- Syrian Studies, Lebanon, Contemporary Poetry, Modernist Literature (Literary Modernism), Arabic Literature, Psychology, and 39 moreEducation, Ecology, Sociology, Philosophy, Political Science, History, Public Health, Economics, Anthropology, Cultural Studies, Information Systems, Climate Change, Medicine, Social Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, International Relations, Communication, Business, Literature, Artificial Intelligence, Management, Human Rights, Ethics, Environmental Sustainability, Public Policy, Media Studies, Languages and Linguistics, Finance, Mathematics, Political Philosophy, Sustainable Development, International Law, Human Resource Management, Middle East Studies, Transnationalism, Middle East Politics, Minorities, and Political Theoryedit
- I am Professor of Political Science and International Affair and Economics additional for having 2 Master Degrees i International Law and Biochemistry .edit
Psophocarpus tetragonolobus has long been used in traditional medicine and cuisine. In this study, Psophocarpus tetragonolobus extracts were isolated by maceration and ultrasound-assisted extraction and were evaluated for their... more
Psophocarpus tetragonolobus has long been used in traditional medicine and cuisine. In this study, Psophocarpus tetragonolobus extracts were isolated by maceration and ultrasound-assisted extraction and were evaluated for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. The obtained results show that both extracts (maceration and ultrasound) were rich in bioactive molecules and exerted substantial antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The P. tetragonolobus extracts’ treatment in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages resulted in a significant downregulation of the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-1β mRNA. In addition, the P. tetragonolobus extracts’ treatment attenuated inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression. Our observations indicate that there is no significant difference between the two studied extracts of P. tetragonolobus in t...
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The skin serves as the body’s first line of defense, guarding against mechanical, chemical, and thermal damage to the interior organs. It includes a highly developed immune response that serves as a barrier against pathogenic infections.... more
The skin serves as the body’s first line of defense, guarding against mechanical, chemical, and thermal damage to the interior organs. It includes a highly developed immune response that serves as a barrier against pathogenic infections. Wound healing is a dynamic process underpinned by numerous cellular activities, including homeostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling, that require proper harmonious integration to effectively repair the damaged tissue. Following cutaneous damage, microorganisms can quickly enter the tissues beneath the skin, which can result in chronic wounds and fatal infections. Natural phytomedicines that possess considerable pharmacological properties have been widely and effectively employed forwound treatment and infection prevention. Since ancient times, phytotherapy has been able to efficiently treat cutaneous wounds, reduce the onset of infections, and minimize the usage of antibiotics that cause critical antibiotic resistance. There are a rem...
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The pomegranate fruit is made of white to deep purple seeds that are enclosed in a white, spongy, astringent membrane, also known as pericarp, covered by a thick red skin and a crown-shaped calyx. It contains a variety of beneficial... more
The pomegranate fruit is made of white to deep purple seeds that are enclosed in a white, spongy, astringent membrane, also known as pericarp, covered by a thick red skin and a crown-shaped calyx. It contains a variety of beneficial ingredients, including flavonoids, ellagitannin, punicalagin, ellagic acid, vitamins, and minerals. Pomegranates possess numerous health benefits, and their use in disease treatment has been widely recognized since antiquity. This fruit was known to exhibit several biological properties, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer activities. Pomegranate has been used in a variety of medical systems for the treatment and therapy of a wide range of diseases and illnesses. This review summarizes studies highlighting the potential role of pomegranate in the prevention and treatment of diseases related to respiratory and digestive systems.
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Background: Lung cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide. Eucalyptus plant extract has been shown to have anti-neoplastic effects. We investigated the antitumor effect of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Eucalyptus... more
Background: Lung cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide. Eucalyptus plant extract has been shown to have anti-neoplastic effects. We investigated the antitumor effect of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Eucalyptus camaldulensis collected at different altitudes on A549. In addition, we evaluated the additive effect of its combination with low-dose cisplatin (CDDP). Methods: Qualitative and quantitative analyses of secondary metabolites present in the plants were carried out. The antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of the different extracts on A549 were evaluated using the 2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and neutral red assay, respectively. The cytotoxic effect of the combination of certain extract concentrations with low-dose CDDP on A549 cells was studied. Results: In the Ethanoic extract, a higher number of active substances and antioxidant activities were observed. The four E. camaldulensis extracts showed cytotoxic activity on A549 cells, wi...
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Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) is a possible alternative to high-nutritional-value crops. Amaranth seeds are considered to be one of the few sources of phytosqualene (up to 8%). The use of squalene and its hydrogenated form squalane in... more
Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) is a possible alternative to high-nutritional-value crops. Amaranth seeds are considered to be one of the few sources of phytosqualene (up to 8%). The use of squalene and its hydrogenated form squalane in skincare formulations has been steadily increasing, and the demand for these compounds is expected to rise continuously. The aim of this study was to investigate the amaranth oilseed as a potential ingredient for cosmetic applications. First, an experimental design and optimization were carried out in order to obtain amaranth oil rich in squalane instead of squalene through catalytic hydrogenation. Under the optimal conditions, the resulting oil was fully hydrogenated, with higher stability, and more suitable for cosmetic uses. Furthermore, the effect of the addition of amaranth oil and squalane on the rheological and sensory characteristics of moisturizing cream formulations was assessed. As expected, higher contents of oil and polyunsaturated fatty ...
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This work aimed to purify, identify and quantify some of the bioactive compounds in the aqueous and ethanolic extracts from a Lebanese Eryngium creticum L. in addition to evaluate its metal content, particularly trace elements and thus to... more
This work aimed to purify, identify and quantify some of the bioactive compounds in the aqueous and ethanolic extracts from a Lebanese Eryngium creticum L. in addition to evaluate its metal content, particularly trace elements and thus to estimate its antioxidant activity. The phytochemical screening results indicated the presence of different bioactive compounds in both extracts mainly phenolic compounds, alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids and flavonoids. On the other hand, XRF showed that this plant contains metals such silver, zirconium, nickel, selenium, niobium and molybdenum, iron, calcium, manganese and copper. The results of three in vitro antioxidant methods, DPPH, Ferrozine and H2O2 showed a significant antioxidant activity in both ethanolic and aqueous extracts revealing that E. creticum is a good source of different antioxidant and bioactive compounds.Read Complete Article at ijSciences: V3201403480
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Our study was focused on the quantification and determination of the chemical composition of both aqueous and ethanolic extracts from dried leaves and stems of five Lebanese plants Astragalus coluteiodes, Astragalus angulosus, Euphorbia... more
Our study was focused on the quantification and determination of the chemical composition of both aqueous and ethanolic extracts from dried leaves and stems of five Lebanese plants Astragalus coluteiodes, Astragalus angulosus, Euphorbia macroclada, Trigonella berythea and Anacyclus nigllifolius. In order to detect the presence of phenol, saponin, coumarin, tannin, alkaloid, flavonoid and volatile oil, a preliminary phytochemical screening has been done. The quantification of saponin, alkaloids, lipids, ash, elements contents and humidity has been done using the classical methods. The phytochemical screening showed that aqueous and ethanolic extracts from both the leaves and stems of the five studied plants contain polyphenol, flavonoid, tannin, saponin and terpenoid in different concentrations. On the other hand, our plants contain fewer amounts of some heavy metals (Fe, Cd, Mn, Cr and Cu). From our work, it can be concluded that both leaves and stems of the five plants contain good...
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This study is made to prove the efficiency of the activated carbon (AC) of Lebanese Cymbopogon citratus in the adsorption of lead (Pb(II)) from aqueous medium. The adsorption was found to be dependent on initial metal ion concentration,... more
This study is made to prove the efficiency of the activated carbon (AC) of Lebanese Cymbopogon citratus in the adsorption of lead (Pb(II)) from aqueous medium. The adsorption was found to be dependent on initial metal ion concentration, pH of the solution, temperature, contact time and adsorbent dose. The maximum adsorption capacity was found for the concentration of 450 mg/L, pH 4, temperature 25 o C, contact time 2h, and adsorbent dose 1g. The equilibrium adsorption was better described by Freundlich isotherm model rather than Langmuir model. The kinetic data were better represented by the pseudo-second-order than the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. Thermodynamic studies showed that the process was exothermic and spontaneous. The results of this study reveal that the activated carbon (AC) of Lebanese Cymbopogon citratus is a very effective and environmentally friendly adsorbent, with low cost for Pb (II) removal.
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Polyphenolic compounds are bioactive substances widely distributed in the plant kingdom. They act as natural antioxidants and their presence contributes to the color, flavor, and aroma of food. Therefore, they are considered dietary... more
Polyphenolic compounds are bioactive substances widely distributed in the plant kingdom. They act as natural antioxidants and their presence contributes to the color, flavor, and aroma of food. Therefore, they are considered dietary antioxidants with interesting benefits to health. In this article the extraction of total phenolics, total Flavonoids and antioxidants activity from Eryngium creticum was determined after obtaining the plant extracts by conventional and non-conventional extraction techniques. Also this study aims to determine the bioactive constituents present in E. creticum extracts by using GC-MS method. The results obtained show that microwave assisted extraction is the best technique used for the extraction of phenolic compounds and flavonoids from E. creticum giving a yield of 34.46 µg/mL and 21.05 µg/mL respectively. However, the antioxidants activity, evaluated by the DPPH assay was low in all the extraction techniques. Also the results showed the presence of 9 fa...
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Helicobacterpylori is one of the most prevalent pathogens colonizing 50% of the world’s population and causing gastritis and gastric cancer. Even with triple and quadruple antibiotic therapies, H. pylori shows increased prevalence of... more
Helicobacterpylori is one of the most prevalent pathogens colonizing 50% of the world’s population and causing gastritis and gastric cancer. Even with triple and quadruple antibiotic therapies, H. pylori shows increased prevalence of resistance to conventional antibiotics and treatment failure. Due to their pore-forming activity, antimicrobial peptides (AMP) are considered as a good alternative to conventional antibiotics, particularly in the case of resistant bacteria. In this study, temporin-SHa (a frog AMP) and its analogs obtained by Gly to Ala substitutions were tested against H. pylori. Results showed differences in the antibacterial activity and toxicity of the peptides in relation to the number and position of D-Ala substitution. Temporin-SHa and its analog NST1 were identified as the best molecules, both peptides being active on clinical resistant strains, killing 90–100% of bacteria in less than 1 h and showing low to no toxicity against human gastric cells and tissue. Imp...
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Filamentous fungi, although producing noxious molecules such as mycotoxins, have been used to produce numerous drugs active against human diseases such as paclitaxel, statins, and penicillin, saving millions of human lives.... more
Filamentous fungi, although producing noxious molecules such as mycotoxins, have been used to produce numerous drugs active against human diseases such as paclitaxel, statins, and penicillin, saving millions of human lives. Cyclodepsipeptides are fungal molecules with potentially adverse and positive effects. Although these peptides are not novel, comparative studies of their antimicrobial activity, toxicity, and mechanism of action are still to be identified. In this study, the fungal cyclohexadepsipeptides enniatin (ENN) and beauvericin (BEA) were assessed to determine their antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity against human cells. Results showed that these peptides were active against Gram-positive bacteria, Mycobacterium, and fungi, but not against Gram-negative bacteria. ENN and BEA had a limited hemolytic effect, yet were found to be toxic at low doses to nucleated human cells. Both peptides also interacted with bacterial lipids, causing low to no membrane permeabilization,...
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Chronic cerebral ischemia with a notable long-term cessation of blood supply to the brain tissues leads to sensorimotor defects and short- and long-term memory problems. Neuroprotective agents are used in an attempt to save ischemic... more
Chronic cerebral ischemia with a notable long-term cessation of blood supply to the brain tissues leads to sensorimotor defects and short- and long-term memory problems. Neuroprotective agents are used in an attempt to save ischemic neurons from necrosis and apoptosis, such as the antioxidant agent Eucalyptus. Numerous studies have demonstrated the involvement of the renin-angiotensin system in the initiation and progression of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Candesartan is a drug that acts as an angiotensin II receptor 1 blocker. We established a rat model exhibiting sensorimotor and cognitive impairments due to chronic cerebral ischemia induced by the ligation of the right common carotid artery. Wistar male rats were randomly divided into five groups: Sham group, Untreated Ligated group, Ischemic group treated with Eucalyptus (500 mg/kg), Ischemic group treated with Candesartan (0.5 mg/kg), and Ischemic group treated with a combination of Eucalyptus and Candesartan....
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In our work, the primary phytochemical screening of the plant Centranthus longiflorus grown in Lebanon has been accomplished. Also, aqueous and methanolic extracts from this plant have been studied for their scavenger activity using three... more
In our work, the primary phytochemical screening of the plant Centranthus longiflorus grown in Lebanon has been accomplished. Also, aqueous and methanolic extracts from this plant have been studied for their scavenger activity using three different in vitro tests, the DPPH, H2O2 and the iron chelating. The obtained results of the phytochemical screening showed the presence of flavonoids, phenols, essential oils, alkaloids and terpenoids. On the other hand, the DPPH test of the C. longiflorus showed a high antioxidant potential reaching 80 %. Moreover, the H2O2 test showed that this maximal antioxidant activity was 70 %. The iron-chelate test showed an antioxidant activity reaching 50 %. In conclusion, the obtained results of all of these tests demonstrated that this plant might be used in the prevention and in the treatment of different diseases related to oxidative stress.
A series of eight new materials based on the ionic association between 1-methyl-3-alkylimidazolium cations and the nanometric anionic Keplerate [Mo132O372(CH3COO)30(H2O)72]42− has been prepared and characterized in the solid state. The... more
A series of eight new materials based on the ionic association between 1-methyl-3-alkylimidazolium cations and the nanometric anionic Keplerate [Mo132O372(CH3COO)30(H2O)72]42− has been prepared and characterized in the solid state. The liquid crystal properties of these materials were investigated by the combination of Polarized Optical Microscopy, Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Small-angle X-Ray Diffraction showing a self-organization in lamellar (L) mesophases for the major part of them. From the interlamellar spacing h and the intercluster distance ahex, we demonstrated that the cations are not randomly organized around the anionic cluster and that the alkyl chains of the cations are certainly folded, which limits the van der Waals interactions between the cations within the liquid crystal phase and therefore harms the quality of the mesophases. WATFA, Nancy, et al. Synthesis, Characterization and Study of Liquid Crystals Based on the Ionic Association of the Keplerate Ani...
The present study aims to investigate the properties of biopolymers extracted from a Lebanese onion non edible plant. The extraction was performed under mild conditions by varying the percentage of ultra-sound (US) treatment duration to a... more
The present study aims to investigate the properties of biopolymers extracted from a Lebanese onion non edible plant. The extraction was performed under mild conditions by varying the percentage of ultra-sound (US) treatment duration to a total extraction time of 30 min (0, 50, 100% US). The extracts were characterized using FTIR, SEC, GC-MS, TGA, and DSC analyses. The composition of the extracts was determined from the total carbohydrate content and protein content measurements. The thermal analyses indicate that all samples have high thermal stability. The antioxidant activities of the extracts were investigated, using β-carotene bleaching, scavenging activity of ABTS, metal chelating ability, and total antioxidant activity tests. The results indicate that the 50% US treatment leads to the best antioxidant activity. Biocompatibility of the extracts was evaluated using hemolysis and cytotoxicity assays. The results showed that 0 and 50% US samples are not toxic to human cells, in c...
Research Interests: Medicine and Antioxidants
First to discuss different extraction techniques along with their basic mechanism for extracting bioactive compounds from leaves and stems of the Lebanese Eryngium creticum L. Second, to purify, identify and quantify some of the bioactive... more
First to discuss different extraction techniques along with their basic mechanism for extracting bioactive compounds from leaves and stems of the Lebanese Eryngium creticum L. Second, to purify, identify and quantify some of the bioactive compounds from the ethanolic extracts of leaves and stems of this plant and to evaluate its sterols and fatty acids content. Finally to estimate its antioxidant activity. Purification, identification and quantification of the bioactive compounds of leaves and stems of the studied plant have been done using a chromatographic analysis. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using a spectrophotometric method. Finally, the analysis of fatty acids and sterols has been estimated using different techniques such as GCMS and HPLC-DAD.The phytochemical screening indicates that E. creticum contains high levels of minerals and bioactive compounds. On the other hand, using the DPPH test, the ethanolic extract showed high antioxidant capacity dependent on the co...
In order to quantify total phenolics and flavonoids contents in Momordica charantia fruit extract and its total antioxidant activity, t he spectrophotometric analyses were employed. Furthermore, to confirm the antioxidant a ctivity of M.... more
In order to quantify total phenolics and flavonoids contents in Momordica charantia fruit extract and its total antioxidant activity, t he spectrophotometric analyses were employed. Furthermore, to confirm the antioxidant a ctivity of M. charantia under biological medium, the cellular test using DCFH, se nsor of reactive oxygen species (ROS), was used. This study reports the total antio xidant capacity of M. charantia and highlights its scavenger capacity for ROS. The cons umption of 100g of M. charantia fruit can provide antioxidants equivalent to 145±1. 16mg of vitamin C.
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Lignans, phenolic plant secondary metabolites, are derived from the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway. Although, being investigated for their health benefits in terms of antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory and antiviral... more
Lignans, phenolic plant secondary metabolites, are derived from the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway. Although, being investigated for their health benefits in terms of antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, the role of these molecules in plants remains incompletely elucidated; a potential role in stress response mechanisms has been, however, proposed. In this study, a non-targeted metabolomic analysis of the roots, stems, and leaves of wild-type and PLR1-RNAi transgenic flax, devoid of (+) secoisolariciresinol diglucoside ((+) SDG)—the main flaxseed lignan, was performed using 1H-NMR and LC-MS, in order to obtain further insight into the involvement of lignan in the response of plant to osmotic stress. Results showed that wild-type and lignan-deficient flax plants have different metabolic responses after being exposed to osmotic stress conditions, but they both showed the capacity to induce an adaptive response to osmotic stress. These findings sugg...
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In this work, free radical photopolymerization (FRP) kinetics for series of different phenylamine oxime ester structures (DMA-P, DEA-P, DMA-M, TP-2P, TP-2M and TP-3M) was investigated. Steric hindrance and branched substituents were... more
In this work, free radical photopolymerization (FRP) kinetics for series of different phenylamine oxime ester structures (DMA-P, DEA-P, DMA-M, TP-2P, TP-2M and TP-3M) was investigated. Steric hindrance and branched substituents were prepared to realize the corresponding electronic and photopolymerization effects. The photophysical, electrochemical, thermal properties and radical concentration were investigated by UV-visible spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Further, the structure-reactivity relationships were also studied in detail through photo-DSC experiment. We demonstrate that the introduction alkyl chains and/or numbers of oxime esters affecting significantly to the photoreactivity. Under the same weight ratio of formulation and irradiated condition, TP-3M containing three oxime esters in its structure and methyl group in the periphery exhibits the highest double bond conversion efficiency. TP-3M based formulation also shows a wide operation window under different contents and light intensities. Importantly, the photoreactivity of the TP-3M based system was found to be better than the commercial photoinitiator (OXE-01) under LED@405 nm at a low concentration. This work could provide some significance to the design of oxime esters with enhanced photoreactivity.
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This paper deals with the biological potential of coordination compounds based on binuclear core [MoV2O2E2]2+ (E = O or S) coordinated with commercially available ligands such as oxalates (Ox2-), L-cysteine (L-cys2-), L-histidine... more
This paper deals with the biological potential of coordination compounds based on binuclear core [MoV2O2E2]2+ (E = O or S) coordinated with commercially available ligands such as oxalates (Ox2-), L-cysteine (L-cys2-), L-histidine (L-his-), Iminodiacetate (IDA2-), Nitrilotriacetate (HNTA2- or NTA3-) or ethylenediamine tetraacetate (EDTA4-) by means of various in vitro assays in a screening approach. Results suggest that the obtained complexes show weak antibacterial and antifungal properties while not being cytotoxic on cancerous and mammalian cells. In contrast, [Mo2O2E2(L-cys)2]2- complexes stand out as powerful antioxidant, whereas [Mo2O2E2(EDTA)]2- associating tetraphenylphosphonium counter-cations display strong antibiotic activity. Finally, some complexes have evidenced a positive activity towards the growing of spirulina platensis together with a modification of the proportions of biological components inside the cells. These findings reveal promising bioactivity of the bridged binuclear Mo(+V) cores inside complexes and encourage further research for new highly active yet non-toxic molecules for biological and biomedical applications.
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A novel analytical method namely magnetic solid phase extraction in tandem with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction was developed and used for the extraction/preconcentration of tetracycline (TCN), oxytetracycline (OTC) and... more
A novel analytical method namely magnetic solid phase extraction in tandem with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction was developed and used for the extraction/preconcentration of tetracycline (TCN), oxytetracycline (OTC) and doxycycline (DC) from bovine milk sample before HPLC-UV analysis. The β-cyclodextrin functionalized silica-coated magnetic graphene oxide (Fe3O4@SiO2@GO-β-CD) was used as an adsorbent. The adsorbent was fully characterized using FT-IR, SEM, EDX and Zeta potential techniques. The effective parameters on the performance of the method such as extraction solvent type and volume, adsorbent amount, desorption solvent type and volume, disperser solvent type, desorption time, ionic strength and pH value were investigated. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were obtained in the ranges of 1.8-2.9 μg L-1 and 6.1-9.7 μg L-1, respectively. The linearity was in the range of 10.0-200.0 μg L-1 with satisfactory determination coefficients (R2) higher than 0.9929 and a good precision (RSD < 8.8%). The recovery percentages for the analytes in real samples (bovine milk and water) were achieved in a range from 70.6 to 121.5%.
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Abstract Three imidazolium salts having their two N-substituents equipped with remote calix[4]arenyl termini have been synthesised and converted into N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes of the type [PdCl2(NHC)(pyridine)]. An X-ray... more
Abstract Three imidazolium salts having their two N-substituents equipped with remote calix[4]arenyl termini have been synthesised and converted into N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes of the type [PdCl2(NHC)(pyridine)]. An X-ray diffraction study carried out for one of the complexes, namely, trans-[1,3-bis(4-{25,26,27,28-tetrapropyloxycalix[4]aren-5-yl}phenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene](pyridine)palladium(II) dichloride, revealed that in the solid state the complex crystallises as a self-assembled dimer, its components being held together by dispersion forces involving the polyphenoxy units, the pyridine ligands and phenylene rings. This structure provides a new example of the diversity of interactions that may occur in NHC complexes of catalytic relevance, which are thus not limited to intramolecular ones. There was no spectroscopic indication that such interactions also occur in solution.
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Herein, the efficiency of Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaves as biosorbent for lead and copper was investigated. The particle size distribution was determined by Granulometric analysis and the functional groups were identified by FT-IR... more
Herein, the efficiency of Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaves as biosorbent for lead and copper was investigated. The particle size distribution was determined by Granulometric analysis and the functional groups were identified by FT-IR spectroscopy. The effects of contact time, pH and initial metal ions concentration were investigated. The experimental kinetic data were well fitted by the pseudo-second order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm with a maximum adsorption capacity up to 71 mg g-1 and 37 mg g-1 for Cu2+ and Pb2+ respectively. The selectivity was examined in a binary ions solution where the adsorbent showed preference for lead over copper.
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The compound Cs2[Mo2O2S2(C3H2O4)2(H2O)2]·2H2O has been synthetized and isolated as single crystals. It crystallizes in the Pnma space group and the structural analysis reveals that all the components are held together to build a 3D... more
The compound Cs2[Mo2O2S2(C3H2O4)2(H2O)2]·2H2O has been synthetized and isolated as single crystals. It crystallizes in the Pnma space group and the structural analysis reveals that all the components are held together to build a 3D compact layered network, evidencing that {Mo2O2S2}-based molecular complexes can be used as building units for the elaboration of metal organic frameworks materials.
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Medicinal plants are considered an important source for the production of new drugs due to their richness in bioactive compounds. Urtica dioica is one of those medicinal plants that are widely distributed throughout the world, but... more
Medicinal plants are considered an important source for the production of new drugs due to their richness in bioactive compounds. Urtica dioica is one of those medicinal plants that are widely distributed throughout the world, but unfortunately, this plant is under-evaluated especially in the Middle East region. In this study, three different bioactive molecules were identified in the hexane extract of Urtica by GCMS and IR spectroscopy analysis. Ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Urtica dioica showed a high antioxidant activity, as revealed by diphenyl picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) and H2O2 tests, thus raising the therapeutic importance of these bioactive compounds. Moreover, the antioxidant activity was found to be fairly correlated with the extracts concentration. Keywords—medicinal plant, Urtica dioica, bioactive compounds, GC-MS, antioxidant activity, DPPH, H2O2.
Background: Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. Chemotherapy regimens, targeted against lung cancer, are considered an effective treatment; albeit with multiple fatal side effects. An alternative strategy,... more
Background: Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. Chemotherapy regimens, targeted against lung cancer, are considered an effective treatment; albeit with multiple fatal side effects. An alternative strategy, nowadays, is using natural products. Medicinal plants have been used, in combination with chemotherapy, to ameliorate side effects. This study aims to investigate the antitumor effect of pomegranate juice (Punica granatum) on human lung adenocarcinoma basal epithelial cells (A549), to check the effect, when combined with low dose cisplatin (CDDP), at different doses. We also have evaluated the potential protective effect of pomegranate on normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Methods: Phytochemical screening of the extract was done using standard classical tests. Total phenolic and sugar contents were determined using the Folin–Ciocalteu and anthrone reagents, respectively. The antioxidant activity of pomegranate was estimated by the 2,2-dipheny...
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Natural products, particularly those extracted from plants, have been used as therapy for different diseases for thousands of years. The first written records on the plants used in natural medicine, referred to as “medicinal plants”, go... more
Natural products, particularly those extracted from plants, have been used as therapy for different diseases for thousands of years. The first written records on the plants used in natural medicine, referred to as “medicinal plants”, go back to about 2600 BC. A thorough and complete understanding of medicinal plants encompasses a multiplex of overlapping and integrated sciences such as botany, pharmacognosy, chemistry, enzymology and genetics. Psophocarpus tetragonolobus, a member of Fabaceae family also called winged bean, is a perennial herbaceous plant characterized by its tuberous roots and its winged pod twinning and a perennial legume rich in proteins, oils, vitamins and carbohydrates. Besides nutrients, winged bean also contains bioactive compounds that have therapeutic activities like anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, antibacterial, antifungal, antiproliferative and cytotoxic activity, a few of which already been reported. This plant can also be used as a med...
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The biological activities of berberine, a natural plant molecule, are known to be affected by structural modifications, mostly at position 9 and/or 13. A series of new 13-substituted berberine derivatives were synthesized and evaluated in... more
The biological activities of berberine, a natural plant molecule, are known to be affected by structural modifications, mostly at position 9 and/or 13. A series of new 13-substituted berberine derivatives were synthesized and evaluated in term of antimicrobial activity using various microorganisms associated to human diseases. Contrarily to the original molecule berberine, several derivatives were found strongly active in microbial sensitivity tests against Mycobacterium, Candida albicans and Gram-positive bacteria, including naïve or resistant Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 3.12 to 6.25 µM. Among the various Gram-negative strains tested, berberine’s derivatives were only found active on Helicobacter pylori and Vibrio alginolyticus (MIC values of 1.5–3.12 µM). Cytotoxicity assays performed on human cells showed that the antimicrobial berberine derivatives caused low toxicity resulting in good therapeut...
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Background: Lung and breast cancers are common in the world and represent major public health problems. Systemic chemotherapy is an effective way to prolong survival but it is associated with side effects. Plants are used as traditional... more
Background: Lung and breast cancers are common in the world and represent major public health problems. Systemic chemotherapy is an effective way to prolong survival but it is associated with side effects. Plants are used as traditional treatments for many types of cancers, mostly in combination with chemotherapy. We investigated the antitumor effect of ethanolic (EE) and aqueous (AE) extracts of Eucalyptus camaldulensis on human alveolar adenocarcinoma basal epithelial cells (A549) and breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF-7) and checked the synergistic effect of the combination with low-dose cisplatin (CDDP). Methods: AE and EE were characterized for their secondary metabolites including content of phenol and antioxidant activity of both extracts. Cell viability was tested by the neutral red assay and MTT. Combinations of extract with low-dose CDDP on A549, MCF-7 cells, and normal cells peripheral blood mononuclear cells was used to study cell viability. Results: AE contains higher...
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A new biorefinery approach has been developed in the present study, and applied on cumin (Cuminum cyminum) seeds as a potential source of phytochemicals of interest. Cumin is a popular spice used widely for its distinctive aroma. It is a... more
A new biorefinery approach has been developed in the present study, and applied on cumin (Cuminum cyminum) seeds as a potential source of phytochemicals of interest. Cumin is a popular spice used widely for its distinctive aroma. It is a rich reserve of both vegetable and essential oils. The biorefinery approach here focused on the evaluation of the influence of four different geographical origins (i.e., Lebanon, France, Algeria and Syria) on oil yield and quality in cumin seed, and on the valorization of remaining by-products by investigating their nutritional content and biological activity for the first time. Vegetable and essential oils were extracted, and their compositions were determined. Nutritional traits were also assessed. The delipidated and hydrodistillated cakes just as aromatic water were characterized for their fiber, sugar, protein, phenol and flavonoid contents. Antibacterial and antioxidant activities were also determined. Cumin seeds showed high contents in both ...
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In this study, eight coumarins (coumarins 1–8) are proposed as near-UV and blue light sensitive photoinitiators/photosensitizers for the cationic polymerization (CP) of epoxysilicones when combined with... more
In this study, eight coumarins (coumarins 1–8) are proposed as near-UV and blue light sensitive photoinitiators/photosensitizers for the cationic polymerization (CP) of epoxysilicones when combined with 4-isopropyl-4’-methyldiphenyliodonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate (IOD). Among these coumarins, four of them (coumarins 1, 2, 6 and 8) have never been reported in the literature, i.e., these structures have been specifically designed to act as photoinitiators for silicones upon near UV and visible irradiation. Good final reactive epoxy function conversions (FCs) and also high rates of polymerization (Rp) were achieved in the presence of the newly proposed coumarin-based systems. The polymers generated from the photopolymerization of epoxysilicones can be considered as attractive candidates for several applications such as: elastomers, coatings, adhesives, and so on. The goal of this study focuses also on the comparison of the new proposed coumarins with well-established photose...
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Two imidazolylidene (Im) complexes of the general formula trans-[PdX2(Im)(pyridine)] (X=Cl (2), Br (3)), in which the N-heterocyclic carbene ligand has one of its nitrogen atoms substituted by a bulky 9-propyl-9-fluorenyl group (PrF),... more
Two imidazolylidene (Im) complexes of the general formula trans-[PdX2(Im)(pyridine)] (X=Cl (2), Br (3)), in which the N-heterocyclic carbene ligand has one of its nitrogen atoms substituted by a bulky 9-propyl-9-fluorenyl group (PrF), have been prepared and fully characterised by spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray structure analyses. In the solid state, the Im ring plane and the coordination plane of each complex are nearly orthogonal, thereby minimising the steric interactions between the N-substituents and the halide atoms. In both structures two methylenic C–H bonds sit near the dz2 axis point to the palladium atom, resulting in CH⋯Pd separations of 2.58/2.95Å in 2 and 2.74/2.74Å in 3. NMR measurements and DFT calculations indicate that these methylene groups are involved in anagostic CH⋯M interactions but not in significant H⋯X bonding.
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Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare L.) is an aromatic plant belonging to Apiaceae family widely cultivated elsewhere for its strongly flavoured leaves and seeds. Fennel seeds are of particular interest as a rich source of both vegetable and... more
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare L.) is an aromatic plant belonging to Apiaceae family widely cultivated elsewhere for its strongly flavoured leaves and seeds. Fennel seeds are of particular interest as a rich source of both vegetable and essential oils with high amounts of valuable components. However, residual cakes after oil extraction were typically considered as byproducts, in the present framework, the potential added value of these cakes was studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of addition of fennel cake and seeds to protein bread quality. In the current research, a single-screw extruder, which is a solvent-free technique, was used for fennel seed oil extraction. For the protein bread making, fennel seed and cake flour in concentrations from 1 to 6% were used. Moisture, colour L*a*b*, hardness, total phenolic concentration, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and nutritional value of protein bread were determined. The addition of fennel cake and seeds had sign...
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The goal of this paper concerns the first evaluation of two recently reported coumarins to initiate photopolymerization reactions. These two compounds (CoumA and CoumB) are proposed as high performance visible...