This study investigates the effect of four vegetable oils (VOs) in mitigating ionising radiation (IR)-induced damage in Tetrahymena pyriformis. At concentrations up to 200 µg/mL, the VOs exhibited no cytotoxicity; however, at higher doses, garlic (Allium sativum L.) and argan (Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels) oils significantly reduced cell viability. IR exposure reduced cell viability by 55.5%, whereas treatment with VOs significantly improved post-irradiation survival. Binary oil combinations enhanced radioprotection, with the garlic and argan combination restoring cell numbers by 14.28%, restoring cell numbers to levels comparable to non-irradiated controls. Malondialdehyde levels were significantly reduced by the garlic-argan and the argan-avocado (Persea americana Mill.) combinations. The VOs also enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities and restored metabolic enzyme function post-irradiation. Sunflower oil (Helianthus annuus L.) exhibited the strongest radical scavenging activity (IC50 = 0.21 ± 0.06 mg/mL).

1,5-bis-(mercaptobenzimidazolyl) diethylene glycol (BBO1) is a newly synthesized benzimidazole derivative that has been characterized using comprehensive physicochemical analysis. Given the pharmacological potential of benzimidazole compounds and the lack of toxicological data for BBO1, this study investigated the acute toxicity of BBO1 in male Wistar rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to six groups and received a single intraperitoneal injection (ip) of BBO1 at doses of 250, 500, 750, 1000, and 1200 mg/kg, with one control group receiving vehicle. Animals were monitored daily for 14 days to assess mortality, food and water consumption, body weight (bw) changes, behavioral parameters, and oxidative stress biomarkers in brain tissues. The median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of BBO1 was determined to be 1071.4 mg/kg. High doses (750 and 1000 mg/kg) induced significant physiological alterations including initial weight loss and reduced food consumption. Behavioral assessments revealed decreased locomotor activity and increased anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in the high-dose groups. Biochemical analysis demonstrated significant increase in nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HP), indicating oxidative stress (OS) induction. Lower doses (250 and 500 mg/kg) showed no significant effects. These results demonstrate that BBO1 exhibits dose-dependent acute toxicity with a threshold at 750 mg/kg, affecting physiological, behavioral, and neurochemical parameters. These findings provide essential safety data for future therapeutic applications and validate the experimental model for benzimidazole derivative toxicological assessment.

In intertidal ecosystems, mussels experience daily fluctuations in pH due to the biological activity, intertidal currents, freshwater inflow and anthropogenic influences. This study aimed to determine whether these short-term fluctuations enable blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) to endure long-term exposure to low pH using biological indicators (mortality rates, oxidative stress and enzyme activities). Mussels were collected from an intertidal zone in the western coast of Morocco and exposed for 6 months to seawater pH ranging from 6.6 to 8.0. Our results showed that mortality rates increased exponentially with decreasing pH, while growth rates declined linearly. At pH 6.6, mortality was observed after approximately 15 days and reached 22% at 6 months. Low pH negatively impacted the function of metabolic enzymes (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase), and caused oxidative stress (elevated lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation) in the mantle, digestive gland, and whole tissues. Additionally, the activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase increased in response to higher levels of reactive oxygen species at low pH. These findings suggest that, although mussels can inhabit intertidal zones with short-term pH fluctuations, this does not equip them with the ability to deal with chronic exposure to low pH (6.6), significantly impairing their fitness.

This study investigated the phytochemical composition and evaluated the antioxidant and antifungal activities of aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts obtained from the fruits and, for the first time, from the flowers of the Moroccan strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.). LC-MS/MS analysis enabled the identification and quantification of several bioactive compounds. Flower extracts exhibited higher concentrations of portocatechuic and vanillic acids, whereas gentisic acid levels were similar in both flower and fruit extracts. Mineral analysis revealed higher concentrations of calcium, potassium, and iron in flowers, while fruits showed elevated levels of selenium and strontium. Notably, DPPH radical scavenging assays demonstrated that flower extracts possessed the strongest antioxidant activity. Regarding antifungal activity, fruit extracts showed superior inhibitory effects on the growth of Fusarium oxysporum. Overall, these results suggest that A. unedo flowers and fruits are promising sources of phytochemically rich extracts with notable antioxidant and antifungal properties.

This study investigated the stimulatory effect of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) pre-treatment on cellular resistance to damage induced by ionizing radiation (IR), using Tetrahymena pyriformis as a model organism. The effects were evaluated on cell number, the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and lipid peroxidation. After 24 h of exposure to IR, cells pre-treated with H2O2 exhibited a marked improvement in cell viability, with increases of 42.2 and 58.5% for the 1-h and 24-h pre-treated cells, respectively, compared to the control cells without pre-treatment. Additionally, measurements of CAT and SOD activities revealed a significant decrease in pre-treated cells after irradiation compared to the control cells. Moreover, the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), a product of lipid peroxidation, decreased in pre-treated cells after irradiation, indicating a positive effect of H2O2 pre-treatment on the resistance of T. pyriformis cells to IR-induced damage.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by impairments in motor control following the degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons located in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Environmental pesticides such as Paraquat (PQ) and Maneb (MB) contribute to the onset of PD by inducing oxidative stress (OS). This study evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of moderate physical activity (PA) on both motor and non-motor symptoms in a Wistar rat model of Paraquat and Maneb (PQ/MB) induced PD. Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups: control, exercise (EX), PQ/MB, PQ/MB + L-dopa, PQ/MB + EX, and PQ/MB + EX + L-dopa. PD was induced via intraperitoneal (IP) injections of PQ (5 mg/kg) and MB (0.05 mg/kg) administered twice weekly for six weeks, followed by four weeks of moderate exercise in the designated groups. Motor and non-motor behaviors were then assessed, and OS markers were analyzed in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), striatum (ST), and hippocampus (HP). In our model, PQ/MB exposure induced characteristic PD symptoms, including motor dysfunction, anxiety, depression, and memory deficits. These symptoms were accompanied by elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and reduced activity of antioxidant enzymes. However, moderate PA significantly improved several parameters: it enhanced coordination and balance, reduced anxiety and depressive-like behaviors, improved memory performance, attenuated lipid peroxidation, and increased antioxidant defense mechanisms, particularly the activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). These findings suggest that PA is a promising non-pharmacological therapeutic approach for the management of both motor and non-motor symptoms of PD.

This study evaluated the presence of the three pesticides methomyl (MET), carbendazim (CBZ) and chlorpyrifos-ethyl (CPE), as well as the degradation product of CPE (3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol; TCP), in 44 honey samples from all 12 regions of Morocco. With a validated HPLC-UV method occurrence frequencies of 63.6% for MET, 54.5% for CBZ, 95.1% for CPE and 34.1% for TCP were obtained, even at concentrations higher than the maximum residue limits for MET, CPE and TCP. Based on the predominant pesticide, principal component analysis separated sampling regions into three groups. Risk assessment indicated that ingestion of these pesticides, alone or in combination, in honey did not pose a risk to consumers (HQ and HI < 1).

A lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) for the detection of the banned fungicide carbendazim (CBZ) in food products was developed using rabbit-purified polyclonal antibodies. The strips were optimized and tested for sensitivity and selectivity with a cutoff of 0.20 mu g/kg, which is considerably lower than the maximum residue level established for food. The developed strips were tested on 77 fruit and vegetable samples, and the presence of CBZ was confirmed in 20 samples, compared to 14 samples detected by HPLC. The LFIA exhibited higher sensitivity compared to HPLC, making it an appropriate tool for use in pesticides program monitoring in developing countries.

Exposure of Tetrahymena pyriformis cultures to cobalt-60 for 72 h significantly impacted the cells' growth, appearance, and physiology. This study aims to investigate the protective effects of Arbutus unedo L flowers and fruit extracts on T. pyriformis against gamma radiation. Initially, aqueous and 50% ethanolic extracts of the fruits and flowers were prepared, and their cytotoxicity on the ciliate was evaluated. The irradiated ciliate's cellular viability and morphological aspect improved when a non-toxic concentration of 25 µg/mL was added to the growth medium. The addition of extracts restored glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase activities to their initial levels, similar to non-irradiated cells. In addition, the extracts reduced oxidative stress markers, such as lipid peroxidation, and decreased the activities of antioxidant defence enzymes, catalase, and superoxide dismutase. This may be attributed to the antioxidant properties of the extracts. Results of this study revealed that the flower extracts exhibited better protective effects than the fruit extracts, with superior antioxidant activity in the in-vitro DPPH scavenging assay. These results suggest that A. unedo flower extracts may have potential as exogenous radioprotective agents.

In livestock, pre-slaughter stress begins at the farm or market, continues during transport and upon arrival at the slaughterhouse, ending at slaughter. In this investigation, a survey was conducted in the slaughterhouse of Casablanca in Morocco to record the duration of the preslaughter operations and the frequency of urination in camels. Two groups of camels were constituted, the least stressed animals (Group I, n= 12) and the most stressed animals (Group II, n= 12). Group I animals had a waiting time before loading ≤ 24 h, a loading time ≤ 15 min, an unloading time ≤ 5 min, a water and food deprivation time before slaughter ≤ 24 h, a duration of accompaniment to the slaughter room ≤ 11 min and a frequency of urination during this accompaniment < 3 times. Those in group II had higher duration and frequency values for the same parameters. In addition, serum stress [cortisol (COR)], oxidant stress biomarkers [malondialdehyde (MDA)] and activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were analyzed in both groups, and correlations between these biomarkers and the durations of various preslaughter operations and the frequency of urination were established. The most stressed camels (G II) showed high serum concentrations of COR and MDA, and low CAT and SOD activities by comparison to the less stressed camels (G I) (P<0.05). Significant correlations were recorded between COR, MDA, CAT and SOD, and the durations of various preslaughter operations, and between COR and the frequency of urination.

The adaptive responses of the two yeasts Yarrowia lipolytica and Pichia pastoris to oxidative stress induced by the oxidants hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), sodium nitroprusside (SNP), and menadione (MD) have been studied. The ability of these compounds to inhibit the growth of the yeast cells under culture conditions was tested. The inhibitory concentrations of the compounds were evaluated. The cell viability, the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) activity, and the lipids oxidation have also been investigated when exponential-phase cells are exposed to stress conditions. It was demonstrated that H2O2, SNP, and MD at 50%-inhibitory concentration affect the viability of both yeasts, probably by inhibiting the GAPDH and by causing other cell damages (lipid peroxidation), clearly augmented in the treated exponential-phase cells of Y. lipolytica and P. pastoris. On the other hand, enzymes involved in antioxidant defence systems such as catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase simultaneously significantly induced in the treated cells. The results showed that Y. lipolytica cells were more tolerant than P. pastoris cells to the presence of H2O2 and more sensitive in the presence of SNP and MD in the culture medium. Induction of these antioxidant enzymes with low doses of oxidants by pretreatment of yeast cells allowed them to tolerate higher doses of the compounds. Our data indicated that the increase of the cell viability agreed with the decrease of the lipid peroxidation and the increase of the GAPDH activity found after oxidative stress in pretreated cells.

Avant l’abattage, l’exposition des animaux d’élevage au stress thermique et au stress de transport routier en présence d’une forte densité de stockage dans les camions est capable d’altérer l’homéostasie et la qualité de la viande de ces animaux. Cette étude visait à étudier l’effet du stress thermique associé à une forte densité de chargement des animaux dans le véhicule avant l’abattage sur la composition chimique de la viande du dromadaire, au stade 24 h post mortem. L’analyse de la viande a été réalisée chez deux groupes de sept dromadaires : le groupe I a été transporté à 29–35 °C avec une densité de chargement de 1 animal / 1,74–2,13 m2 ; le groupe II a été transporté à 21–23 °C avec une densité de 1 animal / 3,12–4,31 m2. Le stress thermique associé à la forte densité de chargement n’a pas modifié de manière significative les teneurs en eau, matières sèches, cendres, protéines et lipides, ni l’osmolalité de la viande cameline. Par contre, il a diminué significativement (p < 0,05) le pH et l’activité de la catalase, et il a augmenté significativement (p < 0,05) la capacité de rétention d’eau, les pertes en exsudat, en poids et à la cuisson, la conductivité électrique, et les teneurs en malondialdéhyde et en carbonyles.

The fungicide carbendazim (CBZ) is not approved for agricultural uses in some countries but is still used by many farmers due to its effectiveness. For this reason, in previous work of the same authors, they developed a competitive enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) using rabbit polyclonal antibodies to detect CBZ. This study aimed to validate this in-house ELISA after extraction with methanol for CBZ analysis in tomato samples, and the results were compared with the conventional high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method after QuEChERS extraction. The results showed that both ELISA and HPLC methods have good repeatability, reproducibility and high precision with a good variation verified by principal components analysis (PCA). ANOVA tested the detection limit (LOD), and quantification limit (LOQ), and the values for ELISA (LOD = 0.026± 0.001 µg/L and LOQ = 0.083 ± 0.003 µg/L) were significantly lower than those obtained by HPLC (LOD = 0.61 ± 0.02 µg/L and LOQ = 1.85 ± 0.07 µg/L). ELISA and HPLC were used for analyzing CBZ in 100 Moroccan tomato samples. These two methods detected the presence of CBZ above the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) level in 9 samples. However, the presence of the CBZ was detected in the 79 samples by ELISA and quantified in 66 samples. In contrast, the presence of CBZ was detected in 57 and quantified in 35 samples by HPLC. These results showed that the ELISA system coupled with a simple methanol extraction is much more sensitive than HPLC after QuEChERS extraction.

Green leafy vegetables are a rich source of micronutrients but can usually contain contaminants such as pesticides and toxic heavy metals. In this work, we have evaluated the effectiveness of washing with tap water, vinegar-acidified water and basified water with sodium bicarbonate in eliminating three pesticides (methomyl, deltamethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin) and some exogenous heavy metals. The HPLC-UV method was validated for pesticides analysis in vegetable matrices using the QuEChERS method extraction. The results showed that a ca. of 57 to 71% and 73 to 97% of the 3 pesticides are removed after washing with acidified and basified water, respectively. On the other hand, the ICP-MS method was used for analysing heavy metals and essentials elements in spinach. Washing with both acidic and alkaline water removed a part of toxic heavy metals. The decrease in metals concentrations indicated that, probably, the metals contamination of vegetables was mainly through the foliar deposition. Acidified and basified water solubilise small particles containing these exogenous metals In conclusion, the performance of washing with the basic medium was better to remove pesticides and some of exogenous toxic heavy metals from the surfaces of spinach leaves and to preserve the essential elements of the plant.

Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated systemic disorder elicited by gluten which induces an enteropathy with atrophy of intestinal villi. No prevalence information was available for CD in Moroccan children because the diagnosis is based on multiple invasive duodenal biopsies. To simplify CD diagnosis, the objective of this work was to develop an Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for IgA and IgG tissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibodies detection suitable for Moroccan children. The concentration of the coated antigen and serum dilutions were optimized for the development of IgA anti- tTG and IgG anti-tTG ELISA detection in serum. The cut-off was calculated and the developed ELISAs were used for detecting IgA and IgG-tTG antibodies in 97 serum samples from 97 children aged 1 to 13 years, with variable clinical characteristics. After adjusting optimal working conditions of ELISA, the cut-offs were 0.04 and 0.156 AU for detecting anti-tTG and IgA anti-tTG IgG respectively. The use of IgG anti-tTG as CD marker (100 % of sensitivity) was better than the use of IgA anti-tTG in ELISA tests (90.3% sensitivity). In addition, the ELISA test shows a clear correlation between the IgG tTG antibodies titer and the degree of duodenal damage, estimated by the Marsh stages classification in patients with confirmed CD. Our results suggest that the assessment of the adapted IgG anti-tTG ELISA test can be used for CD in initial screening in Moroccan children after validation with a larger number of samples with CD for confirmation.

This study investigated the effects of gamma-radiation on Tetrahymena pyriformis. The experimental approach consists of exposing T. pyriformis growing in presence of Cesium-137 (137Cs) at dose rates of 1, 2, 4, and 6 cGy h−1 and Cobalt-60 (60Co) at dose rates of 8, 10, 15, and 20 cGy h−1. The radiation doses effects on growth, morphology, some metabolic enzymes, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) markers have been evaluated. When cells were growing in irradiating conditions at dose rates beyond 4 cGy h−1, a decreasing of cells and generation numbers with a prolongation of generation time and a change of morphological aspect with rounding-off of cells were observed compared to the control. The 50%-inhibitory dose (ID50) for radiation was estimated at 1568.72 ± 158.45 cGy. The gamma-radiation at dose rates more than 6 cGy h−1, affected both glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase by inhibiting their activities. All of these effects were more pronounced when cells were irradiated at the dose rate of 20 cGy h−1 using 60Co source. For ROS markers generated by gamma-radiation in T. pyriformis, the results showed an increase of the lipid peroxidation in cells grown in presence of gamma-radiation at dose rates more than 6 cGy h−1 and an enhancement in catalase and superoxide dismutase activities from the dose rate of 1 cGy h−1. These encouraging results suggested the use of T. pyriformis as a unicellular model cell to investigate other aspects of the response to ionizing radiation.

Purpose Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), a key enzyme of the glycolytic pathway, can play a physiological regulatory role and vital other roles in metabolism. This study investigated the effects of gamma radiation generated by Cobalt-60 source on GAPDH activity and protein levels in Pichia pastoris as an eukaryotic organism model. Materials and methods After purification of the GAPDH from P. pastoris, in vitro effects of irradiation to the dose of 2 Gy, using Cobalt-60 at the dose rate of 0.25 Gy/min, on activity and kinetic parameters were investigated. In vivo effects of gamma exposition (dose of 5 Gy) on P. pastoris GAPDH and on reactive oxygen species (ROS) markers were also explored. Results and conclusions The in vitro irradiation of the purified GAPDH reduces the specific activity and the maximum velocity (V-max) without alteration of substrates binding (K-m). No changes occurred in the specific activity and in kinetic parameters when P. pastoris cells were exposed to Cobalt-60 source. However, this in vivo irradiation of cells produced a significant increase of the GAPDH protein level. The changes of GAPDH activity and the increase of the enzyme population as a target for gamma radiation exposure will play a role in cells adaptation under stress conditions. On the other hand, the increase of malondialdehyde and carbonyl contents and the enhancement of catalase and superoxide dismutase in irradiated cells have been noticed. The antioxidant system can play an important role in the protection of P. pastoris GAPDH against the gamma induced-ROS damage. This is the first report of the P. pastoris GAPDH as a physiological target of gamma exposition.