No abstract

Fresh dates of seventeen varieties and khalts from Southern Morocco were analysed for their colour, pigments content, and sensory profile. The results showed significant differences between the sensory profiles of the samples due to the variability of the genotype and their different origin. Fresh date varieties and khalts were a good source of β-carotene (0.49 - 10.86 µg of β-carotene /100 g FW). The results revealed that the date varieties and khalts were found to have an excellent functional composition and good sensory characteristics. Therefore, these varieties of Moroccan dates could be used for fresh consumption and in the processing industry, which will constitute a significant source of antioxidants.

The therapeutic use of extraordinary virtues of algae in healthcare is very ancient and has evolved throughout the history of humanity. However, low or high doses and/or prolonged administration of algae-derived biologically active substances may trigger adverse or even harmful effects such as hemolytic properties. In this study, hemolytic activities of the brown algae Cystoseira myriophylloides (F/Sargassaceae) from El Jadida coast (Moroccan Atlantic coast) on human erythrocyte were investigated. The toxicity of chloroform-methanolic, methanolic, chloroformic, isoprpanolic and butanolic extracts and fractions derived from Cystoseira myriophylloides on human erythrocytes was measured by in vitro hemolytic assay. The results obtained show variable cytotoxicity of C. myriophyloides against the red blood cells. Indeed, the crude extract has a fairly high hemolytic activity that is very marked when the erythrocytes are incubated in the presence of the chloroformic extract. However, the cytotoxic activity is greatly increased in the presence of the butanolic fraction derived by partitioning of the isopropanolic extract. Moreover, the hemolysis activity is dose-dependent and depending on the evolution of incubation time. Thus, these results show that the majority of extracts and fractions of brown macroalgae Cystoseira myriophylloides manifest hemolytic activity.