الفهرس 
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Abstract
Through, the current study showed that, apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) and peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) kernel extracts belong to the Rosaceae family.as well as, it contain a wide range of bioactive components: polyphenol compounds, high quality proteins and antioxidant activities.
The main steps taken during the study:
1- The chemical composition of apricot and peach kernels content of moisture, protein, ash, fat, fiber and carbohydrates were determined.
2- Identify the most important active substances
3- The total content of phenolic and flavonoid compounds and Anti-oxidant activity of apricot and peach Kernel extracts were determined
4- Evaluation of biological activities: antimicrobial and anti-proliferative activity
5- Toxicity study of prolonged oral administration of apricot and peach kernel extracts on liver and kidney enzymes in experimental rats
Firstly: the chemical composition of apricot and peach kernels
A sample of the kernels of apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) and peach (Prunus (persica (L.) Batsch) was taken to estimate the percentage of moisture, protein, ash, fat, and fiber, and to calculate the percentage of carbohydrates. The results showed that apricot and peach kernels contain a high percentage of protein (26.3± 1.01 and 21.3 ± 0.82 g/100g) and fat (35.69 ± 1.01 and 44.04 ± 1.25 g/100g), respectively.
Secondly: High Efficiency Liquid Analysis (HPLC) of Apricot and Peach Kernel Extracts:
High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that apricot and peach kernel extracts contain many phenolic compounds (ferulic, ellagic acid, coumaric acid, caffeic acid, epicatechin, etc), in addition to it containing many flavonoid compounds (rutin, naringin, Quersestin, catechin, etc).
It was also shown that total phenolic and flavonoid compounds content of the apricot kernel extract was recorded the highest value (107.2 and 41.2 μg / ml, respectively) compared to the peach kernel extract (39 and 22.9 μg / ml, respectively).
Thirdly: antioxidant activity
The antioxidant activity of the apricot and peach kernel extracts was evaluated by DPPH, where the apricot kernel extract recorded the highest value 91.9 µg/ml compared to peach kernel extract recorded 74.3 µg/ml.
Fourthly: Antimicrobial activity
The antimicrobial activities were evaluated using the disc diffusion method, as all the extracts showedapricot and peach kernels displayed a significant activity against the gram negative “E. coli” and gram positive “Bacillus subtilis” bacteria, as well as against the tested human and phytopathogen fungi A. flavus, A. niger, A. fumigatus, and Penicillium sp. The activity of mixed extracts of apricot and peach kernels (50:50 μmol/ml) showed strong activity against the tested bacterial and fungal pathogens. The antimicrobial activity observed in the apricot and peach kernel is probably attributed to the phenolic compound content and also due to the presence of cyanide, since it presents high toxicity (Mezzomo, 2008).
Fifthly: Anti-proliferative activity
The cytotoxicity of the ethanolic extracts of apricot and peach kernel was evaluated against breast cancer (MCF-7) cell line by MTT assay. The anti-proliferative activity of apricot kernel extract was value 96.26 µg/ml. While, the anti-proliferative activity of peach kernel extract was value 95.26 µg/ml.
In conclusion, the cytotoxic activity of apricot and peach kernel extracts is due to them containing a high percentage of total phenolic and flavonoid compounds and amygdalin.
Sixthly: The biological study
Forty male rats weighing (150 ± 10 g) were fed on a basal diet, and then the rats were divided into 10 groups containing 4 rats each as follows:
group (1): control group was fed on basal diet (BD).
group (2): Rats fed on BD and took 0.5 ml Apricot kernel extracts (AKE) orally daily.
group (3): Rats fed on BD and took 1 ml AKE orally daily per rat by stomach tube.
group (4): Rats fed on BD and took 1.5 ml AKE orally daily per rat by stomach tube.
group (5): Rats fed on BD and took 0.5ml Peach kernel extracts (PKE) orally daily per rat by stomach tube.
group (6): Rats fed on BD and took 1ml PKE orally daily per rat by stomach tube.
group (7): Rats fed on BD and took 1.5 ml PKE orally daily per rat by stomach tube.
group (8): Rats fed on BD and took 0.5 ml mix AKE and PKE orally daily per rat by stomach tube.
group (9): Rats fed on BD and took 1 ml mix AKE and PKE orally daily per rat by stomach tube.
group (10): Rats fed on BD and took 1.5 ml mix AKE and PKE orally daily per rat by stomach tube.
*After 28 days the rats were fasted for twelve hours and were weighted. Then they were slaughtered. The blood samples were collected to separate the blood serum. The blood serum for each rat was kept in numbered, sterilized and confirmly closed tubes to carry out the following biochemical analyses: AST, ALT, Urea, uric acid and Creatinine.
The organs for each rat (Liver- Kidney- Brain) were removed weighted. Then they were kept in 10% Formalin solution to carry out the histopathological examination for each one.
* One Way analysis is of variance (ANOVA) was used for data analysis
The results obtained showed the following:
For liver functions
The results showed that the groups fed apricot, peach, mixture, and mixture extracts a concentrations of 0.5, 1 and 1.5 ml orally daily per rat had a noticeable increase in AST and ALT levels, compared to the control group, where the group that took 0.5 ml of peach kernel extract recorded the best results and were closest to the control group.
For kidney functions
The results showed that the groups fed 0.5, 1, and 1.5 ml orally daily per mouse of AKE, PKE, and the mixture had an increase in the levels of uric acid, urea, and creatinine (P < 0.05) compared to the control group. The best and closest results for the control group were the group that took 0.5 ml AKE followed by 0.5 ml PKE.
Seventhly: Histological study
Microscopic examination of the liver and kidneys in laboratory mice confirmed the results of the blood analysis, as all groups that took apricot and peach kernel extract orally at different levels of 0.5, 1, 1.5 ml showed negative histological changes compared to the normal histological structure.
Firstly: Microscopic examination of liver of rats from group 1 exhibited the normal histological structure of hepatic tissue .Otherwise, groups 2, 4, 5, 8 and 9 showed proliferation of Kupffer cells, slight vacuolization of hepatocytes. Otherwise, liver of rats from group 3 exhibited no histopathological alterations. Meanwhile, the liver of mice from group 6 revealed vacuolar degeneration in hepatocytes. On the other hand, the liver of mice from group 7 showed hepatic vascular congestion and hepatocyte necrosis. It is worth noting that some livers of mice from group 10 showed central vein congestion and hepatic sinusoidal congestion.
Secondly: Microscopically, kidneys of rats from group 1 exhibited the normal histological architecture of renal tissue. Otherwise, groups 2,3,6,7 and 8 showed slight vacuolar degeneration of epithelial lining sparse renal. group 4 showed renal vascular congestion. Moreover, the kidneys of rats from group 5 did not show any histopathological changes. Meanwhile, the kidneys of rats from groups 9 and 10 revealed congestion in the glomerular tuft and intertubular blood.
Third: The brain (cerebral cortex) of rats from the first group 1 did not reveal any pathological histological changes. Otherwise, the brains of rats in the group showed necrosis and atrophy of some neurons compared to the normal histological structure.