The ever-increasing demand for natural products and biotechnology, derived from bees and ultramodernization of various analytical devices, has facilitated the rational and planned development of biotechnology products with a focus on human health to treat chronic and neglected diseases. This study aimed to prepare, characterize and examine the stability and evaluation of the antioxidant and the antibacterial activity of Libyan propolis. Propolis Nanoparticles PNP were prepared using particle size reduction, then Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) at a magnification of X 25000, was used for accurate evaluation of the size distribution of NPs. Three different concentration (10, 5, 2.5 mg/ml) of propolis and nano-propolis powder were tested for their 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity. The quantitative antioxidant activity test results using UV Spectrophotometer absorbance at 517 nm. The antibacterial activities of propolis and prepared nano propolis at different concentrations (10, 5 and 2.5mg/ml) were tested on bacterial strain, Klebsiella, human mouth, skin, and surface bacteria using cup cut diffusion method. The findings exhibited that the prepared propolis Nanoparticles (PNPs) were generally non-spherical with a size 100-200 nm. The PNP was a nano-sized particle around 316 nm in diameter. Zeta potential of PNP showed a negative surface charge value (− 48 mV) which was sufficiently high to avoid NPs aggregation. This value represents a stable and dispersed suspension of NPs and disables the tendency of aggregations in a short in period of time. Poly dispersity index (PdI) of synthetized PNP was used as a measurement of the size distribution. PdI values for PrNP were generally uniform with PdI 0.3 indicating monodispersity of the prepared systems. The propolis and PNPs displayed good antioxidant activity with inhibition percentage (77%, 46% and 18%) for propolis and (82%, 66% and 37%) for PNPs. Propolis nanoparticles showed to have more antibacterial effect compared to propolis. Libyan propolis nanoparticles has shown to be potential candidates as antioxidant and antibacterial agent.
sakina Salem Saadawi, Rabia O Alghazeer, Hanin N. Mughrbi, Bushra M. Dakhil, Rokaya O. Amara, Khairi A. Alennabi, Riham M. El-Moslemany, Khadija O. Turkman, Masarra A. Daraweel(3-2022)

Spices are any pungent, aromatic plant substances used to flavor food or beverages. Plant foods and agricultural commodities including spices are increasingly subjected to adulteration by design or default. This study aimed to compare home grinded spices against ready locally prepared ones in Libyan market. Chosen spices were compared according to their percentage of yield, organoleptic features, and pharmacognostic parameters as macroscopic and microscopic characteristics, pH measurement, microbial contamination (total viable count and microbial identification), and thin layer chromatography (TLC) chromatogram and diphenyl picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity. From the results, the ready prepared samples showed to have higher percentage of yield compared to home prepared ones. There were no difference in organoleptic test results, macroscopic and microscopic characteristics and pH test results. Bacteria in spices samples were too many to count (TMTC) in most samples, however thyme, rosemary and cinnamon showed better results. The isolated bacteria were identified as Salmonella, Shigella and E. coli species. TLC chromatogram and DPPH scavenging activity test also showed no difference in both sample groups. All these tests indicates that the samples obtained from market as grinded powder and the same samples of spices that was brought as a raw materials and grinded at home had the same characteristics, which indicated that they are of the same quality which not necessary to be a good one. arabic 12 English 75
Sakina Salem Mohammed Saadawi, , , AMAL .A ABOALLA AMMAR, (1-2015)

The antibacterial activity of peppermint oil and different extracts of Mentha piperita against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains was evaluated in the present research work by agar well diffusion method. It was found that the distilled concentrations of essential oil inhibited the growth of microorganisms and the results were comparable with those of antibiotic gentamycin. Essential oils showed a wider spectrum of activity but less strong inhibition as compared to the investigated commercial antibiotic. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for the bacterial species ranged from 0.4% to 0.7% v/v. The oil and extracts also exhibited significant antioxidant activity and the oil showed about half potency when compared to the standard BHT. These results indicated the strong antibacterial and antioxidant activities of peppermint oil but additional investigations need to be performed in order to confirm the safety of these concentrations (MIC) for human consumption. Peppermint oil could be used as a good conservation agent by inhibiting some food borne pathogens. arabic 8 English 54
Rajinder Singh, Muftah A. Shushni, Asma Belkheir(5-2015)