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Background: Alyssum L. is a genus of herbaceous perennial or annual plants belonging to the Brassicaceae family. Little is known about biochemical properties of Alyssum species, specially endemics to Iran. In particular, the species were A. homolocarpum (Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) Boiss., A. lepidotum Boiss., A. maritimum (L.) Lam. (now syn. of Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv.) and A. simplex Rudolph. and eight accessions were studied. These diverse species accessions were collected in six different areas. Materials and Methods: In this work, the Total Phenolic Content (TPC), the Total Flavonoid Content (TFD), the Total Flavonol Content (TFL), the Carotenoid content (Car) and the Anthocyanin content (Ant) of the leaf methanolic extracts of four Alyssum L. species collected in Iran, were assessed. The antioxidant activity assay for every extract obtained from the eight accessions was also carried out according to three distinct methodologies including three different methods including: DPPH, Beta carotene/ linoleic acid and phosphomolibdate assays. Results: The highest TPC, TFD and TFL values were separately observed in two different accessions of A. lepidotum whereas the highest carotenoid content was observed in one accession of A. homolocarpum and the highest anthocyanin content was observed in A. maritimum. Different results were observed for different methodolies for antioxidant evaluations methods and some of them were found to have values, expressed in mg/mL, much lower with respect to the control. The least DPPH activity and the highest total antioxidant activity with phosphomolybdate assay was found in A. lepidotum. Conclusion: The preliminary phytochemical screening and the evaluation of their antioxidant activities were reported here for the first time for Iranian Alyssum species. The findings eventually recommends, the use of those accessions in the ethnopharmacological and nutraceutical fields.

Considering the different antibiotic resistance pattern in different regions and the spread of resistance to common antibiotics administered in empirical therapy, it is recommended a periodic review of antibiotic resistance pattern in each area.

Background: Medicinal herbs such as Pistacia atlantica (P. atlantica) subsp. Kurdica have antimicrobial effects. The present study is aimed to investigate the nanocluster structure of P. atlantica subsp. Kurdica turpentine and its composing elements and antibacterial effect. Methods: 100 μl ethanol was used to dissolve oily turpentine. 2, 2.2, 2.4, and 2.6 µg/μl of turpentine were used for investigating the antibacterial effects using disk and well diffusion methods. Elemental and nanocluster structure analyses were performed by Energy-Dispersive XRay Microanalysis (EDXMA) and Field Emission (FE)-scanning electron. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferoni test were used for data analysis (p ≤ 0.001). Results and Discussion: EDXMA elemental analysis of turpentine included: zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), fluorine (F), oxygen (O), silicium (Si), carbon (C), and argentum (Ag). A topography image of the turpentine showed a nanocluster surface with bright clusters in the background. The largest diameters of the growth inhibition zones (24.67 ± 0.58 mm in the disk diffusion and 23.67 ± 1.53 mm in the well diffusion) that were created by turpentine were observed against S. aureus ATCC 25923 at the concentration of 2.6 µg/μl. Diameter of the inhibition zone around bacterial growth had a direct relationship with turpentine concentration (p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: The nanocluster structure of turpentine and its composed elements were detected in this research. Moreover, antibacterial effects of turpentine were proved. Herbal substances are widely used in medical applications. Different elements of P. atlantica subsp. Kurdica turpentine can be used as antibacterial agents, but more in-vitro and in-vivo studies should be performed in this field.