induced an immune inflammatory reaction. Abbreviations Used: CE: Caralluma europaea, ALT: Alanine aminotransferase, AST: Aspartate aminotransferase, RRBCs: Rat red blood cells, DTH: Delayed-type hypersensitivity response, PBS: Phosphate buffer solution.

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal flora in rural municipality of Aguelmouss - Khenifra province – (Morocco)

The present study should be set in the framework of valorization of medical plants and traditional knowledge’s from central middle Atlas of Morocco. Using 280 survey forms, hethnobotanical study was conducted during the months of June, July, August and September 2013 on the therapeutic uses of spontaneous medical plants in the seven tribal fractions that compose Aguelmouss municipality; this phase revealed the occurrence of 103 medicinal species which are divided into 43 families and 87 genera. The analyses results showed that six families commonly used by the population with a clear dominance of Lamiaceae. Also, species with very high frequency of use are Thymus willdenowii, Corrigiola telephiifolia Caralluma europaea et Juniperus oxycedrus. Furthermore, leaves are the most used part and the majority of remedies are prepared as a decoction. In terms of the treated disease, disorders of the digestive system ranks first with a rate of 38.9%.

Electrophysiological and behavioural responses of the housefly to “sweet” volatiles of the flowers of Caralluma europaea (Guss.) N.E. Br.

In sapromyiophilous plants, up to date, long range attraction of fly pollinators has been thoroughly investigated and attributed to “fetid” floral compounds, while the “sweet” floral scent fraction has not been specifically investigated and its role has received little attention. The aim of the present study was to verify if terpenoids, which are the main compounds of the floral bouquet of Caralluma europaea, play a role in the attraction of its pollinator Musca domestica. Terpinolene, α-terpinene and linalool, described as the three main volatiles of the flowers of C. europaea, were evaluated in electrophysiological investigations and blends of these compounds as well as the whole fresh flowers were used in behavioural assays. Antennae of housefly adults showed positive dose-dependent responses to all the chemicals tested. Houseflies were attracted by the odour of the fresh flowers and by the reconstructed terpenoid blend at the dose of 100 μg. At the dose of 10 μg, the blend did not produce any attraction. The results of the present study support the hypothesis that terpinolene, α-terpinene and linalool emitted by C. europaea flowers are involved in pollinator attraction and demonstrate the importance of the “sweet” scent in this sapromyiophilous species.

First records of pollinators of two co-occurring Mediterranean Apocynaceae

This article presents results of a field survey of pollinators of two Apocynaceae, Periploca laevigata subsp. angustifolia (Labill.) Markgraf (Periplocoideae) and Caralluma europaea (Guss.) N.E.Br. (Asclepiadoideae) co-occurring on Lampedusa Island, Mediterranean sea. Fifteen species within nine families of Diptera have been identified as pollinators of the two plants. The families involved are Tephritidae, Milichiidae, Trixoscelididae, Scathophagidae, Anthomyiidae, Muscidae, Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae, Rhinophoridae. Families of Muscidae and Sarcophagidae are the more represented, respectively with four and three species. P. laevigata subsp. angustifolia seems to have a broader spectrum of pollinators, with 12 species of Diptera involved, while C. europaea has 8 species of Diptera as pollinators. Five species of Diptera are shared between the two plant species. The presented data are the first records of pollinators for P. laevigata subsp. angustifolia and C. europaea and confirm that both taxa are fly pollinated, though they do not conform exactly to the sapromyiophilous syndrome. The number of pollinators identified indicated that the morphological and functional floral specialization of the two taxa cover a wide number of pollinators with a similar biology.

Essential Oil Composition of Stems and Fruits of Caralluma europaea N.E.Br. (Apocynaceae)

The essential oil of the stems and fruits of Caralluma europaea (Guss.) N.E.Br. (Apocynaceae) from Lampedusa Island has been obtained by hydrodistillation and its composition analyzed. The analyses allowed the identification and quantification of 74 volatile compounds, of which 16 were aromatic and 58 non-aromatic. Stems and fruits contained 1.4% and 2.7% of aromatic compounds respectively, while non-aromatic were 88.3% and 88.8%. Non-aromatic hydrocarbons were the most abundant compounds in both organs, followed by fatty acids. Data showed differences in the profiles between stems and fruits which shared only eighteen compounds; stems accounted for 38 compounds while fruits for 53. Fruits showed a higher diversity especially in aromatic compounds with twelve versus four in stems. Among the volatiles identified in stems and fruits of C. europaea 26 are present in other taxa of Apocynaceae, 52 are semiochemicals for many insects, and 21 have antimicrobial activity. The possible ecological role of the volatiles found is briefly discussed.

Headspace volatile composition of the flowers of Caralluma europaea N.E.Br. (Apocynaceae).

The volatile constituents of the flowers of Caralluma europaea (Guss.) N.E.Br (Apocynaceae) from Lampedusa Island were analyzed by a headspace GC method. The analyses allowed the identification and quantification of 41 compounds. The main components were, among the monoterpenoids, terpinolene (23.3%), α-terpinene (19.1%) and linalool (18.4%), whereas, among the carbonylic compounds the major constituents were heptanal (2.0%), octanoic acid (2.4%) and hexanoic acid (1.7%). The presence of a nitrogen containing compound, indole (0.8%) and of a sulphur containing compound, dimethylsulphide (t), noteworthy. The compounds found in the flowers of C. europaea have been compared with data available in the literature as regard to their odor, presence in other sapromyiophilous taxa, possible role as semiochemicals, and presence in decaying organic matter. 89.3% of total constituents have been described in other sapromyiophilous taxa. Some of the compounds are present in several types of decaying organic matter (excrements, decomposing bodies, and spoiled fish, etc). Several volatiles found in C. europaea flowers are used as semiochemicals by Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera and other insects. Sixteen volatiles, accounting for 32.4% of the total constituents, are described as attractants of some Diptera families, with a biology linked to decaying organic matter. Our data thus confirm that C. europaea floral bouquet falls within the sapromyiophilous pollination syndrome.