From Metabolomics to Function: Ranking Plant Stem Cell Metabolomes for Use in Health and Cosmetics

Crops can be extensively exposed to organic pollutants, since soil is a major sink for pollutants discarded into the environment. This creates potential human exposure through the consumption of pollutant-accumulated foods. Elucidating the uptake and metabolism of xenobiotics in crops is essential for the assessment of dietary exposure risk in humans. However, for such experiments, the use of intact plants requires long-term experiments and complex sample preparation protocols that can be affected by various factors. Plant callus cultures combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) may provide a solution for the accurate and time-saving identification of metabolites of xenobiotics in plants, as it can avoid interference from the microbial or fungal microenvironment, shorten the treatment duration, and simplify the matrix effect of intact plants. 2,4-dibromophenol, a typical flame retardant and endocrine disrupter, was chosen as the model substance due to its widespread occurrence in soil and its uptake potential by plants. Herein, plant callus was generated from asepsis seeds and exposed to sterile 2,4-dibromophenol-containing culture medium. The results showed that eight metabolites of 2,4-dibromophenol were identified in the plant callus tissues after 120 h of incubation. This indicates that 2,4-dibromophenol was rapidly metabolized inthe plant callus tissues. Thus, the plant callus culture platform is an effective method to evaluate the uptake and metabolism of xenobiotics in plants.

Unlike plant cell suspension culture, the proliferation of callus in bioreactors has received inadequate attention. The magnificent potential of plant callus becomes more appreciated as the research unfolds and promises interesting applications including the production of valuable metabolites, therapeutic antibodies, bioactive extracts with regenerating effects, and the generation of genetically improved plants. Issues such as the lack of 3D-access of the cells to the nutrients, using an interfering gelling substance as the support matrix, and the changes in the medium formulation during the growth phase were discouraging factors for extending research on this topic. Considering the existing drawbacks, a novel open-flow spray bioreactor (OFSB) was configured to circumvent the associated problems with the solid cell culture and promote the applicability of plant callus culture via improving the feeding strategy. Applying similar subculture conditions, the proliferation of Arnebia pulchra and Hyoscyamus niger calli as the examples of two important plant families (Boraginaceae and Solanaceae) was studied in the OFSB in comparison with similar calli that grew in Petri dishes and jars. A. pulchra and H. niger calli obtained the weight gains of (%87.3 and %106.7) in the Petri dishes, (%208.7 and %226) in the jars, and (%288.6 and %320.0) in OFSB, respectively, while no significant changes were observed in the productivity indices of the examined calli. The simple design of OFSB bypasses most of the notorious problems associated with solid plant callus culture. OFSB technical features allow the bioreactor to be used for growth optimization of various types of plant calli in a cost-effective manner.

The effects of cadmium (6.3 × 10−5 M or 10.6 × 10−5 M) on the growth of tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.) callus cultures derived from leaves, stems, and roots and on the formation, in these cultures, of phenolic compounds, including flavans and lignin, which are characteristic of the tea plant, were investigated. In the calli derived from leaves and stems, cadmium treatment decreased the biomass increment, while in the calli derived from roots, growth characteristics remained at the control level. Under the effect of cadmium, the content of phenolic compounds, including flavans, in the leaf calli decreased, while in the stem and root calli, it either increased (at the cadmium concentration of 6.3 × 10−5 M), or was close to a control one (at the cadmium concentration of 10.6 × 10−5 M). The lignin content in the root and stem calli increased, but it did not change in the leaf calli. All this data demonstrate that the cadmium-induced changes in phenolic metabolism of the tea plant callus culture depended both on the cadmium concentration in the medium and on the origin of calli.

Hildebrandt, A. C, J. C. Wilmar, H. Johns, and A. J. Riker. (U. Wisconsin, Madison.) Growth of edible chlorophyllous plant tissues in vitro, Amer. Jour. Bot. 50(3): 248–254. Illus. 1963.—Plant callus cultures were attempted from roots, stems, leaves or excised embryos of 32 species of plants on a basal mineral salts–sucrose agar medium (T‐medium), on T‐medium + coconut milk + α‐naphthaleneacetic acid + calcium pantothenate (C‐medium) and on C‐medium + 2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (D‐medium). Embryos on T‐ or C‐medium generally produced normal plants, while on D‐medium, they often produced callus only. Fresh isolates of carrot, endive, lettuce, parsley, red kidney bean, and navy bean gave moderate to excellent callus on C‐medium. Parsley and navy bean also produced excellent callus on D‐medium. Strains of callus from potato, tomato, grape and rose also grew well on C‐ or D‐medium. In the light, red pigmentation developed on rose, parsley, and grape callus. Chlorophyll formation was inhibited on D‐medium, but on C‐medium more or less chlorophyll was initiated in callus from carrot, endive, lettuce, pea, potato and certain rose varieties. Chlorophyll formation was also strong in endive callus on T‐medium supplemented with casein hydrolysate, i‐inositol and NAA. The amount and type of sugar used in C‐medium influenced the amount of growth and were critical in relation to chlorophyll formation. Carrot tissues in constant light produced abundant chlorophyll and were still growing on media without added sugar after 6 weeks.

Hildebrandt, A. C, J. C. Wilmar, H. Johns, and A. J. Riker. (U. Wisconsin, Madison.) Growth of edible chlorophyllous plant tissues in vitro, Amer. Jour. Bot. 50(3): 248–254. Illus. 1963.—Plant callus cultures were attempted from roots, stems, leaves or excised embryos of 32 species of plants on a basal mineral salts–sucrose agar medium (T-medium), on T-medium + coconut milk + α-naphthaleneacetic acid + calcium pantothenate (C-medium) and on C-medium + 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (D-medium). Embryos on T- or C-medium generally produced normal plants, while on D-medium, they often produced callus only. Fresh isolates of carrot, endive, lettuce, parsley, red kidney bean, and navy bean gave moderate to excellent callus on C-medium. Parsley and navy bean also produced excellent callus on D-medium. Strains of callus from potato, tomato, grape and rose also grew well on C- or D-medium. In the light, red pigmentation developed on rose, parsley, and grape callus. Chlorophyll formation was inhibited on D-medium, but on C-medium more or less chlorophyll was initiated in callus from carrot, endive, lettuce, pea, potato and certain rose varieties. Chlorophyll formation was also strong in endive callus on T-medium supplemented with casein hydrolysate, i-inositol and NAA. The amount and type of sugar used in C-medium influenced the amount of growth and were critical in relation to chlorophyll formation. Carrot tissues in constant light produced abundant chlorophyll and were still growing on media without added sugar after 6 weeks.

Cancer and diabetes are two of the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide, creating a growing demand for safe and effective therapeutic alternatives. Medicinal plants have long been utilized in Indian traditional medicine and represent a valuable source of phytoconstituents with potential biological activities. The present study aimed to evaluate and rapidly screen the in vitro anticancer and antidiabetic potential of four selected Indian medicinal plants, namely Withania somnifera, Curcuma longa, Ocimum sanctum, and Tinospora cordifolia. Extracts were subjected to phytochemical screening, which revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins, and phenolic compounds. Anticancer activity was evaluated against human cancer cell lines using cytotoxicity assays, while antidiabetic activity was assessed through α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition models. The results indicated that Withania somnifera and Curcuma longa exhibited marked cytotoxic effects, whereas Ocimum sanctum and Tinospora cordifolia showed significant enzyme inhibitory activity. Rapid screening approaches further confirmed the presence of bioactive compounds that may contribute to these therapeutic effects. These findings suggest that the selected plants are promising candidates for the development of cost-effective, plant-based agents with dual anticancer and antidiabetic potential, warranting further mechanistic and in vivo investigations.

This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant effect of a syrup combining Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (roselle) and Ocimum sanctum L. (basil) extracts in male rats exposed to oxidative stress induced by used cooking oil (UCO). A randomized controlled design was applied using six treatment groups, including single and combined extract syrups. Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, an indicator of lipid peroxidation, were measured before induction, after UCO exposure, and following treatment. Results showed a significant rise in MDA levels after UCO induction, confirming oxidative stress. Administration of roselle–basil syrup markedly reduced plasma MDA compared with the induced control (p < 0.05). The optimal formulation achieved up to a 96–97% reduction in MDA levels, indicating strong antioxidant efficacy. This effect is attributed to the synergistic action of anthocyanins from roselle and eugenol and rosmarinic acid from basil, which act as radical scavengers and metal chelators. These findings validate the synergistic potential of the roselle–basil combination in mitigating oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. The study highlights its promise as a natural, safe, and locally sourced antioxidant formulation, offering a foundation for developing functional beverages or nutraceutical products aimed at preventing oxidative damage from dietary lipid oxidation.

Shampoos are one of the cosmetic products used in daily life. Synthetic preservatives and detergents have sometimes been the cause of adverse effects among consumers. A more radical approach in reducing the synthetic ingredients is by incorporating natural extract whose functionality is comparable with their synthetic ingredients.this herbal shampoo was formulated using natural ingredient like Fenugreek seeds), Acacia concinna (shikakai), Sapindus mukorossi (reetha), Ocimum sanctum (tulsi), Aloe vera (aloe), Hibiscus rosa sinensis (china rose), Azadirachta indica (Neem), Lawsonia inermis (henna),Citrus lemon (lemon), with proven efficacy of hair care preparation is prepared. The combination of several such ingredient of herbal origin has made it possible to secure highly effective dry powder shampoo. The formulation at laboratory scale was done and evaluated for number of parameters to ensure its safety and efficacy.The main obeject of this present study is to prepare and evaluate an herbal shampoo and determine physiochemical function that emphasizes on safety.which is use to remove grease, dirt, dandruff..

Screening of aqueous plant extracts for immunomodulatory effects on immune cells and cytokine production: In vitro and in vivo analyses.

Introduction: Flavonoids are a group of natural substances with variable phenolic structures well-known for their beneficial effects on health. Flavonoids are now considered an indispensable component in a variety of nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, medicinal, and cosmetic applications because of their anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, and anti-carcinogenic properties coupled with their capacity to modulate key cellular enzyme function. Aim: This study was aimed at investigating the effect of administration of flavonoids from Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) to lactating rats on plasma glucocorticoids, leptin, and postnatal weights of the offspring. Materials and Methods: Forty pregnant female Sprague − Dawley rats weighing 150 g–200 g were used for this study. Flavonoids were extracted from HS following standard procedures. On the day of delivery, the rats were divided basically into four groups of 10 dams per group. Group A received tap water; Group B received low dose of flavonoid (5 mg/kg body weight daily); Group C received medium dose of flavonoid (10 mg/kg body weight daily); and Group D received high dose of flavonoid (20 mg/kg body weight daily). Flavonoid administration commenced on day 1 of lactation and ended at weaning. Dams from each group had their blood withdrawn from the orbital sinus on days 1, 7, and 21 for assay of plasma glucocorticoids and leptin. Food intake of the dams and body weight of the offspring was measured. Results: There was a progressive dose-dependent decrease (P < 0.05) in maternal plasma glucocorticoids and leptin with the most decrease seen in the high dose group and PND 21. Low dose flavonoid caused a progressive decrease in maternal food consumption when compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Low dose extract caused a progressive decrease in the body weight of the offspring, whereas the high dose caused a progressive increase in the body weight of the offspring (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Flavonoids from HS caused a progressive decrease in glucocorticoids and leptin with a resultant progressive increase in maternal food intake and body weights of the offspring.

Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. Malvaceae (HS) is characterized by its edible calyxes. The HS calyxes are widely used for cosmetic, food, and medicinal applications. According to ethnobotanical evidence, decoction, infusion, or maceration extracts from HS calyxes have been used in folk medicine to treat many ailments. Moreover, several in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated the pharmacological properties and potential human health benefits of HS consumption. On the other hand, the evaluation of the physiological effects and health benefits of HS in clinical studies is most challenging. Therefore, this narrative review summarizes and discusses the physiological effects and health benefits of HS calyxes reported in clinical trials. Preparations obtained from HS calyxes (extracts, infusions, decoction, teas, beverages, capsules, and pills) are used as non-pharmacological therapies to prevent/control diverse chronic non-communicable diseases. The most-reported HS health benefits are its antihypertensive, antidyslipidemic, hypoglycemic, body fat mass reduction, nephroprotective, antianemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-xerostomic activities; these effects are associated with the phytochemicals found in HS. Moreover, no adverse effects were reported during the clinical trials. However, clinical studies exhibited some limitations; thus, further studies are required to validate the clinical efficacy of HS in large-scale studies with higher doses and a good experimental design

Callus cultures are fundamental for plant propagation, genetic transformation, and emerging biotechnological applications that use cellular factories to produce high-value metabolites like plant-based drugs. These applications exploit the diverse metabolic capabilities of various plant species. However, optimizing culture conditions for specific applications necessitates a deep understanding of the transcriptome, metabolome, and phytohormone profiles of different species. Comprehensive comparative studies of callus characteristics across species are limited. Here, we analyzed the transcriptome, metabolome, and phytohormone profiles of callus cultures from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), rice (Oryza sativa), and two bamboo species (Phyllostachys nigra and P. bambusoides). Multivariate analyses of metabolome data revealed similar metabolic trends in these diverse callus cultures and identified metabolites that differ between species. Hormone profiling showed distinct species-specific patterns and notable cytokinin diversity, even between the bamboo species. Moreover, a comparative analysis of 8,256 pairs of syntenic genes between rice and bamboo revealed that 84.7% of these orthologs showed differential expression, indicating significant transcriptomic diversity despite phylogenomic relatedness. Transcriptional regulation of developing organs often involves conserved gene expression patterns across species; however, our findings suggest that callus formation may relax evolutionary constraints on these regulatory programs. These results illustrate the molecular diversity in callus cultures from multiple plant species, emphasizing the need to map this variability comprehensively to fully exploit the biotechnological potential of plant callus cultures.

A procedure was developed to isolate polyribosomes from plant cell cultures. Tobacco callus extracted in 10 mm MgCl(2), 80 mm KCl, 250 mm sucrose, and 140 mm tris-HCl (pH 8.2) yielded larger amounts of polysomes than cells extracted in higher or lower ionic strength or pH buffers. Optimal conditions for extraction of polysomes from soybean callus were identical except the most suitable pH for recovery was 8.5. Addition of the divalent cation chelator, ethylene glycol-bis(2-aminoethyl ether)-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) to the extraction medium improved polysomal yield from tobacco and soybean cultures. Polysomes were successfully extracted from potato, tomato, corn, and barley cell cultures in extraction medium supplemented with EGTA.

The effect of cultured carob cell extracts and exudates on acetylene reduction of three different species of Rhizobium, namely R. japonicum IS-33, “cowpea” Rhizobium TAL 169 and R. leguminosarum TAL 619, was studied. The exudates, excreted from plant callus cultures on an agar defined medium promote a synergistic activation of nitrogenase in pure cultures of rhizobia. “Cowpea” Rhizobium nitrogenase activity was stimulated by a high concentration of sucrose in the medium. Ability of exudates to influence Nase of R. leguminosarum and R. japonicum, respectively, increased in the presence of succinate. Stimulation could also take place when bacteria were grown on medium to which a crude cell extract was added. When the extract was incubated with rhizobia in a minimal nutrient medium a strong synergistic activation of R. leguminosarum and R. japonicum nitrogenase was observed. On this medium the cell extract showed an inhibitory effect on “cowpea” Rhizobium nitrogenase activity.

Distribution of the cardiotoxin pavettamine in the coffee family (Rubiaceae) and its significance for gousiekte, a fatal poisoning of ruminants