Dry Chamaeleo chamaeleon is used in the traditional medicine of the El Oued region in the Algerian Sahara to treat a variety of common ailments including tonsillitis, thyroid diseases, and coughs. Given these considerations, our study aims to characterize the physico-chemical properties of C. chameleons, as well as to evaluate the biological activities of its extracts. Our research included an ethnopharmacological survey of the traditional use of C.chamaeleon, and then we examined the physicochemical properties of C. chamaeleon powder, by determinations of dry matter, moisture, ash, and minerals as well as estimation of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and vitamins. After extraction using three solvents "hexane, methanol, and water" we examined in vitro, the antioxidant potency of extracts using the scavenger activity of the 2,2'-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, ?-Carotene / linoleic acid technique, reducing power and technique of scavenging Superoxide radical (O2o-). We also examined the extract's capacity to induce hemolysis, anti-inflammatory activity using the egg albumin denaturation method, antibacterial activity against six bacterial strains, and antiangiogenesis activity by the chick chorioallantoic membrane assay. In vivo, we tested the C. chamaeleon toxicity, as well as the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-hypothyroid activity of the C. chamaeleon powder and aqueous extract in Wistar rats exposed to carbimazole. Based on the survey results, we determine that the use of C. chamaeleon is safe and effective in treating several diseases, including tonsillitis (66%), thyroid diseases (26%). The questionnaire also revealed that the sale/hunting of C.chamaeleon is not random, as they are hunted by experienced people while avoiding breeding times, which secures the risk of their extinction.
The obtained results demonstrate that the C. chamaeleon powder has a high quality in the drying procedure, with a pH of 5.43, dry matter of 90.56%, and moisture of 9.43%, which assures its prolonged shelf life. The mineral richness of the C. chamaeleon is demonstrated by the ash result of 22.44%, and the quantitative estimation revealed that it includes large levels of phosphorus (14.01%) as well as calcium (3.27%), magnesium (2.83%), sodium (1.51%), and potassium (0.49%). There are trace levels of iron, zinc, and copper. The results of estimating the chemical compounds of C. chamaeleon powder reveal a high percentage of proteins in contrast to carbohydrates and fats. And we found high values of the examined vitamins, E = 19.23 mg/100g, B1=21 mg/100g, B6 = 3.60 mg/100g, and B12= 5.61æg/100g.
According to the results of the antioxidant test, the C. chamaeleon extracts had an activity in scavenging DPPH radicals and a lot of activity in scavenging superoxide radicals. The findings of the hemolysis assay showed low percentages at high doses compared to sodium dodecyl sulfate, which showed very high rates of hemolysis in the presence of low concentrations, indicating that the extracts are non-toxic to red blood cells. The anti-inflammatory activity test yielded good results. Then, we also found that the extracts were anti-all the bacterial strains studied at a dose of 100 mg/ml. In terms of the anti-angiogenesis activity, we discovered that the extract had very high effectiveness since there are significant differences in the number of vessels, branching points, and inhibition zone compared to DMSO. There are no notable variations of extracts compared with bevacizumab.
According to the results of the C. chamaeleon toxicity test, it shows that C. chamaeleon is safe and non-toxic because it does not affect many factors, including alertness, insomnia, touch sensitivity, pain sensitivity, convulsions, constipation, urination, salivation, skin color, food intake, water intake, and mortality, and concerning the results in vivo, administration of carbimazole to rats caused a change in hematological parameters, leukocyte, thyroid function (T3, T4, TSH), hepatic enzyme markers, kidney function (urea, creatinine, protein) and testosterone. The antioxidant defenses of GSH, catalase, and SOD as well as MDA levels all altered in conjunction with these modifications. Histopathological studies also showed significant inflammation in the liver in the carbimazole and levothyroxine groups. However, treatment with C. chameleons improved most of the adverse effects of carbimazole.
These results lead us to conclude that C. chamaeleon is a nutritional supplement rich in minerals, proteins, and vitamins and has tremendous preventive and therapeutic potential against infectious diseases, inflammations, hypothyroidism, and tumor growth.