Flavonoid constituents and cytotoxic activity of Erucaria hispanica (L.) Druce growing wild in Egypt

AbstractThirteen flavonoid compounds were isolated for the first time from the aerial parts of Erucaria hispanica (L.) Druce growing in Egypt. Their structures were established on the basis of detailed chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques (UV, 1D and 2D NMR and ESIMS). The cytotoxic activity of the methanol extract as well as some isolated compounds against four human carcinoma cell lines; breast (MCF7), liver (HEPG2), cervix (HELA) and colon (HCT116) were evaluated

Molecular Identification, Extracellular Enzyme Production and Antimicrobial Activity of Endophytic Fungi Isolated from Solanum tuberosum L. in Egypt

Solanum tuberosum L. possesses economic properties and can host endophytic mycoflora. A total of 19 endophytic fungi were identified via morphological and molecular methods. Among them, Trichoderma harzianum was the core-group fungus with a relative frequency of 36.7%. In the preliminary antimicrobial assay, all the test pathogens were inhibited by Alternaria tenuissima, Penicillium pinophilum and Penicillium rubens with a maximum inhibition zone of 26 mm and a minimum zone of 11 mm using agar-plug method. All the isolated endophytic fungi produced amylase, while cellulase and tyrosinase were recorded for most of the isolated species, whereas laccase and protease and manganese peroxidase were shown by a few taxa. None of the isolated fungi produced chitinase. This study revealed the biodiversity of endophytic fungi isolated from Solanum tuberosum that could be a promising source of bioactive compounds applied in many industries.</jats:p

Coronal structure and flattening during total solar eclipse 2006

AbstractOn the basis of well resolved observations of the solar corona taken at Salloum N-W of Egypt during the total solar eclipse of 2006 “the descending phase of solar cycle 23”, some aspects of the physics of the corona have been studied up to several solar radii. The magnetic structures of the white light corona were studied. The flattening coefficient e characterizes the shape of the isophotes of the whit-light corona and computed as a function of the distance from the disk center. The flattening index e during solar total eclipse 2006 was found to be 0.158. This result is in a good agreement with previous published results