Climate change poses a serious threat to the sustainability of medicinal and aromatic plants. Among the associated environmental factors, drought is a major stress factor that can alter the early stages of their development, particularly germination, which determines the future growth, survival, and productivity of these species. This study was conducted with the objective of assessing the seed germination of Origanum compactum, Origanum elongatum, Origanum grosii, and Thymus capitatus under varying water stress levels (0, -0.049, -0.148, -0.295, and -0.49MPa), imposed using different concentrations of polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG-6000) (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200gL-1, respectively). Seed germination kinetics were monitored throughout the experiment, and the final germination percentage (FGP), mean germination time (MGT), and germination rate index (GRI) were determined. Results showed that water stress significantly delayed the germination process, reducing the FGP and GRI, and increasing the MGT for all species studied, but to varying extents. Among the examined species, O. compactum and O. elongatum exhibited greater tolerance to drought conditions, with optimal germination was observed under conditions of mild stress (-0.049MPa). In contrast, species O. grosii and T. capitatus achieved their best germination under non-stress conditions (PEG-free control). A significant reduction in germination capacity was observed in all species tested under elevated water stress conditions (0.49MPa). T. capitatus was the most sensitive species, as it failed entirely to germinate under these conditions. The findings of this study show the detrimental effect of water deficit on the germination of both Origanum and Thymus species, and point to interspecific variations in terms of stress tolerance. These results can serve as a valuable foundation for the development of efficient management and conservation strategies for medicinal and aromatic plants in northern Morocco, particularly in the context of the ongoing escalation of drought conditions exacerbated by climate change.

Mediterranean ecosystems are increasingly subjected to a range of abiotic factors that create harsh conditions and limit the growth of several plant species, thereby reducing species richness and diversity. In this context, seed germination is a vital process in plant establishment, shaping both population dynamics and ecological sustainability. This study investigated the impact of temperature, pH and salinity on the germination percentage and mean germination time (MGT) of seeds of Thymus capitatus under laboratory conditions. The effect of temperature was evaluated by incubating the seeds at various temperatures ranging from 5 degrees C to 25 degrees C. The effects of pH and salinity were assessed by incubating the seeds at pH levels spanning from 4.7 to 9.0 and at sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations varying from 0 to 10 g L-1, respectively. Results showed the optimal germination temperature for T. capitatus seeds was 15 degrees C, at which a maximum germination percentage of 68.3% was attained. Furthermore, the species has been demonstrated to require acidic conditions for optimal germination, as evidenced by the maximum germination percentage of 84.4% and the shorter MGT of 6.59 days that were recorded at a pH of 5.0. Remarkably, seed exposure to saline conditions was found to markedly reduce their capacity for germination. The highest germination percentage (77.7%) and the shortest MGT (6.71 days) were only observed in conditions devoid of NaCl. The findings of this study are of particular significance in light of the current paucity of knowledge regarding the influence of abiotic factors on the germination of T. capitatus. Furthermore, they provide a valuable basis for the optimization of ex situ conservation approaches for this species.

The massive emergence of antimicrobial resistance in recent decades has rendered the use of a single-agent strategy ineffective. Consequently, the combination of different therapeutic agents has emerged as a promising new approach. The aim of the present study was to investigate the combined effect of Chlorella vulgaris methanol extract (CVME) and Origanum elongatum essential oil (OEEO) on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Thus, the antibacterial activity of OEEO and CVME on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and MRSA was evaluated using the agar well diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The killing activity of CVME and OEEO, individually and in combination, on MRSA ATCC 43300 was tested using the time-kill assay. The synergistic effect was examined by determining the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) using the checkerboard test. The results showed very significant antibacterial activity against all the bacteria tested, for both OEEO and CVME, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 0.125 to 0.25% (v/v) for OEEO and from 3.12 to 6.25 mg mL-1 for CVME. Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values for OEEO and CVME were in the range 0.125-0.5% (v/v) and 6.25-12.5 mg mL-1, respectively. The inhibition zones associated with OEEO were distinctly greater than those associated with CVME for all the bacteria examined. When used individually, the time-kill curves of OEEO and CVME revealed a dose-dependent effect on MRSA proliferation. Compared with controls, both agents were able to prolong the latent phase of growth curves and decelerate bacterial growth. The killing effect of OEEO on MRSA was considerably higher than that observed with CVME. OEEO prevented MRSA proliferation at only 1/2 of its MIC, while the CVME did so at 2 times its MIC. The combination of OEEO with CVME demonstrated a synergistic effect against MRSA, with a FIC index value of 0.49. The findings therefore suggest that the combination of C. vulgaris methanol extract and O. elongatum essential oil at very low doses may be promising anti-MRSA candidates. A search of the published literature revealed that, to our knowledge, no studies have yet been carried out on the antibacterial potential of combining essential oils and microalgae extracts in the fight against MRSA.

The present study aims to assess the antibacterial activity of endemic Moroccan Origanum essential oils (Origanum elongatum and Origanum compactum) alone and in association with antibiotics against multidrug resistant foodborne Salmonella. The well diffusion and microdilution procedures were used to evaluate the antibacterial activity. The synergistic interactions between antibiotics and EOs were determined using the checkerboard assay. The results of the antibacterial activity indicated that all of Salmonella serovars isolates that were examined were highly inhibited by EOs. This effect was confirmed by the microdilution technique, where 0.125% was noted as the smallest MIC value. Based on the obtained MBC values, O. elongatum shown a bactericidal action against the tested strains as indicated by the acquired MBC values. While O. compactum showed this effect against different serovars of Salmonella isolates. Origanum EOs could be employed as an alternative to the former protocols against resistant infectious diseases.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the emerging opportunistic pathogens that can cause food poisoning and is responsible for several infectious diseases, including hospital-acquired infec-tions. The main objective of this work was to assay the antibacterial effect of Origanum grosii essential oil (OGEO) and NaCl, alone and in combination against the MRSA growth. For this purpose, response surface methodology (RSM) was adopted to generate a mathematical model representing this effect. O. grosii was harvested from the north of Morocco. GC-FID and GC/MS techniques were used in order to determine the chemical profile of OGEO. The main compounds of OGEO were carvacrol (49.29%), thymol (13.12%), p-cymene (12.68%), and g-terpinene (8.78%). The method of micro-dilution was used in order to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC). The MIC value of OGEO was 0.5% (v/v), while the MBC value was equal to 1%(v/v). The OGEO showed a strong bactericidal effect against MRSA. RSM applied at two different incubation times, 6 h and 11 h, and at the total time average value (TAV), allowed to create a mathematical model representing the kinetics of MRSA growth depending to the concentrations of OGEO and salt. The interaction between these two variables was significant. The qua-dratic polynomial regression was sufficient to adequately represents the observed results with a high coeffi-cient of determination R2 ranging from 95.8 to 96.4%. A synergy at first order was observed between the two factors, but it was not present at all time points; a slight antagonistic effect was observed at time t = 6 h. These results show that RSM provided a useful and accurate mathematical method by combining low sub-inhibitory concentrations of OGEO with NaCl that can be used as a natural product against MRSA infections or as an additive in the food system.& COPY; 2023 SAAB. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Staphylococcus aureus is a commensal human pathogen responsible of several infectious diseases, especially nosocomial infections. Its rapid spread and ability to resist to environmental conditions make it a serious threat for public health. The aim of this study was to investigate the combined antibacterial effect of propolis extract and Origanum compactum essential (OCEO) against methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and to build a mathematical model predicting this effect. Propolis and OCEO were collected from the north of Morocco. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each product was determined by the microdilution method. The kinetics of MRSA growth was evaluated in absence and in presence of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) and OCEO, each alone and in combination. The mathematical modelling was made by a polynomial regression. EEP and OCEO showed strong antibacterial activity against MRSA. The MIC of EEP was 0.625 mg/mL and the MIC of OCEO was 1%. The two products showed significant reduction in the growth rate of MRSA, and that as a function of concentration. The combination of EEP and OCEO showed strong synergistic interaction, noticed by growth rate reduction. A mathematical model describing the growth of MRSA in presence of EEP and OCEO was generated. By the negative signs of the coefficients of EEP and OCEO in the linear part, the model confirmed they synergistic interaction. From the obtained results it can be concluded that the combination of propolis extract and O. compactum EO is an interesting approach to control MRSA infections. (C) 2022 SAAB. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of temperature, salt stress and pH on seed germination of a Moroccan medicinal plant Origanum compactum (Benth). Mature seeds were isolated from O. compactum collected from two areas belonging to Ouezzane province at post-flowering stage. The in vitro seed germination tests were carried out in the dark in Petri dishes using an aqueous media. The influence of temperature, salt stress and pH was evaluated by following the evolution of germination over time. The results showed an optimal temperature of 15 °C with a maximal germination percentage of 81%, an optimum pH equal to 7 with 71% as a maximal germination percentage and a negative correlation between NaCl concentration and seed germination. The seed germination was null at high temperature (25 °C) and at high NaCl concentration (>7.5 g/l) as well as at acid pH (pH <3.5). These data may serve as guidelines for species-specific propagation protocols, and ex situ conservation.

The essential oil of Origanum elongatum is known by numerous biological activities, which are linked to its chemical composition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of hydro-distillation time on the chemical composition and the antibacterial activity of the essential oil extracted from the aerial parts of O. elongatum growing in the north of Morocco. The essential oil fractions were captured at nine regular time intervals after the beginning of hydro-distillation process. Maximum essential oil yield was achieved at a hydro-distillation time of 140 min. The dissolved volatile fraction was extracted from the hydrosol at the end of hydro-distillation process. The chemical composition was determined by GC-FID and GC/MS. The chemical profile of the essential oil showed the predominance of oxygenated compounds (65.14 %) followed by hydrocarbon compounds (28.02 %). Thymol accounted for 63.44 % of the total EO. Dissolved volatile fraction was dominated by oxygenated monoterpenes with 91.93 % of thymol. The results revealed that hydro- distillation time produces oil fractions with specific chemical profiles. The antibacterial activity was tested against four bacterial strains. The results showed that essential oil fractions captured from 80 to 160 min had greater antibacterial activity than fractions recovered at the beginning of the distillation and the whole oil. The inhibitory zones diameters were linearly correlated with the increase of thymol concentration in each fraction up to 160 min (r-Pearson ranges between 0.95 and 0.97 with p < 0.0001). The strongest activity was observed with essential oil fractions from 141 to160 min of hydro-distillation time with MIC values ranged from 0.0312 to 0.125 % (v/v) and MBC from 0.0312 to 0.25 % (v/v). These data may help to reduce the cost and the time of essential oil extraction and to select the oil fraction with desirable composition for it use in pharmaceutical, cosmetic or food industries.

Introduction: Salmonellosis is one of the most common foodborne diseases worldwide. The irrational use of antibiotics in medicine and in animal feed has greatly promoted the emergence and spread of resistant strains of non-typhoidal Salmonella. Methodology: A total of 464 food products were collected in Tetouan from January 2010 to December 2012. The isolation and identification of Salmonella were performed according to Moroccan standard 08.0.116. All isolates were serotyped and were then tested for antibiotic resistance using the disk diffusion method. Results: The microbiological analysis showed that 10.3% of food samples were contaminated with Salmonella. Eleven serotypes were identified: Kentucky 22.9% (11/48), Agona 16.7% (8/48), Reading 12.5% (6/48), Corvallis 8.3% (4/48), Saintpaul 8.3% (4/48), Typhimurium 6.2% (3/48), Montevideo 6.2% (3/48), Enteritidis 4.2% (2/48), and 2% (1/48) for each of Israel, Hadar, and Branderup. Drug susceptibility testing showed that 39.6% of Salmonella were resistant to at least one antibiotic and 60.4% were susceptible to all tested antibiotics. The highest percentage of resistance was found to the following antimicrobial agents: nalidixic acid (27.1%), sulfonamides (25%), amoxicillin (12.5%), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid 12.5%, trimethoprim (10.4%), cephalothin (4.2%), and chloramphenicol (2.1%). Conclusions: This study revealed a relatively high prevalence of Salmonella in food products in Tetouan and a large percentage of drug-resistant strains. Hygienic measures should be rigorously implemented, and monitoring resistance of Salmonella is required to reduce the risks related to the emergence of multi-resistant bacteria.

Aims: This study was designed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of methanol, ethanol, ethyl acetate and n-hexane extract from the leaves of Myrtus communis (L.) growing in North-West of Morocco. Study Design: In vitro evaluating of antibacterial activity and determination of total phenols and flavonoids content of extracts. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biology (Faculty of Sciences), between July 2015 and November 2015. Methodology: The total phenol content and flavonoids content of methanol, ethanol, ethyl-acetate and n-hexane extracts were determined using Folin-Ciocalteu method and Aluminum chloride (AlCl3) colorimetric method respectively. The antibacterial activity of extracts was tested against Original Research Article Bouyahya et al.; BJI, 16(4): xxx-xxx, 2016; Article no.BJI.28500 2 five reference strains, Escherichia coli K12 MBLA, Staphylococcus aureus CECT 976, Listeria monocytogenes serovar 4b CECT 4032 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa IH using the agar well diffusion method and the micro-dilution assays. Results: The amount of the total phenolic content and total flavonoid content ranged between 86,31-137,46 gallic acid equivalents (GAE mg/g) and 14,31±1,09–31,24 quercetin equivalents (QE mg/g) of dry weight of extract, respectively. All extracts had a significant antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strains. The biggest zones of inhibition were observed against two positive bacteria (L. monocytogenes, S. aureus). While, Gram negative bacteria (E. coli K12, P. aeruginosa) had showed to be resistant toward extracts. Conclusion: Considering these results, M. communis leaves can be used as a source of novel antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds.