Abstract
Periwinkle plant represents a major source of immensely vital terpenoid indole alkaloids and natural antioxidants which are widely used in cancer chemotherapy. A pot experiment was done to evaluate the role of two periwinkle endophytes (Streptomyces sp. and Bacillus sp.) with or without abiotic elicitors (aluminum chloride, tryptophan, and chitosan) on plant biomass, physio-biochemical attributes, phytopharmaceutical constituents, and alkaloid production. Inoculation with endophyte microbes significantly increased plant growth, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, and alkaloid yield. It also decreased oxidative biomarkers (hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde) and had no significant effects on flavonoids and anthocyanin. In this regard, Streptomyces sp. was more effective than Bacillus sp. Foliar spraying with chitosan significantly increased plant growth, chlorophyll, ions, antioxidant capacity, phytopharmaceutical constituents (total soluble phenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanin), and alkaloid yield, associated with a decline in oxidative biomarkers. Conversely, aluminum chloride application generally increased oxidative biomarkers, which was associated with a decreasing effect on plant growth, chlorophyll, and ions. Application of either tryptophan or chitosan with endophyte microbes increased plant growth, chlorophyll, ions, antioxidants, and alkaloid; meanwhile, it decreased oxidative biomarkers. On the contrary, aluminum chloride with endophytes evoked oxidative damage that was associated with a reduction in plant growth, chlorophyll, ions, and phytopharmaceutical constituents. The current study provides a proof-of-concept of the use of the endophyte Streptomyces sp. with chitosan for enhancing periwinkle plant biomass, phytopharmaceuticals accumulation, and alkaloid production.
Highlights
Introduction published maps and institutional affilCancer is one of the greatest widespread destructive diseases, influencing millions of people each year, and it has been anticipated as the second principal causative agent of human death following cardiovascular disease [1]
Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus L. (G.) Don; Apocynaceae), is a significant source of high natural antioxidants and terpenoid indole alkaloids involving two essential dimeric alkaloids utilized in cancer chemotherapy [3]
The plant shoots were washed thoroughly in sterilized distilled water (SDW) and surface-sterilized for 1 min in 70% ethanol, 2.5% sodium hypochlorite, 70% ethanol respectively, and rinsed in SDW three times to ensure that all isolated microorganisms are endophytes and to kill saprophytic or parasitic microbes [32]
Summary
Cancer is one of the greatest widespread destructive diseases, influencing millions of people each year, and it has been anticipated as the second principal causative agent of human death following cardiovascular disease [1]. In 2018, about 18.1 million people worldwide had cancer, and 9.6 million died from the disease, those numbers are projected to nearly double by 2040 [1]. Global annual expenses on anticancer drugs are approximately. (G.) Don; Apocynaceae), is a significant source of high natural antioxidants and terpenoid indole alkaloids (approximately 130 TIAs) involving two essential dimeric alkaloids utilized in cancer chemotherapy [3]. The most important periwinkle alkaloids are vincristine (VCR) and vinblastine (VLB) which have been applied as a foremost active constituent of different marketable chemotherapy drugs (ONCOVIN and VELNR respectively) for chronic cancers such as leukemia, breast carcinoma, lung iations
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