**1. Introduction**

The *genus Origanum* belonging to the family Lamiaceae (tribe Mentheae) includes 42 species and 18 hybrids found throughout North Africa and Eurasia [1]. In Morocco, the

**Citation:** Chroho, M.; Bouymajane, A.; Aazza, M.; Oulad El Majdoub, Y.; Cacciola, F.; Mondello, L.; Zair, T.; Bouissane, L. Determination of the Phenolic Profile, and Evaluation of Biological Activities of Hydroethanolic Extract from Aerial Parts of *Origanum compactum* from Morocco. *Molecules* **2022**, *27*, 5189. https://doi.org/10.3390/ molecules27165189

Academic Editors: Nour Eddine Es-Safi and H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe

Received: 26 July 2022 Accepted: 13 August 2022 Published: 15 August 2022

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**Copyright:** © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).

*genus Origanum* is represented by five taxa, namely, *O. elongatum*, *O. grosii*, *O. frontqueri* and *O. vulgare* and *O. compactum*, the most commonly used taxa of *Origanum* [2].

*Origanum compactum* is an endemic plant of Morocco, widely used for its therapeutic and culinary properties. In Moroccan traditional medicine, it is frequently employed in the form of infusions and decoctions to treat a variety of infections (gastrointestinal disorders, gastric acidity, and bronchopulmonary ailments). In traditional Moroccan cuisine, it is the first aromatic ingredient chosen for flavoring some traditional dishes due to its pleasant flavor and spicy fragrance [2,3]. *Origanum compactum's* vernacular name is "Zaâtar" and is widespread in Morocco. It is reported in the Middle Atlas, Rif and Northern regions [2].

*Origanum compactum* is a member of the compactum section where successive verticillasters are reconciled fake ears contracted terminal, short and globular. The principal morphological characteristic is that it secretes essential oils with a unique flavor due to the presence of secretary organs (glandular and non-glandular trichomes) [4].

*Origanum* species have been investigated for their secondary metabolites, such as phenolic compounds. *Origanum* extracts have attracted more attention recently, and investigations of the total phenolic contents, phenolic profiles and their relation to biological activities have been conducted. The main types of phenolic compounds found in *Origanum* extracts are phenolic acids and flavonoids. Such molecules are compounds with a variety of structures, characterized by having at least one aromatic ring linked with one or more hydroxyl groups. Phenolic compounds are important due to their various physiological functions that help plants adjust to environmental changes and survive (UV protection, disease resistance, pigmentation and growth regulation) [5].

The phytochemical content of *Origanum* species is responsible for its benefits for human health; in vitro and in vivo assays have proved a wide range of pharmacological properties (antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antifungal, antiviral, antileishmanial, anti-asthmatic, anti-ulcer, anti-diabetic, and decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases) [3,5].

Despite the numerous studies that have highlighted the phenolic profile and antioxidant and antibacterial powers of *Origanum* extracts, as far as we know, studies of the ethanolic extract of *Origanum compactum* are few or nonexistent. Thus, in the present study, we aimed to investigate the phenolic compounds and the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of hydroethanolic extract from aerial parts of *Origanum compactum* from the Middle Atlas of Morocco (Khenifra).
