Consumption of argan oil (Morocco) with its unique profile of fatty acids, tocopherols, squalene, sterols and phenolic compounds should confer valuable cancer chemopreventive effects.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the fatty acids, tocopherols, squalene, sterols and phenolic antioxidants in three types of argan oil (Moroccan food, Moroccan aesthetic and a French commercial variety) along with a basic comparison with extra virgin olive and sunflower oil. The fatty acid profiles in the argan oils were very similar, with oleic acid (43%) and linoleic acid (36%) and their respective monoacylglycerols predominating. The major vitamer identified was -tocopherol with a mean of 483+/-11 mg/kg, in contrast to -tocopherol, which is the major vitamer in olive (190+/-1 mg/kg) and sunflower oil (532+/-6 mg/kg). The squalene content of the argan oils was very similar with a mean of 313+/-4 mg/100 g, which is lower than that of the olive oil (499 mg/100 g) but significantly higher than in the sunflower oil (6 mg/100 g). In contrast to olive and sunflower oils in which -sitosterol is predominant, the major sterols detected in the argan oils were schottenol (mean 147+/-10 mg/kg) and spinasterol (mean 122+/-10 mg/kg). The only phenolic compounds other than the tocopherol vitamers which could be readily detected and quantitated were vanillic, syringic and ferulic (probably conjugated to glucose) acids along with tyrosol. In contrast to the extra virgin olive oil (793 mg/kg), the concentration of total phenolic compounds is extremely low (<5.0 mg/kg). Nevertheless, argan oil with its high content of the vitamer -tocopherol, squalene and oleic acid is likely to enhance the cancer prevention effects of the Moroccan diet.     

Late effects of a perinatal exposure to a 16 PAH mixture: Increase of anxiety-related behaviours and decrease of regional brain metabolism in adult male rats

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous pollutants originated from incomplete combustion processes. Ingestion of contaminated food is the main route of exposure for humans. These molecules are able to cross the placental barrier and are also found in breast milk. Since PAHs are neurotoxic agents, the potential adverse effects of a perinatal exposure of the developing brain is a key issue for public health especially concerning PAH mixture. In this study, female rats were exposed trough diet to a mixture of 16 PAHs, at doses of 2 μg/kg/day or 200 μg/kg/day during gestation and 1.5 μg/kg/day or 150 μg/kg/day during breast-feeding period. To assess late neurotoxic effects in male offsprings, behavioural and cognitive tests were carried out and histochemical analyses using cytochrome oxidase as a cerebral metabolism marker were performed on adult animals. Results showed that anxiety-related behaviours significantly increased in exposed animals, but there was no significant alteration of motor activity and learning and memory abilities. Several brain areas of the limbic system showed a neuronal hypometabolism in exposed animals. This work highlights that exposure to PAHs at early stages of brain development can cause later troubles on behaviour and that PAHs are able to partly alter the central nervous system metabolism on adulthood.     

Positive correlation between peripheral blood granulocyte oxidative status and level of anxiety in mice

Oxidative stress is involved in many acute and chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. We studied the relationship between the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species in peripheral granulocytes and the estimated anxiety level of mice using the behavioral light/dark choice test. Our results indicate a linear and significant relationship between the intracellular redox status of peripheral blood granulocytes and different parameters of anxiety-related behavior including latency time (R(2)=0.737, P<0.001), cumulative time spent in the lit box (R(2)=0.612, P<0.01) and number of entries into the lit box (R(2)=0.661, P<0.01). These results suggest a positive relationship between peripheral oxidative status and level of anxiety in mice.     

Hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of a traditional medicinal plant of Chile, Peumus boldus

Dried hydro-alcoholic extract of Peumus boldus (Monimiaceae) has been evaluated for hepatoprotective, choleretic and anti-inflammatory effects in mice and rats, in order to validate or to invalidate traditional therapeutic indications. This extract exerted a significant hepatoprotection of tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced hepatotoxicity in isolated rat hepatocytes (in vitro technique) by reducing the lipid peroxidation and the enzymatic leakage of LDH; this in vitro efficacy was reinforced by a significant hepatoprotection on CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in mice (in vivo technique), the plant extract reducing the enzymatic leakage of ALAT. Boldine, the main alkaloid of P. boldus appears to be implicated in this hepatoprotective activity. Choleretic effects, often mentioned in traditional indications, have not been confirmed in rats. Finally, significant and dose-dependent anti-inflammatory effects were obtained on an acute inflammatory process (carrageenan-induced edema test in rats). Boldine does not appear to be involved in such properties.     

Étude de l’effet antidiabétique des saponines extraites d’<Emphasis Type="Italic">Anabasis articulata</Emphasis> (Forssk) Moq,plante utilisée traditionnellement en Algérie

Anabasis articulata is a plant used by Algerian traditional medicine as a remedy for the treatment of diabetes. The aqueous extract was found to be non-toxic until at 1,000 mg/kg during period (24 and 72 hours). Experiments were performed in non-diabetic mice, and in diabetic mice (alloxan treated mice). Our results showed that the orally administration at a dose of 400 mg/kg decreased the glycaemia to 29.89% (p < 0.05), 6 hours after administration, corresponding to the greatest decrease of blood glucose in normoglycaemic mice (hypoglycemic effect). They also show that orally administration at 400 mg/kg decreased the glycaemia to 74.48% (p < 0.05) 21 days after treatment. Phytochemical screening exhibited that the aqueous extract contains alkaloid and saponin components with percentage 1.25 and 1.30%, respectively. Our findings displayed that saponin (at 5 mg/kg) was the active fraction, as it permitted to restore the normal blood glucose levels, after 21 days of treatment, and that the alkaloid fraction did not significantly reduce the blood glucose level. The present study shows the no toxic effect in sub-acute administration and to confirm the anti-diabetic traditional use of Anabasis articulata. With active support in saponin’s triterpenoids compounds.     

Caractérisation et bioévaluation des polyphénols: nouveaux domaines d’application en santé et nutrition

In the present study, we have shown that plums protected granulocyte cells from oxidative stress by their potential to inhibit the intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation. The consumption of 100 g of fresh plums can provide antioxidants equivalent to 613.98–2137.59 mg of vitamin C. The major polyphenols in plums were identified and quantified using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which revealed that neochlorogenic acid was the predominant polyphenol. Plums are a source of polyphenols with dual effects: antioxidant and anxiolytic, like chlorogenic acid, which may provide health-promoting advantages to the consumer.     

Preliminary study on immunological and behavioural effects of Thymus broussonetii Boiss., an endemic species in Morocco

In the present work, we had tried to evaluate the immunotropic and behavioural effects of Thymus broussonetii Boiss. So, we tested the neurostimulant effects of four extracts. This preliminary study allowed to identify both the immunostimulant and the neurotropic antistress effects of the studied extracts. Among the four extracts, only the aqueous and ethyl acetate ones showed an apparent effect on the tested biological activities, whereas the butanolic extract and the essential oil did not show any interesting effect (data not shown). These results showed that the aqueous and ethyl extracts of this endemic species are of interest for two reasons: stimulation of the immunizing system and protection against the stress by a neurotropic activity. Thyme extracts increased in vivo the number of leucocyte categories studied including polynuclears, total lymphocytes, TCD4+, TCD8+ and NK cells. These data suggest that the intraperitoneal administration of Thymus broussonetii extract has a potent direct effect on leucocytes in vivo. The elevation of leucocyte and thrombocyte counts produced by thyme in the peripheral blood was already reported in the literature. These results could be of practical importance in the field of phytotherapy in the treatment of some cases of human immunodeficiency such as cancer, leukaemia and AIDS.     

Effet antidiab��tog��ne et cytoprotecteur de l��extrait butanolique de Ranunculus repens L. et de la querc��tine sur un mod��le exp��rimental de diab��te alloxanique

The antidiabetogenic and cytoprotective effects of flavonoid extracts of Ranunculus repens L. and quercetin are studied in the case of diabetes induced by alloxan in Wistar Albino rats. These phenolic compounds have shown cytoprotective potential for ?? cells and antidiabetogenic capacities for alloxanic diabetes that unbalance the redox status of pancreatic cells for the benefit of oxidant stress. The activity of these flavonoids translates into a significantly positive effect on insulin secretion for ?? cells and glycaemia. This effect is due to the antioxidant and chemoprotective powers of phenolic compounds brought to bear on ?? cells intoxicated by alloxan, which thus translates into a reduction in production of MDA by inhibiting lipid peroxidation and normalization of cytosolic levels in antioxidant systems (SOD, CAT and GSH). These effects are hence likely to maintain a balanced cell redox status following administration of alloxan in association with flavonoids.