Published By:
(ISSN:2581-6853; CODEN: GJNRA9; DOI: 10.33002/nr2581.6853) is an international, scientific double blind peer-reviewed open access journal published 3 times a year online by The Grassroots Institute.
Impact Factor: exaly
Open Access—free for readers, with article processing charges (APC) paid by authors or their institutions.
High Visibility: Indexed in Web of Science (Zoological Record, Biosis Previews, Biological Abstracts, Biosis Full Coverage Unique, and CAB Abstracts), EBSCO and other databases.
Time for Processing: Provisional acceptance of the submitted article is given in 1 week time. After consent of author(s), manuscript is peer-reviewed and a first decision provided to authors in 2-4 weeks after submission.
Recognition of Reviewers: The reviewers who provide timely, thorough peer-review reports receive vouchers entitling them to a discount on the APC of their next publication in the journal, in appreciation of the work done. Reviewers also receive Certificate for their voluntary service.
Coordinated and published by The Grassroots Institute, the Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources (GJNR) is an international journal dedicated to the latest advancements in natural resources throughout the world. The goal of this journal is to provide a platform for scientists, social scientists, policy analysts, managers and practitioners (on all academic and professional levels) all over the world to promote, discuss and share various new issues and developments in different arenas of natural resources.
Abderrezak Nimour*1, Fouzia Benourad2
1Plant Protection Laboratory, Department of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, Abdelhamid Ibn Badis University, Mostaganem, Algeria.
Email: abderrezak.nimour.etu@univ-mosta.dz | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-0675-8789
2Plant Protection Laboratory, Department of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, Abdelhamid Ibn Badis University, Mostaganem, Algeria.
Email: fouzia.benourad@univ-mosta.dz | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1226-5888
*Corresponding author
Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 9(1): 1-22. Doi: https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.090101
Received: 26 February 2026
Reviewed: 27 March 2026
Provisionally Accepted: 30 March 2026
Revised: 31 March 2026
Finally Accepted: 11 April 2026
Published: 28 April 2026
Synthetic fungicides are widely used to control Alternaria alternata, but they can cause resistance and environmental problems. Therefore, safer and natural alternatives are needed. This study investigates aqueous extracts from Origanum vulgare (oregano) aerial parts and Punica granatum (pomegranate) peels, prepared using two extraction methods: ultrasonication method (80ºC for 40 min) and pressurized superheated water (121ºC for 7 min). FT-IR analysis confirmed the presence of phenolic compounds, including rosmarinic acid in oregano and ellagitannins in pomegranate. The extraction method influenced the composition of the extracts: superheated water enhanced carbohydrate-related compounds, while ultrasonication improved phenolic compounds. Pomegranate extracts contained higher total phenolics and tannins, whereas oregano extracts were richer in flavonoids. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH and FRAP assays. Pomegranate extracts showed stronger antioxidant activity, with lower IC50 values. Antifungal tests showed that both extracts inhibited the growth of A. alternata in a dose-dependent manner. The oregano extract obtained by ultrasonication showed the highest inhibition (85.68%) at 300 mg/mL, while the pomegranate extract obtained by superheated water was more effective at a moderate concentration (150 mg/mL). Additionally, both extracts substantially reduced the spore production of A. alternata compared to the control. These results suggest that plant extracts, especially from pomegranate and oregano, could be used as safe and effective natural biofungicides.
Ultrasonic; Superheated water; Origanum vulgare; Punica granatum; Biological activity
Agatonovic-Kustrin, S., Balyklova, K.S., Gegechkori, V. and Morton, D.W. (2021). HPTLC and
ATR/FTIR Characterization of Antioxidants in Different Rosemary Extracts. Molecules, 26(19): 6064. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26196064
Aidli-Ouadah, A., Rezig, L., Chougui, N., Beder-Belkhiri, W., Hadjal, S., Zeroual, B. and Idoui, T.
(2025). Effect of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel extract on the oxidative stability of soybean oil and margarine. Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization, 19(6): 3900–3914. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-025-03175-z
Aledly, A.A., Hamad, N.A.I. and Mohamed, N.A. (2025). The effect of some plant waste extracts on the
growth of fungi Alternaria alternata and Rhizoctonia sp. Libyan Journal of Plant Protection, 15.
Ali, J. and Abbas, J. (2023). Comparative bioactive compounds and antifungal potential evaluation of
Mentha longifolia (L.) Hudson (Lamiaceae) extracts against plant pathogenic fungi. International Journal of Engineering, Science and Technology, 15(2): 48–57. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4314/ijest.v15i2.5
Amaresan, N. and Kumar, K. (eds.) (2025). Compendium of Phytopathogenic Microbes in Agro-Ecology:
Vol. 1 Fungi. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-81770-0
Ammar, H.A., El-Helaly, S.H. and Abdel-Rahman, T.A. (2022). Efficacy of some plant extracts and
fungicides to control Alternaria black spots caused by Alternaria alternata on postharvest mango fruits in Egypt. Menoufia Journal of Plant Protection Research, 7: 29–40. DOI
Benzie, I.F.F. and Strain, J.J. (1996). The Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP) as a Measure of
“Antioxidant Power”: The FRAP Assay. Analytical Biochemistry, 239(1): 70–76. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1006/abio.1996.0292
Brangule, A., Šukele, R. and Bandere, D. (2020). Herbal Medicine Characterization Perspectives Using
Advanced FTIR Sample Techniques – Diffuse Reflectance (DRIFT) and Photoacoustic Spectroscopy (PAS). Frontiers in Plant Science, 11: 356. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.00356
Brent, K. J. and Hollomon, D. W. (2007). Fungicide resistance: The assessment of risk. 2nd revised
edition. FRAC Monograph No. 2. Fungicide Resistance Action Committee, CropLife International, Brussels, Belgium.
Castaldi, S., Zorrilla, J.G., Petrillo, C., Russo, M.T., Ambrosino, P., Masi, M., Cimmino, A. and Isticato,
R. (2023). Alternaria alternata Isolated from Infected Pears (Pyrus communis) in Italy Produces Non-Host Toxins and Hydrolytic Enzymes as Infection Mechanisms and Exhibits Competitive Exclusion against Botrytis cinerea in Co-Infected Host Fruits. Journal of Fungi, 9(3): 326. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9030326
Daroodi, Z., Taheri, P. and Tarighi, S. (2022). Acrophialophora jodhpurensis: an endophytic plant growth
promoting fungus with biocontrol effect against Alternaria alternata. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13: 984583. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.984583
De Torre, M.P., Cavero, R.Y. and Calvo, M.I. (2022). Anticholinesterase Activity of Selected Medicinal
Plants from Navarra Region of Spain and a Detailed Phytochemical Investigation of Origanum vulgare L. ssp. vulgare. Molecules, 27(20): 7100. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27207100
Demesa, A.G., Saavala, S., Pöysä, M. and Koiranen, T. (2024). Overview and Toxicity Assessment of
El Khetabi, A., El Ghadraoui, L., Ouaabou, R., Ennahli, S., Barka, E.A. and Lahlali, R. (2023).
Antifungal activities of aqueous extracts of moroccan medicinal plants against Monilinia spp. agent of brown rot disease. Journal of Natural Pesticide Research, 5: 100038. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.napere.2023.100038
El-Hamamsy, S. and El-khamissi, H. (2020). Phytochemicals, Antioxidant Activity and Identification of
Phenolic Compounds by HPLC of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Peel Extracts. Journal of Agricultural Chemistry and Biotechnology, 11(4): 79–84. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21608/jacb.2020.95837
Elkoraichi, I., Latif, M., El Faqer, O., Elaje, R., Thoume, A., Mtairag, E.M., Rais, S. and Daoudi, F.
(2022). In vivo and in vitro evaluation of antioxidant, antihemolytic, acute toxicity effects and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of an aqueous extract of Moroccan Punica granatum L. Journal of Herbmed Pharmacology, 12(1): 168–175. DOI: https://doi.org/10.34172/jhp.2023.17
Fantasma, F., Segatto, M., Colardo, M., Di Matteo, F., Chini, M.G., Iorizzi, M. and Saviano, G. (2025).
Phytochemistry and Bioactivity of Essential Oil and Methanolic Extracts of Origanum vulgare L. from Central Italy. Plants, 14(16): 2468. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14162468
Ferreira-Anta, T., Torres, M.D., Mourelle, L., Legido, J.L., Domínguez, H. and Flórez-Fernández, N.
(2024). Ecofriendly cascade extraction of antioxidants from Origanum vulgare: Morphological and rheological behavior of microparticles formulations. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 137: 174–182. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiec.2024.03.003
Fukumoto, L.R. and Mazza, G. (2000). Assessing Antioxidant and Prooxidant Activities of Phenolic
Compounds. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 48(8): 3597–3604. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1021/jf000220w
Goyal, S., Tewari, G., Pandey, H.K. and Kumari, A. (2021). Exploration of Productivity, Chemical
Composition, and Antioxidant Potential of Origanum vulgare L. Grown at Different Geographical Locations of Western Himalaya, India. Journal of Chemistry, 1–12. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6683300
Gu, S., Qian, R., Xing, G., Zhu, L. and Wang, X. (2025). Monitoring of Alternaria alternata infection in
postharvest green pepper fruit during storage by multicolor fluorescence and chlorophyll fluorescence. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 219: 113246. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2024.113246
Hari, A., Echchgadda, G., Darkaoui, F.-A., Taarji, N., Sahri, N., Sobeh, M., Ezrari, S., Laasli, S.E.,
Benjelloun, M. and Lahlali, R. (2024). Chemical composition, antioxidant properties, and antifungal activity of wild Origanum elongatum extracts against Phytophthora infestans. Frontiers in Plant Science, 15: 1278538. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2024.1278538
Huang, Z., Foo, S.C. and Choo, W.S. (2025). A review on the extraction of polyphenols from
pomegranate peel for punicalagin purification: techniques, applications, and future prospects. Sustainable Food Technology, 3(2): 396–413. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D4FB00304G
Jbilou, R., Matteo, R., Bakrim, A., Bouayad, N. and Rharrabe, K. (2024). Potential use of Origanum
vulgare in agricultural pest management control: a systematic review. Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection, 131(2): 347–363. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41348-023-00839-0
Julkunen-Tiitto, R. (1985). Phenolic constituents in the leaves of northern willows: methods for the
analysis of certain phenolics. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 33(2): 213–217. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/jf00062a013.
Kennas, A. and Amellal-Chibane, H. (2019). Comparison of five solvents in the extraction of phenolic
anti-oxidants from pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel. The North African Journal of Food and Nutrition Research, 3(5): 140–147. DOI: https://doi.org/10.51745/najfnr.3.5.140-147
Knierim, L., Uhl, A., Schmidt, A., Flemming, M., Höß, T., Treutwein, J. and Strube, J. (2024).
Pressurized Hot Water Extraction as Green Technology for Natural Products as Key Technology with Regard to Hydrodistillation and Solid–Liquid Extraction. ACS Omega, 9(29): 31998–32010. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.4c03771
Kushaha, T.M., Mkindi, A.G., Mbega, E.R., Stevenson, P.C. and Belmain, S.R. (2024). Botanical extracts
control the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum boninense in smallholder production of common bean. Phytopathology Research, 6(1): 19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s42483-024-00235-y
Ličina, B.Z., Stefanović, O.D., Vasić, S.M., Radojević, I.D., Dekić, M.S. and Čomić, L.R. (2013).
Biological activities of the extracts from wild growing Origanum vulgare L. Food Control, 33(2): 498–504. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2013.03.020
Man, G., Xu, L., Wang, Y., Liao, X. and Xu, Z. (2022). Profiling Phenolic Composition in Pomegranate
Peel from Nine Selected Cultivars Using UHPLC-QTOF-MS and UPLC-QQQ-MS. Frontiers in Nutrition, 8: 807447. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.807447
Mandić-Kovačević, N., Kukrić, Z., Latinović, S., Cvjetković, T., Šobot, T., Bajić, Z., Maličević, U.,
More, P.R. and Arya, S.S. (2024). Intensification of bio-actives extraction from pomegranate peel via
microwave irradiation: Effect of factors, optimization, kinetics, and bioactive profiling. Chemical Engineering and Processing - Process Intensification, 202: 109839. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cep.2024.109839
Muri, S.D., Van Der Voet, H., Boon, P.E., Van Klaveren, J.D. and Brüschweiler, B.J. (2009). Comparison
of human health risks resulting from exposure to fungicides and mycotoxins via food. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 47(12): 2963–2974. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2009.03.035
Otaviano, B.T.H., Sannomiya, M., De Queiroz, R.S., Sánchez, A.A.C., Freeman, H.S., Mendoza, L.E.R.,
Palou, L., Smilanick, J.L. and Droby, S. (2008). Alternatives to conventional fungicides for the control of
citrus postharvest green and blue moulds. Stewart Postharvest Review, 2(2): 1–16. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2212/spr.2008.2.2
Panagiotidou, C., Bouloumpasi, E., Irakli, M. and Chatzopoulou, P. (2024). Characterization of Natural
Bioactive Compounds from Greek Oregano Accessions Subjected to Advanced Extraction Techniques. Plants, 13(21): 3087. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13213087
Panapitiya, P.D.S.N.H., Weerasooriya, M.K.B. and Punchipatabendhi, T.I. (2022). Antioxidant Capacity
and Nutritional Value of Peels and Seeds of Selected Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Cultivars from Sri Lanka. Journal of Agricultural Sciences – Sri Lanka, 17(3): 379–387. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4038/jas.v17i3.9919
Parra, C., Muñoz, P., Bustos, L., Parra, F., Simirgiotis, M.J. and Escobar, H. (2021). UHPLC-DAD
Characterization of Origanum vulgare L. from Atacama Desert Andean Region and Antioxidant, Antibacterial and Enzyme Inhibition Activities. Molecules, 26(7): 2100. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26072100
Plaza, M. and Marina, M.L. (2023). Pressurized hot water extraction of bioactives. TrAC Trends in
Analytical Chemistry, 166: 117201. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2023.117201
Raposo, F., Borja, R. and Gutiérrez-González, J.A. (2024). A comprehensive and critical review of the
unstandardized Folin-Ciocalteu assay to determine the total content of polyphenols: The conundrum of the experimental factors and method validation. Talanta, 272: 125771. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2024.125771
Rashid, R., Masoodi, F.A., Wani, S.M., Manzoor, S. and Gull, A. (2022). Ultrasound assisted extraction
of bioactive compounds from pomegranate peel, their nanoencapsulation and application for improvement in shelf-life extension of edible oils. Food Chemistry, 385: 132608. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.132608
Saad, H., Charrier-El Bouhtoury, F., Pizzi, A., Rode, K., Charrier, B. and Ayed, N. (2012).
Characterization of pomegranate peels tannin extractives. Industrial Crops and Products, 40: 239–246. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2012.02.038
Salim, A., Deiana, P., Fancello, F., Molinu, M.G., Santona, M. and Zara, S. (2023). Antimicrobial and
antibiofilm activities of pomegranate peel phenolic compounds: Varietal screening through a multivariate approach. Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, 8(2): 146–161. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobab.2023.01.006
Santana, R.J.R., Batista, T.D.C., Valença, C.A.S., Zielińska, A., Severino, P., Souto, E.B., Marques, M.N.
and Cardoso, J.C. (2024). Design of experiment for a sustainable extraction of phenolic compounds from pomegranate peels and proof of antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy, 42: 101860. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scp.2024.101860
Sarrou, E., Martinidou, E., Palmieri, L., Poulopoulou, I., Trikka, F., Masuero, D., Matthias, G.,
Ganopoulos, I., Chatzopoulou, P. and Martens, S. (2023). High throughput pre-breeding evaluation of Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare L. subsp. hirtum) reveals multi-purpose genotypes for different industrial uses. Journal of Applied Research on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, 37: 100516. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jarmap.2023.100516
Shabir, I., Dar, A.H., Dash, K.K., Manzoor, S., Srivastava, S., Pandey, V.K., Shams, R., Bashir, I., Khan,
S.A., Mukarram, S.A. and Kovács, B. (2024). Bioactive potential of punicalagin: A comprehensive review. Applied Food Research, 4(2): 100572. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afres.2024.100572
Singleton, V.L., Orthofer, R. and Lamuela-Raventós, R.M. (1999). [14] Analysis of total phenols and
other oxidation substrates and antioxidants by means of folin-ciocalteu reagent. Methods in Enzymology, 152–178. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0076-6879(99)99017-1
Stefanos, L., Vasilios, C. and Prodromos, S. (2022). Recent studies on Polyphenols: Extraction
technologies and prospects. International Journal of Agricultural Science and Food Technology, 8(4): 277–283. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17352/2455-815X.000178
Tarantilis, P., Skotti, E., Kountouri, S., Kaifa, M., Tsitsigiannis, D. and Polissiou, M. (2016). Biological
activity of selected Greek medicinal and aromatic plants extracts on Alternaria alternata. Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture, 28(11): 796. DOI: https://doi.org/10.9755/ejfa.2016-06-618
Teixeira, B., Marques, A., Ramos, C., Serrano, C., Matos, O., Neng, N.R., Nogueira, J.M.F., Saraiva, J.A.
and Nunes, M.L. (2013). Chemical composition and bioactivity of different oregano (Origanum vulgare) extracts and essential oil. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 93(11): 2707–2714. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.6089
Thaipong, K., Boonprakob, U., Crosby, K., Cisneros-Zevallos, L. and Hawkins Byrne, D. (2006).
Comparison of ABTS, DPPH, FRAP, and ORAC assays for estimating antioxidant activity from guava fruit extracts. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 19(6–7): 669–675. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2006.01.003
Un-Nisa, T., Wani, A.H. and Mir, R.A. (2010). Antimycotic activity of plant extracts on the spore
germination of some pathogenic fungi. Mycopath, 8(2): 65–69.
Wightwick, A., Walters, R., Allinson, G., Reichman, S. and Menzies, N. (2010). Environmental Risks of
Fungicides Used in Horticultural Production Systems. In: O. Carisse (ed.), Fungicides. InTech. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5772/13032
Willis, R.B. and Allen, P.R. (1998). Improved method for measuring hydrolyzable tannins using
potassium iodate. The Analyst, 123(3): 435–439. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/a706862j
Yan, L., Cao, Y. and Zheng, G. (2017). Optimization of subcritical water extraction of phenolic
Nimour, A. and Benourad, F. (2026). Impact of Plant Matrix and Extraction Techniques on Phenolic Profiling and Biological Activity of Pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel and Oregano (Origanum vulgare) aerial parts Aqueous Extracts. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 9(1): 1-22. Doi: https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.090101
Nimour, A., & Benourad, F. (2026). Impact of Plant Matrix and Extraction Techniques on Phenolic Profiling and Biological Activity of Pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel and Oregano (Origanum vulgare) aerial parts Aqueous Extracts. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 9(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.090101
Nimour A., Benourad F. Impact of Plant Matrix and Extraction Techniques on Phenolic Profiling and Biological Activity of Pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel and Oregano (Origanum vulgare) aerial parts Aqueous Extracts. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 2026, 9 (1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.090101
Nimour, Abderrezak, Benourad, Fouzia. 2026. “Impact of Plant Matrix and Extraction Techniques on Phenolic Profiling and Biological Activity of Pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel and Oregano (Origanum vulgare) aerial parts Aqueous Extracts”. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 9 no. 1: 1-22. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.090101
Nimour, Abderrezak and Fouzia Benourad. 2026. “Impact of Plant Matrix and Extraction Techniques on Phenolic Profiling and Biological Activity of Pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel and Oregano (Origanum vulgare) aerial parts Aqueous Extracts”. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 9 (1): 1-22. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.090101
| Crossref: | https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.090101 |
| EuroPub: | |
| Scilit: | |
| Academia.edu: | |
| Dimensions: | |
| ZENODO: | |
| OpenAIRE: | |
| Scribd: | |
| Research Gate: | |
| Google Scholar: |
| Internet Archive: | |
| WorldCat: |
© 2026 by the author(s). Licensee Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). We allow to freely share (copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format) and adapt (remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially) with a legal code: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.
Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources by The Grassroots Institute is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.grassrootsjournals.org.
Go to Top
