Apiaceae Plants Research Articles

Identifying the determinant habitat characteristics influencing the spatial distribution of Ferula ovina (Boiss.) in semiarid rangelands of Iran using machine learning methods

Ferula ovina (Boiss.) is a valuable but vulnerable monocarpic perennial forb species from Apiaceae plant family whose habitat has been degraded over the years; hence identifying the factors controlling its distribution is important to assist range managers for the reclamation activities. The specific objective of this study was to investigate the quantitative relationships between soil properties, topographical features, climate factors and F. ovina distribution in a semiarid part of central Iran and to assess the relative importance of these factors in controlling its spatial variability. To discern these complex relationships, artificial neural networks (ANNs), support vector machines (SVMs), and decision tree CHAID algorithm were employed. Results from the ANN, SVM, and CHAID models indicated that the climate and topographic conditions should be considered more in explaining the variability in F. ovina occurrence and distribution. Factors such as slope, precipitation of warmest month, and minimum temperature of coldest month were identified by the ANN, SVM, and CHAID models as the determinant factors influencing the spatial distribution of F. ovina in central Iran, respectively. Furthermore, CHAID approach showed greater potential in predicting the F. ovina occurrence in the study area. This study provides a strong basis for identifying the most determinant habitat characteristics of F. ovina and other vulnerable or endangered plant species in semiarid rangelands of Iran; however, its general analytical framework could be applied to other parts of the world with similar challenges.

The celery genome sequence reveals sequential paleo-polyploidizations, karyotype evolution and resistance gene reduction in apiales.

SummaryCelery (Apium graveolens L. 2n = 2x = 22), a member of the Apiaceae family, is among the most important and globally grown vegetables. Here, we report a high‐quality genome sequence assembly, anchored to 11 chromosomes, with total length of 3.33 Gb and N50 scaffold length of 289.78 Mb. Most (92.91%) of the genome is composed of repetitive sequences, with 62.12% of 31 326 annotated genes confined to the terminal 20% of chromosomes. Simultaneous bursts of shared long‐terminal repeats (LTRs) in different Apiaceae plants suggest inter‐specific exchanges. Two ancestral polyploidizations were inferred, one shared by Apiales taxa and the other confined to Apiaceae. We reconstructed 8 Apiales proto‐chromosomes, inferring their evolutionary trajectories from the eudicot common ancestor to extant plants. Transcriptome sequencing in three tissues (roots, leaves and petioles), and varieties with different‐coloured petioles, revealed 4 and 2 key genes in pathways regulating anthocyanin and coumarin biosynthesis, respectively. A remarkable paucity of NBS disease‐resistant genes in celery (62) and other Apiales was explained by extensive loss and limited production of these genes during the last ~10 million years, raising questions about their biotic defence mechanisms and motivating research into effects of chemicals, for example coumarins, that give off distinctive odours. Celery genome sequencing and annotation facilitates further research into important gene functions and breeding, and comparative genomic analyses in Apiales.

Efficacy of Six Plants of Apiaceae Family for Body Weight Management: A Review from the Perspective of Modern and Traditional Persian Medicine

Obesity is a common health concern among all populations and age groups worldwide and is a risk factor that leads to a significant increase in mortality and cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, stroke, and cancer. Disappointing results and weight regain after stopping lifestyle modification or drug therapy indicate the need for other methods of treatment to achieve better and longer effective results. In this study, the effects of the Apiaceae plants, including Carum carvi L., Bunium persicum Boiss., Cuminum cyminum L., Anethum graveolens L., Foeniculum Vulgare Mill. and Trachyspermum ammi L., in the TPM to treat obesity, were compared to a modern database, covering all in vivo and clinical trials on animal models or humans. In TPM sources, we used the keywords, "Saman-e- Mufrat", "Hazāl", and "Mohazzel". Each of the six plants was searched in the electronic databases, including Pubmed, Scopus, and Embase from 1975 to 1/1/2020 using keywords, namely "body mass", "body weight" and "obesity". The results indicated that six plants had reducing effects on body weight, BMI, fat mass, and appetite in almost all clinical studies on humans and some studies on animals. Since the TPM is a rich source of information about the medicinal properties and effects of medicinal plants, investigating the therapeutic effects of plants from the perspective of TPM can represent the vision of a new horizon in the treatment of many diseases.

Osthole resensitizes CD133+ hepatocellular carcinoma cells to cisplatin treatment via PTEN/AKT pathway.

The population of CD133 positive cancer cells has been reported to be responsible for drug resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the potential molecular mechanism by which CD133+ HCC cells develop drug resistance is still unclear. In this study, we found that CD133+ HepG2 and Huh7 cells were resistant to cisplatin treatment, compared to the CD133- HepG2 and Huh7 cells. However, treatment with osthole, a natural coumarin isolated from umbelliferae plant monomers, was found to resensitize CD133+ HepG2 and Huh7 cells to cisplatin treatment. In the mechanism research, we found that treatment with osthole increased the expression of PTEN. As a result, osthole inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT and Bad to decrease the amount of free Bcl-2 in CD133+ HepG2 and Huh7 cells. Finally, cisplatin-induced mitochondrial apoptosis was expanded. In conclusion, combination treatment with osthole can resensitize CD133+ HCC cells to cisplatin treatment via the PTEN/AKT pathway.

Carrion increases pollination service across an urban gradient

The world is increasingly urban, and urbanization alters the abundance and distribution of resources important to mutualist pollinators. Pollinators require distinct and diverse resources throughout their life cycle, including larval habitat and adult food resources. However, the relationship among urbanization, pollinator resource distribution, pollinator abundance, and pollination service provision are uncertain. Here, we test whether the presence of rat carrion facilitates pollination service to a non-native plant, Ammi majus L. (Apiaceae), by bolstering the pollinator community across an urban gradient. We show that carrion increased pollinator abundance and service provision to focal plants, especially in densely urban landscapes. Specifically, a paired experimental design revealed that in the presence of rat carrion, pollinator abundance increased by more than two-fold and plants received 11.2% greater pollination service across landscapes. Those plants situated in highly urban contexts received the greatest benefits from carrion with the largest abundance of pollinators and highest proportion of viable seed set. We demonstrate how human development facilitates the reproduction of a non-native plant by altering the pollinator community and pollination service provided across an urban gradient. Our findings have both basic and applied implications. First, we show that mutualistic species with complex life histories can provide conduits between various levels of ecosystem processes. Second, we suggest that the removal or reduction of larval habitat may serve as a tool in the management of non-native Apiaceae plants in the upper Midwest.

The protective effects of angelica organic acid against ox-LDL-induced autophagy dysfunction of HUVECs

BackgroundAngelica root is the dry root of the Umbelliferae plant Angelica sinensis (oliv) Diels. Angelica organic acid (OA) is the main active ingredient in Angelica sinensis, and it exerts potential anti-atherosclerotic effects by preventing Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) induced endothelial injury. To study the protective effects of OA on ox-LDL-induced HUVECs autophagic flux dysfunction and inflammatory injury.MethodsOA were isolated by water extraction and alcohol precipitation, and then the content of ferulic acid (FA) in the OA was determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The ox-LDL-induced endothelial injury model was established. The effect of ferulic acid on the survival of Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HVUECs) was detected by CCK-8 assay. HUVECs were pretreated with different concentrations of OA (20 μmol/L, 40 μmol/L, and 80 μmol/L), and Western Blot was used to detect the expressions of LC3II, p62, MCP-1, VCAM-1 and LOX-1. The autophagosomes in HUVECs were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).Results20 μmol/L OA could increase the expression of LC3II and decrease the expression of p62, MCP-1, VCAM-1 and LOX-1. The results of TEM showed that angelica organic acids promoted cell organelle degradation in autolysosomes.ConclusionOA could reduce inflammation, protect endothelial cells and play an anti-atherosclerotic role by enhancing the autophagy flux of damaged endothelial cells, in which FA the major active ingredient of OA played a major role.

Correlation between Solid Content and Antioxidant Activities in Umbelliferae Salad Plants.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant properties of 70% methanolic extracts and the correlation between several antioxidant activities in selected Umbelliferae plants, based on total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC). For Umbelliferae plants extracts, the IC50 of DPPH radical (100 μM) quenching activities for extract, TPC, and TFC were 39∼179 μg dry weight (DW)/mL, 14.08∼38.11 μg TPC/mL, and 0.36∼1.51 μg TFC/mL, respectively. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of extracts ranged from 11.44 to 42.88 mg Trolox equivalent (TE)/g DW extract, whereas ORAC for TPC and TFC was 47.40∼240.19 mg TE/g and 0.72∼11.22 g TE/g, respectively. The TPC had a superior linear correlation (r2=0.817) with 2,2’-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) values. Of the 14 Umbelliferae plant extracts, Sanicula rubiflora, Sanicula chinensis, Torilis japonica, Torilis scabra, and Angelica fallax showed the strongest antioxidant activity.

Effects of Monoterpenes of Trachyspermum ammi on the Viability of Spermatogonia Stem Cells In Vitro.

Trachyspermum ammi (Apiaceae) plants have several medicinal and condimentary applications and are considered an aphrodisiac agent in Iranian Traditional Medicine. Thus, the present study aims to evaluate the effects of oil from Iranian T. ammi plants on the viability of spermatogonial stem cells in vitro. The essential oil of T. ammi fruits was extracted by hydrodistillation, and the amount of thymol was calculated by a gas-chromatography method. Spermatogonial stem cells were isolated from the testes of mice using enzyme digestion. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was applied to assess the gene expressions of promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger protein (Plzf), DNA-binding protein inhibitor (ID-4), tyrosine-protein kinase (c-Kit), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) and Bcl2-associated X protein (BAX). The number and diameter of colonies were also measured in the treated cells. The amount of thymol in the oil was 130.7 ± 7.6 µg/mL. Flow cytometry analysis showed that 92.8% of all cells expressed stimulated by retinoic acid 8 (Stra8), a spermatogonial stem cell marker. Expression of Plzf and ID-4 genes significantly increased in the treatment groups, while c-Kit and BAX decreased, and Bcl2 increased in the presence of essential oil. The numbers and diameters of cells were also improved by the application of the plant oil. These data indicated that monoterpenes from the oil of T. ammi improved the quality and viability of spermatogonia cells in the cell culture.

In-silico Screening of Selected Apiaceae Plants as Melanogenesis Inhibitors and their Predicted Skin Permeability

Tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1) is a member of tyrosinase enzyme family which is metal-containing glycoproteins localized in melanosomes where the melanin biosynthesis occurs. The downregulation of tyrosinase is the most protruding approach for the development of skin whitening and depigmentation agents, however, TYRP1 downregulation is considered a novel target for melanogenesis inhibition and is still under clinical investigations for treatment of malignant melanoma. In the present study, virtual screening using glide extra-precision docking of an in-house generated data base of 400 natural compounds belonging to family Apiaceae for TYRP1 inhibitors was performed for the first time. luteolin-7-apiosylglucoside from celery followed by 4-(beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy)benzoic acid then caffeoylquininc acid from anise showed highly potent melanogenesis inhibition even more than the synthetic standard inhibitors such as azelaic and kojic acids. These natural inhibitors exhibited good predicted skin permeability after processing with Qikprop module. Although they had slow predicted transdermal penetration rates, but these rates can be enhanced through optimizing their topical pharmaceutical formulations.

Behavioral and Electrophysiological Effects of Ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi Sprague) (Apiales: Apiaceae) Essential Oil and Its Constituents on Nymphal and Adult Bean Bugs, Riptortus clavatus (Thunberg) (Hemiptera: Alydidae).

We investigated the repellent effect of 12 Apiaceae plant essential oils on nymphal and adult (male and female) forms of the bean bug, Riptortus clavatus (Thunberg) (Hemiptera: Alydidae), using a four-arm olfactometer. Among the essential oils tested, ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi Sprague) essential oil showed the strongest repellent activity against the nymphal and adult bean bugs. For female adults, the repellent activity was significantly different between an ajowan oil-treated chamber and an untreated chamber down to a concentration of 14.15 μg/cm2. We also investigated the repellent activity of individual ajowan essential oil constituents. Of the compounds examined, carvacrol and thymol showed the most potent repellent activity against the nymphal and adult bean bugs. Carvacrol and thymol exhibited 73.08% and 70.0% repellent activity for the bean bug nymph at 0.71 and 2.83 μg/cm2, respectively, and 82.6% and 80.7% at 5.66 and 11.32 μg/cm2, respectively, for male adults. Carvacrol and thymol exhibited strong repellent activity against female adult bean bugs down to a concentration of 2.83 μg/cm2. Ajowan essential oil, thymol and carvacrol elicited a negative electroantennogram (EAG) response from adult bean bugs. This could explain the repellent activity of ajowan essential oil and its constituents. Our results indicate that ajowan essential oil and its constituents carvacrol and thymol can be potential candidates as the ‘push’ component in a ‘push-pull’ strategy for bean bug control.

About some useful and poisonous plants of the family apiaceae l

In this article highlights of about some useful and poisonous plants of the family a piaceae L. The resinous substance in the roots of these plants, cyclotoxin, has a significant effect on the centers of excitation of the spinal cord of animals, that is, on respiration, heart rate and blood pressure. From plants of the Apiaceae L. family, especially from the root of the plant, cattle are particularly affected. We know from history that the great ancient Greek philosopher Socrates died of poisoning from this plant. From ancient times in Athens, people sentenced to death were ordered to drink poisonous drinks made from this plant.

Korenove nematode na korenastom povrću

Root vegetables have been present in our country from the earliest times. Paleobotanical sources indicate the presence of seeds of plants of the family Apiaceae (carrots or parsnips) from the 6th millennium BC from the Belo Brdo site. The greatest damage to these plants is caused by nematodes of the genus Meloidogyne, whose larvae burrow into the roots and transform into adult organisms inside the tissue, causing tissue deformation, tumor formation and can completely jeopardize vegetable yields. The populations of M. hapla were found on carrots and parsnips from the vicinity of Leskovac and Belgrade, respectively and they are morphologically characterized. The larval morphometric data show no significant differences between the populations however, M. hapla from parsnips shows more variations in the female perineal pattern, which is a characteristic of the species.

Collection and sorting of medicinal plants in Chinese Apiaceae( Umbelliferae)

The family Apiaceae( Umbelliferae) includes some of the world's most important medicinal plants,with more than 100 species recorded in the traditional Chinese medicine,of which more than ten species are commonly used medicinal materials. However,due to morphological similarities,high market demands and regional factors,substitutes and adulterants are often mixed with genuine in the medicinal market. Therefore,a comprehensive sorting for these poorly known plants has been done in this study by combining market survey with literature review,including its species,distribution,price and substitutes. According to the statistics,there are 65 genera and 262 species of medicinal plants of Apiaceae in China,with medicinal part mostly from radix and rhizoma. Sichuan province is the most abundant in distribution and planting resources,with about 137 species,followed by Yunnan,Hubei and Gansu provinces.Furthermore,we summarized the genuine and substitutes of 11 medicinal plants,e. g. Bupleurum,Angelica and Peucedanum etc.,which found that the medicinal plants of Apiaceae were substituted or mixed in different taxonomic ranks. This study would contribute to reduce the risk of medicine misuse,as well as explore other plants of Apiaceae with potential medicinal value,to achieve sustainable development of related industries.

Allylative Approaches to the Synthesis of Complex Guaianolide Sesquiterpenes from Apiaceae and Asteraceae.

With hundreds of unique members isolated to date, guaianolide lactones represent a particularly prolific class of terpene natural products. Given their extensive documented therapeutic properties and fascinating chemical structures, these metabolites have captivated the synthetic chemistry community for many decades. As a result of divergent biosynthetic pathways, which produce a wide array of stereochemical and oxidative permutations, a unifying synthetic pathway to this broad family of natural products is challenging. Herein we document the evolution of a chiral-pool-based synthetic program aimed at accessing an assortment of guaianolides, particularly those from the plant family Apiaceae as well as Asteraceae, members of which possess distinct chemical substructures and necessitate deviating synthetic platforms. An initial route employing the linear monoterpene linalool generated a lower oxidation state guaianolide but was not compatible with the majority of family members. A double-allylation disconnection using a carvone-derived fragment was then developed to access first an Asteraceae-type guaianolide and then various Apiaceae congeners. Finally, using these findings in conjunction with a tandem polyoxygenation cascade, we developed a pathway to highly oxygenated nortrilobolide. A variety of interesting observations in metal-mediated aldehyde allylation and alkene polyoxygenation are reported and discussed.

Antimicrobial Activity and Analysis of the Essential Oils of Selected Endemic Edible Apiaceae Plants Root from Caspian Hyrcanian Region (North of Iran)

Background: Different endemic species of Apiaceae that widely grow in Hyrcanian region have long been used as spices and herbal remedies. Chemical compositions and bioactivity of many of these plants have not been studied scientifically. The volatile constituents and antimicrobial activity of four edible Apiaceae plants—Elaeosticta glaucescens Boiss, Malabaila secacul (Mill.) Boiss, Caucalis platycarpos L., and Eryngium caucasicum Trautv—roots were investigated. Methods: Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and gas chromatography/flame ionization detection (GC–FID) methods were used for chemical investigation. Antimicrobial potential of the volatile compositions of these roots were investigated using the disc diffusion method on four microorganisms including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus subtilis. Results: The best minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of these species were revealed for B. subtilis and S. aureus (500 µg/mL for MIC and MBC) followed by E. caucasicum and C. platycarpus, respectively. The main compounds of E. caucasicum root essential oil were hexyl isovalerate (11.0%) and hexyl valerate (10.1%). E. glaucescens root essential oil was mainly composed of 3(10)-caren-4-ol, acetoacetic acid ester (9.8%), octyl isovalerate (8.9%), and octyl acetate (5.7%). In C. platycarpos root, hexyl isovalerate (9.2%) and n-octyl isobutyrate (8.5%) were constituted the major compositions of the essential oil while n-hexyl isobutyrate (8.5%) and hexyl hexanoate (7.8%) were predominant compounds in M. secacul. Conclusion: The essential oils of E. caucasicum and C. platycarpus roots were contained high amount of short chain fatty acid esters (SCFAE) and trans- pinocarvyl acetate. They exhibited moderate antibacterial activity.

Seed germination requirements of relictic and broadly-distributed populations of Chaerophyllumaureum (Apiaceae): connecting ecophysiology and genetic identity

The main goal of this work was to relate the germinative ecology and genetic variability of Chaerolhyllum aureum L., an Apiaceae plant with dormant, underdeveloped embryos at the time of seed dispersal. We compared the seed germination physiology traits between a relictic geographically isolated Mediterranean population (Iberian System; central Spain) and a population located in the main, colder Atlantic Alpine core (Pyrenees; northern Spain). We analyzed both populations? genetic identity in parallel on the basis of ISSR?PCR analyses. Stratification, gibberellin treatment, and seed storage tests showed that C. aureum seeds have deep complex morphophysiological dormancy. The Iberian System population seeds required shorter cold stratification than the Pyrenees population seeds (16 vs. 20 weeks) to germinate. The genetic analyses suggested closer similarity between Iberian System individuals and those from the Pyrenees requiring shorter cold periods to germinate. Our findings denote a consistent parallelism between germination physiology and genetic identity. The records from these germination and genetic analyses suggested selective pressure due to the climate differences between the two geographical regions. Thus, the individuals in the Iberian System population would have been selected from the original pool to a shorter cold-stratification requiring ecotype.

Two New Species of the Genus Systole (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Eurytomidae), with Fisrt Record of S. Complanata from Iran

Abstract Systole irana sp. n. and S. dzintari sp. n. are described from Iran. Systole complanata Zerova is recorded from Iran for the first time. These three Systole species belong to the subgenus Systole (Systole). The species of this subgenus have trophic associations with plants of family Apiaceae. An identification key to species of Systole from Iran is given. Holotype and paratypes of new species are deposited in the collection of I. I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Kyiv).

Novel circular DNA viruses associated with Apiaceae and Poaceae from South Africa and New Zealand.

Advances in molecular techniques used in viral metagenomics coupled with high throughput sequencing is rapidly expanding our knowledge of plant-associated virus diversity. Applying such approaches, we have identified five novel circular replication-associated protein (Rep)-encoding single-stranded (CRESS) DNA viruses from Poaceae and Apiaceae plant from South Africa and New Zealand. These viruses have a simple genomic organization, including two open reading frames that likely encode a Rep and a capsid protein (CP), a conserved nonanucleotide motif on the apex of a putative stem loop structure, and conserved rolling-circle replication and helicase motifs within their likely Rep: all suggesting that they replicate through rolling-circle replication. The Reps and the CPs putatively encoded by these five novel viruses share low to moderate degrees of similarity (22.1 - 44.6%) with other CRESS DNA viruses.

Determination of Chlorophyll and Carotenoids Present in the Seeds of the Plant Family Apiaceae and the Impact on Seed Quality

In this study, we assessed the content of chlorophyllaandb, β-carotene and lutein in seeds of carrot, celery, dill, parsley and parsnip commercial varieties by spectrophotometric method. It was determined that the content of chlorophyllawas higher than chlorophyllband both differed significantly between plant species and varieties. The highest amounts of chlorophylla, chlorophyllb, β-carotene and lutein were detected in parsley “Olomoucka dlouha”. The lowest amounts of chlorophylla, chlorophyllb, β-carotene and no lutein were detected in celery “Nuget”, however, very low amount of lutein was detected in the parsley cultivars “Atika” and “Orbis”. The content of β-carotene was higher than that of lutein in most varieties. The individual pigment contents were compared to seed quality parameters such as standard laboratory germination and seedling emergence. Negative correlation between energy of germination and pigments and positive correlation between seedling emergence and pigments in the parsnip and parsley varieties was observed. Determination the content of pigments and correlations observed the possibility to use spectrophotometry to evaluate the pigments present in the seeds as an indicator of seed quality.

Identification of Species in the Aromatic Spice Family Apiaceae Using DNA Mini-barcodes.

The species of the aromatic plant family Apiaceae are mainly used as spices and foods, but the family also includes medicinal and some poisonous plant species. Due to the similar chemical compounds or aroma and morphology, the poisonous species are often mistaken for the edible aromatic species. It is therefore imperative to correctly identify the species present at the initial raw stage samples to ensure product safety and efficacy. At the molecular level, plant species can be identified using DNA loci either from nuclear or plastid genome with easily available universal oligonucleotides, a technique called DNA barcoding. However, this is possible when single-species plant material is present but may not work on a mixture of plants species. Another disadvantage is that using universal oligonucleotides is of limited help, especially if the adulterating material is present in low quantities. On the other hand, if using the species-specific oligonucleotides, only single specific adulterating plant material could be detected and, consequently, the unexpected adulterants may go undetected. Therefore, in the current work, four degenerated oligonucleotides from ITS1 and ITS2 regions of the nuclear genome were designed that can bind to a variety of Apiaceae genera only and not to other genera belonging to different plant families. These family-specific oligonucleotides were able to amplify a diagnostic PCR product from 16 Apiaceae species that, upon sequencing, revealed the identity of the plant it was derived from. The size of these products is around 140 bp for ITS1 and approximately 80 bp for the ITS2 region. The size range of the amplified products falls in the category of a desired mini-barcode size to be used for damaged/fragmented DNA and next generation sequencing.