Contribution to the Utilization of Medicinal Plants in Tunisia: Biochemical Analysis and Antioxidant Activities Ash Tree Extracts

This study is being conducted as part of the ECOPLANTMED research project (), titled "Ecological Use of Native Plants for Environmental Restoration and Sustainable Development in the Mediterranean Region." This project aims to promote the conservation, improvement, and sustainable use of native Mediterranean plants for the development of new economic sectors. The objective of this study is to promote the use of the ash tree (Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl. subsp. angustifolia), a native Tunisian species belonging to the Oleaceae family, which is widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean basin and is extensively used by traditional healers as an anti-inflammatory, an antidiarrheal, and an agent that promotes blood circulation. Our work aims to conduct a quantitative study of phenolic compounds (polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins) as well as to evaluate the antioxidant and free-radical-scavenging activity of ash leaf and bark extracts. This study represents a first step toward the development of ash extracts in Tunisia.