Context: The dye-sensitized solar cell is a technology unique in its light conversion properties as it operates with record efficiencies in diffused light conditions. The choice of the appropriate sensitizer is one of the important strategies to improve photovoltaic performance of DSSC devices. This theoretical study mainly aims to determine the impact of the π-spacer on the geometric and optoelectronic parameters of sensitizer dyes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFL. var. argentea Andre is a plant widely spread in the region of Taza (North-East of Morocco); it is used in traditional phytotherapy against cancer, diabetes, inflammations, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and for the treatment of digestive disorders.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: The present study is carried out for the first time on L. var. argentea Andre from the region of Taza using an ethnopharmacological survey, an experimental study of the mineralogical and chemical compositions, and evaluations of the antioxidant and antibacterial activities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHuman phosphatidylethanolamine binding protein 1 (hPEBP1) is a novel target affecting many cellular signaling pathways involved in the formation of metastases. It can be used in the treatment of many cases of cancer. For these reasons, pharmaceutical companies use computational approaches, including multi-QSAR (2D, 3D, and hologram QSAR) analysis, homology modeling, molecular docking analysis, and molecular dynamic simulations, to speed up the drug discovery process.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the frame of the sustainable use of neglected and underutilized phytogenetic resources, and along with numerous studies in spp. due to the innate conservation value of fir forests, this research focused on the Moroccan endemic fir, The aim was triple-fold: to assess its potential and dynamics in economic sectors for sustainable exploitation; to determine the ecological conditions in which the species naturally thrives; and to find the appropriate requirements for its successful seed germination. We sourced multifaceted evaluations for three economic sectors performed in three levels, using 48 attributes and eight criteria from previous studies of our own, and the relevant species-specific assessments are overviewed herein in detail.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiology (Basel)
December 2021
Medicinal-aromatic plants (MAPs) are important sources for the development of new valuable products of interest to human and animal health, and are also used as ornamentals for the horticulture industry. However, the increased global demand and the uncontrolled exploitation of these plants constitute a threat to their sustainability. To date, few scientific investigations have focused on MAPs valorization and their domestication.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEvid Based Complement Alternat Med
October 2021
is a plant widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes. Hence, this study focuses on the mineralogical and chemical composition and evaluation of the antidiabetic and antioxidant activities of the aerial part of this species. The mineralogical analysis was done by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe neglected and underutilized plants (NUPs) could become alternative food sources in the agro-alimentary sector, enriching human and animal diets, offering the opportunity for sustainable exploitation, resilience to climate change, and production with resistance to pests and diseases. In the Mediterranean countries, these valuable resources are threatened by climate change, overexploitation, and/or monoculture. In this framework, we evaluated 399 local endemic NUPs of Crete (Greece), the Mediterranean coast, Rif of Morocco, and Tunisia, regarding their agro-alimentary potential, and assessed their feasibility and readiness timescale for sustainable exploitation with own previously published methodology.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe objective of this study is to evaluate the parasitological and bacteriological qualities of the soil and water of the Oued Larbaâ, through nine stations covering the part of the Oued crossing the Taza city of Morocco (7 km of length). This study was conducted during two dry periods (2017 and 2018) and one wet period (2018). Soil parasitological studies revealed high contamination by helminths belonging to the species Enterobius vermicularis and Toxocara sp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn traditional medicine, various parts of the plant L. are used to treat several pathological conditions including diabetes and infectious and periodontal diseases. This includes the bark of .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFgenus is traditionally used in North Africa for disease treatment and in cosmetic. This study investigates for the first time the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and enzyme inhibitory activities of two Tunisian endemic plants, and . Analysis of phenolic compounds was carried out by using RP-HPLC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMedicinal plants are a rich source of bioactive phytochemicals or bionutrients. Studies carried out during the past few decades have shown that these phytochemicals play an important role in preventing metabolic diseases such as cancer and diabetes. The present study was dedicated to the analysis of mineral and chemical composition and evaluation of antidiabetic, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties of aqueous and organic extracts of , a plant with a long history of therapeutic and food use.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this article, we studied a series of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) type Donor-π-Acceptor involving carbazole as donors and cyanoacrylic acid as acceptors of the electrons. These cells are linked by different π-spacer unit's, with the aim to develop new organic dyes with high-performance optoelectronic properties. Different units have been introduced in the π-bridge in order to investigate their effects on the structural and optoelectronic properties of the studied compounds, as well as their adsorbed compounds-titanium dioxide (TiO) semi-conductor.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe accelerated development of industrial activities in Taza City implies the appearance of new sources of pollution that directly affect the quality of surface water. This is reflected in the structure and biodiversity of the city's Oueds, particularly Oued Lârbaa, which receives the majority of the pollution load produced. Therefore, the study of the benthic fauna can be an effective tool to characterize the state of the waters of Oued Lârbaa.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA computational study was carried out to develop quantitative-structure activity relationship (QSAR), pharmacophore, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations of a series of N9-substituted harmine derivatives in order to investigate the structural factors involved in the cytotoxic activity and thus design new active derivatives. A valid 3 D-QSAR (R= 0.89, q=0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe object of our study is devoted to the Spermatophyta of the wetlands of Oued Lârbaa, the main river of the city of Taza, Morocco, and which is under strong anthropic pressure. Our work involved a floristic inventory, to define ecological types and groups of dominant plants in relation to seasonal factors and types of pollution, explaining the meaning of their presence. For this purpose, floristic sampling was carried out along the Oued during the dry periods (2017 and 2018) and the wet period (2018).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aims to investigate the biological activities of endemic plant harvested in eastern Morocco. Various extracts were prepared from aerial part by aqueous and organic extraction using a Soxhlet and cold maceration. Preliminary phytochemical analysis was carried out on the powder and on the different extracts by standard phytochemical tests, and was confirmed by a quantitative analysis based on the determination of total polyphenols and cathechic tannins.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEthnopharmacological Relevance: Atractylis gummifera is a toxic plant widely used in Mediterranean traditional medicine against colds, dizziness, and headaches, as an antisyphilitic, against boils, as a purgative, emetic and deworming. All studies reported on this plant have been carried out either on the plant and its traditional uses, or on cases of poisoning by this plant. However, few pharmacological studies have readjusted the traditional uses of this plant.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOncogenic Kirsten RAt Sarcoma (KRAS) mutations are attractive targets in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Thus, the objective of this work is to discover promising inhibitors that target this protein using methods that have become increasingly cost-effective in research and development of drugs. In this study, 24 triterpenoid saponins were selected for designing the potent inhibitors using different methods: quantitative structure activity relationships (QSAR) analysis, homology modeling, as well as molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity (ADMET) screening.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPeganum harmala is used in traditional medicine to treat a number of diseases including cancer. Our preliminary studies show that the alkaloidal extract of PH seed is cytotoxic to several tumor cell lines in vitro and has antitumor effect in a tumor model in vivo. The present investigation was aimed at extending our previous studies in identifying the components in P.
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