Open Access

ARTICLE

Biological Potential and Chemical Characterization of Juniperus oxycedrus Leaves and Seed Cones

Mohamed reda Kachmar^1,2, Toufik Bouddine³, Abdelaziz Ed-dra^4,5, Safaâ Kachmar⁶, Hammou Anarghou^7,8, Sulaiman Mohammed Alnasser⁹, Fahad M. Alshabrmi¹⁰, Samiah Hamad Al-Mijalli^11,*, Emad M. Abdallah^12,*, Nidal Naceiri Mrabti¹³, Abdelmounaim Laabar¹⁴, Mourad Chikhaoui¹⁵, Galman Aziz^1,4, Lhoussain Hajji³, Said Chakir²

1 High Institute of Nursing Professions and Health Techniques, Beni Mellal, 23000, Morocco
2 Valorization of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants and Environment Team, Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, 50000, Morocco
3 Bioactive and Environmental Health Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, 50000, Morocco
4 Laboratory of Engineering and Applied Technologies, Higher School of Technology, M’ghila Campus, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni Mellal, 23000, Morocco
5 Team of Microbiology and Health, Laboratory of Chemistry-Biology Applied to the Environment, Moulay Ismail University, Faculty of Science, Meknes, 50000, Morocco
6 Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed First University, Oujda, 60000, Morocco
7 Higher Institute of Nursing Professions and Health Techniques of Laâyoune, Dakhla, 73000, Morocco
8 Biological Engineering Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Techniques, Sultan Moulay Silmane University, Beni Mellal, 23000, Morocco
9 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Qassim, 51452, Saudi Arabia
10 Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, 51452, Saudi Arabia
11 Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia
12 Department of Biology, College of Science, Qassim University, Qassim, 51452, Saudi Arabia
13 LIMAS, Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Sciences Dhar El Mahraz, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, 30003, Morocco
14 Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Biopharmaceutical and Toxicological Analysis Research Team, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Mohammed V, Rabat, 10100, Morocco
15 Ecology and Environment Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences Ben m’sik, Hassan II University, Casablanca, 20670, Morocco

* Corresponding Authors: Samiah Hamad Al-Mijalli. Email: ; Emad M. Abdallah. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Innovative Approaches in Experimental Botany: Essential Oils as Natural Therapeutics)

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2025, 94(3), 657-677. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2025.062289

Received 15 December 2024; Accepted 28 February 2025; Issue published 31 March 2025

Abstract

Juniperus oxycedrus (J. oxycedrus) is a traditional culinary spice and medicinal herb with a longstanding history of ethnopharmacological applications across diverse cultures. While prior research has explored the biological activities and phytochemical constituents of extracts derived from its leaves and seed cones, the present study systematically investigates their mineral and phenolic profiles alongside their multifunctional bioactive potential. Inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) analysis revealed a substantial abundance of essential macro- and microelements. Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) further identified high concentrations of phenolic acids (e.g., p-coumaric acid) and flavonoids (e.g., rutin and quercetin). The extracts exhibited potent radical scavenging activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), robust antioxidant capacity against hydrogen peroxide, and significant inhibition of xanthine oxidase (XO) activity. Notably, both extracts demonstrated marked antibacterial efficacy. In silico molecular docking studies suggested that the antimicrobial activity may stem from the phenolic constituents, which exhibited favorable binding affinities to the active site of bacterial target proteins. These findings underscore J. oxycedrus as a promising reservoir of bioactive natural compounds, warranting further exploration for therapeutic and nutraceutical applications.

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