Medicinal and aromatic plants represent an outstanding source of green active ingredients for a broad range of real-world applications. In the present study, we investigated the insecticidal potential of the essential oils obtained from three medicinal and aromatic plants of economic importance in Algeria, Artemisia campestris, Pulicaria arabica, and Saccocalyx satureioides. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to study the essential oil chemical compositions. The three essential oils were tested against a mosquito vectoring filariasis and arboviruses, i.e., Culex quinquefasciatus, a fly pest acting also as pathogens vector, Musca domestica, and an agricultural moth pest, i.e., Spodoptera littoralis, using WHO and topical application methods, respectively. The essential oil from A. campestris, containing β-pinene (15.2%), α-pinene (11.2%), myrcene (10.3%), germacrene D (9.0%) (Z)-β-ocimene (8.1%) and γ-curcumene (6.4%), showed remarkable toxicity against C. quinquefasciatus (LC 50 of 45.8 mg L −1) and moderate effects (LD 50 of 99.8 μg adult −1) against M. domestica. Those from P. arabica and S. satureioides, containing epi-α-cadinol (23.9%), δ-cadinene (21.1%), α-cadinol (19.8%) and germacrene D-4-ol (8.4%), and thymol (25.6%), α-terpineol (24.6%), borneol (17.4%) and p-cymene (11.4%), respectively, were more active on S. littoralis showing LD 50 values of 68.9 and 61.2 μg larva −1 , respectively. Based on our results, the essential oil from A. campestris may be further considered a candidate ingredient for developing botanical larvicides.

The aqueous infusions of the aerial parts of Artemisia herba-alba Asso and Ajuga iva Schreber, prepared in accordance with the traditional procedure used in the local folk medicine, have been analysed for their composition and content of phytochemical constituents and examined for their antidiabetic effectiveness in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Oral administration of A. herba-alba and A. iva infusions was studied in normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats, which were randomly divided into nine groups, each group consisting of six animals. The drug preparations (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg b. w.) of each plant were given orally to the rats of each group twice daily for 15 days. Compositional analysis of the aqueous infusions revealed the presence of several polyphenols as main components. A. herba-alba infusion was characterised by mono- and di-cinnamoylquinic acids, with 5-caffeoylquinic (chlorogenic) acid being the main compound, followed by 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid. Vicenin-2 (apigenin 6,8-di-C-glucoside) appeared to be the most abundant among flavonoids. On the other hand, A. iva showed the exclusive presence of flavonoids, with the flavanone naringin present in relatively high levels together with several apigenin (flavone) derivatives. Oral administration of 300 mg/kg b. w. of the aqueous infusions of A. herba-alba and A. iva exhibited a significant reduction in blood glucose content, showing a much more efficient antidiabetic activity compared to glibenclamide, the oral hypoglycaemic agent used as a positive control in this study. These results suggest that A. herba-alba and A. iva possess significant antidiabetic activity, as they were able to improve the biochemical damage in alloxan-induced diabetes in rats.

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Background/Aim:This work aimed an ethnobatanical study on the galactogenic plants used in the Berhoum region (East of M’sila, Algeria) as a part of different studies on the medicinal plants related to M’sila region.Methods:The fieldwork was undertaken as an ethnobotanical survey involving 76 informants (mean age: 50; 64% women, 36% men). Used the medicinal plants were identified, and the results were analyzed according to literature investigation dealing with ethnobotany. Use value (UV), fidelity level, and informant consensus factor (ICF) were used to analyze the obtained data.Results:A total of 29 plant species belonging to 29 genera and 12 families (mainly, Apiaceae and Fabaceae) have been registered. Fruits and seeds were the most commonly used plant parts (80%). The used plants are mainly prepared as an infusion and decoction (69%). Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (UV = 0.58) were the species most commonly used by local healers. The FIC factors ranging from 0.45 to 0.89 for the six uses categories retained for this study. The ICF (0.65) was registered for the use galactogenic category with 29 species.Conclusion:This work showed that the population of the Berhoum District uses various medicinal plants for galactogenic purposes. Furthermore, ethnobotanical analysis will provide data on sustainable use and valorization of this plant heritage for ethnopharmacological and phytochemical studies.

In this study, the methanolic extract (ME) and the essential oil (EO) of the medicinal plant Artemisia campestris L. were investigated for their antioxidant activity and their antifungal efficacy on the postharvest storage decays; Botrytis cinerea Pers. and Penicillium expansum Link. The total polyphenolic and flavonoid contents were determined. The ME had higher total polyphenolic and flavonoid contents (400.64 µg GAE/mg and 43.13 ± 0.14 μg QE/mg, respectively) than EO (27.47 ± 0.44 µg GAE/mg and 14.04 ± 0.82 µg QE/mg, respectively). The ME presented higher radical scavenging power than the BHT and its IC 50 values were 11.71, 40.96 and 23.32 µg/mL for the DPPH, β-carotene bleaching and reducing power respectively. In the antifungal activity, the EO had the stronger effect on both molds, particularly at concentrations > 15 µL, ≥ 800 µL/L and ≥ 15 µL by fumigation, incorporation and discdiffusion methods respectively, resulting in higher than 80% inhibition of B. cinerea mycelial growth, and from 50 to > 80% inhibition on P. expansum mycelial growth. Methanolic extract showed nearby 50% inhibition on both fungi. The EO MIC was less than 2.5 µL/mL which was shown as MFC for both molds. The bio-autography test has shown separated compounds of the ME having an inhibitor effect on spore germination. These results offer an advantage of suggesting A. campestris could be used as a material for extraction of certain antifungal chemicals for preventing spoilage in food items.