Ranunculaceae Research Articles

Adatok idegenhonos növényfajok ismeretéhez Magyarországon I. (1–6)

This is the first in a series of papers by various authors presenting previously unpublished data relevant to the knowledge of alien vascular plants in Hungary. This paper deals with the families Pteridaceae, Brassicaceae, Plantaginaceae, Rosaceae, Ranunculaceae, Fabaceae and Poaceae. It includes new area records and distributional considerations for Cochlearia danica and Plantago coronopus spreading along Hungarian road-network as well as records of Panicum riparium from the Northern Hungarian Mountain range based on field work and herbarium revision. We note the importance of checking the data previously collected as P. capillare. Floristic data of two species not previously recorded in Hungary (Cardamine corymbosa, Ranunculus marginatus) and 3 sporadically occurring alien species (Aphanes australis, Lepidium didymum, Medicago arabica), from garden centres in the Debrecen area were published. A 7-year long survival of a population of Adiantum capillus-veneris in a traditional, abandoned well is also documented between 2017 and 2024. The paper reports that traffic infrastructure can facilitate the spread of Elymus elongatus along roads.

Advancements in Microbial Cell Engineering for Benzylisoquinoline Alkaloid Production.

Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are a class of natural compounds found in plants of the Ranunculaceae family, known for their diverse pharmacological activities. However, the extraction yields of BIAs from plants are limited, and the cost of chemical synthesis is prohibitively high. Recent advancements in systems metabolic engineering and genomics have made it feasible to use microbes as bioreactors for BIAs production. This review explores recent progress in enhancing the production and yields of BIAs in two microbial systems: Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It covers various BIAs, including (S)-reticuline, morphinane, protoberberine, and aporphine alkaloids. The review provides strategies and technologies for BIAs synthesis, analyzes current challenges in BIAs research, and offers recommendations for future research directions.

Exploring the Antibacterial Properties and Chemical Profiles of Essential Oils from Syzygium aromaticum and Nigella sativa Against MDR Bacteria

For centuries, plants have been studied for their healing properties. Recently, the rise of antibiotic resistance in bacteria has prompted scientists to explore herbal remedies. Syzygium aromaticum, from the Myrtaceae family, has been utilized as a histological clearing agent. In contrast, Nigella sativa (black cumin), a member of the Ranunculaceae family, has long been utilized in traditional medicine dating back to ancient times. The current study investigates the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oils from Syzygium aromaticum (clove) and Nigella sativa (black cumin) against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Using the agar well diffusion method, Syzygium aromaticum exhibited significant antibacterial activity, particularly against Salmonella typhi (30.66 mm inhibition zone), while Nigella sativa was effective only against Staphylococcus aureus (19 mm). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values for Syzygium aromaticum ranged from 3.53 to 7.06 mg/mL, indicating stronger antibacterial properties than Nigella sativa (MIC: 12.7 mg/mL, MBC: 22.5 mg/mL). GC-MS analysis revealed that Syzygium aromaticum contained bioactive compounds like Diglycolic acid (76.59%) and Eugenol (2.06%), while Nigella sativa was dominated by Heptasiloxane (80.83%) and Thymoquinone (2.66%). These findings suggest that Syzygium aromaticum essential oil could serve as a potent natural antimicrobial agent against MDR pathogens.

Investigation of paeonol in dermatological diseases: an animal study review.

Cortex Moutan is the root bark of the buttercup plant Paeonia suffruticosa Andr, of Ranunculaceae family. It has been utilized in Chinese medicine for thousands of years to treat a multitude of diseases, and traditional Chinese documents allege that it has heat-clearing, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory and detoxicating properties. Paeonol is a bioactive substance extracted from Cortex Moutan, which is considered to be one of its most effective metabolites. Recent studies have illustrated that paeonol treatment can alleviate skin damage, relieve the inflammatory response in patients with numerous dermatological conditions, and inhibit anomalous proliferation of skin tissue. Accordingly, paeonol may serve as a potential therapeutic agent for a variety of skin conditions. This review summarizes the physicochemical properties and pharmacokinetics (PK) characteristics of paeonol, and mechanisms of operation in diverse skin diseases, including dermatitis, psoriasis, pruritus, photoaging, hyperpigmentation, and hyperplasticscar. Additionally, much of the evidence is based on animal experiments. Furthermore, it explores the prospects of enhancing paeonol's efficacy through extraction, synthesis, and formulation innovations, as well as strategies to overcome its limitations in dermatological therapy. This review aims to provide a more reliable theoretical basis for the clinical application of paeonol.

Population genetic differentiation and structure of rare plant Anemone shikokiana based on genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS)

BackgroundAnemone shikokiana (Makino) Makino is a perennial herb of the genus Anemone in the family Ranunculaceae. Endemic to the Shandong Peninsula in China and Shikoku Island in Japan, it is a rare and endangered plant with a narrow, disjunct distribution. It is threatened with extinction and is in urgent need of conservation. Evaluating the genetic diversity of species, revealing the population genetic structure and gene flow, and inferring the population history are of great importance for species conservation, especially for rare and endangered plants.ResultsIn our study, 73 samples from eight wild populations in China were sequenced by Super-GBS, yielding a total of 40.59 G clean reads and 52,231 SNPs. Based on the obtained SNP data set, we evaluated the population genetic diversity, genetic structure, and gene flow of A. shikokiana. A low level of genetic diversity was found (He = 0.1925, Ho = 0.1422). The neighbor-joining (NJ) tree, principal component analysis and ADMIXTURE analysis suggested that these 73 A. shikokiana could be considered as two groups. Pairwise genetic differentiation coefficients (Fst) indicated that genetic differentiation was lower between adjacent populations and higher between geographically separated populations. The gene flow between Kunyu Mountain and Lao Mountain was very low. However, neither of the two regions showed evidence of Isolation by Distance.ConclusionsHere, we revealed the population genetic structure and gene flow of A. shikokiana from the Shandong Peninsula, China. This research provides valuable genetic resources for A. shikokiana and contributes to the scientific and effective conservation of the species.

Exploratory analysis of agro-morphological characteristics in Nigella sativa L. plant genotypes to determine mutagen colchicine ameliorative/ non-ameliorative impacts.

This experimental study aimed to elucidate the optimal colchicine concentration for inducing polyploidy and to examine the morphological effects on Nigella sativa L. (family Ranunculaceae) plants recognized as 'Kalonji' in India. Here, seeds were exposed with different concentration of colchicine ranging from 0.025 to 0.4% with varying time duration (24-48h). The agro-morphological attributes and chromosome counts of the putative polyploids were compared with control diploid plants, revealing significant differences. The ploidy level determined by chromosome counts revealed that 0.05-0.1% concentration of colchicine induced tetraploids within both plant genotypes for 24h and 48h. However, results based on agro-morphological trait correlation analysis revealed more significant association among yield traits at 0.1% concentration and the principal component analysis revealed that the maximum possible ameliorative effect of the colchicine dose was the lowest concentration (0.025% for a 48-hour exposure time) for the AN1 genotype; likewise, a 0.05% concentration established a more positive association in terms of growth and yield attributes for the AN20 genotype. This study demonstrated that low dosages (0.025% and 0.1%) strongly impact plant growth and yield, whereas higher dosages obliterate these positive effects and add destructive characteristics within plants which ultimately reduces yield.

Discovering the Untouched Perspective of Endangered North American Herb Actaea racemosa.

Actaea racemosa (AR), sometimes also known as black cohosh, is a perennial herb that grows in the Ranunculaceae family that effloresces in the middle of summer. This herb is currently present throughout south and west North America despite being endangered in the eastern section of the continent. Certain information about the photochemistry and biological potential of this herb is available. In accordance with the scant available ethno-medical reports, this herb possesses antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antiosteoporosis, and anticancer properties. As per the available literature, caffeic acid, isoferulic acid, actein, 23-epi-26 deoxycatein, cimicifugoside, and ferukinolic acid are the key components found in different parts of AR. To date, no thorough research or systematic review has been done to highlight the traditional, biological, and phytochemical benefits of this herb. Consequently, further research is needed to gain a deeper understanding of this therapeutic herb, particularly about its separation and pharmacological screening of its insulating portion for a range of biological functions. The goal of this review was to compile the most recent data on the phytochemical presence of AR. in relation to its ethnomedical applications, methods of extraction, pharmacological applications, and future potential.

Assessment and condition of a small river in urbanized areas (with the example of the river Kurdyum of the municipal formation “Saratov city”)

The results of the study of the ecological status of the Kurdyum river within the municipal formation “Saratov city” are presented. The hydrochemical regime, hydrophilic flora and vegetation of the watercourse were studied in the 2022–2023 field seasons. The ecological status of the river by structural parameters of macrophytes was assessed. The species composition of aquatic plants in the river Kurdyum was represented by 41 macrophyte species belonging to 32 genera, 23 families and three divisions (Charophyta, Polypodiophyta, and Magnoliophyta). The families Potamogetonaceae, Asteraceae, Poaceae, Typhaceae and Ranunculaceae predominated by the number of species. The genus Potamogeton contained the greatest number of species (four) while other genera were represented by one – two species. Hydrophytes were a numerous ecological group, accounting for 51% of the total number of species. New locations of species rare for the Saratov region (Myriophyllum verticillatum and Zannichellia palustris) were revealed. The vegetation cover of the Kurdyum river is characterized by the greatest phytocenotic diversity of true aquatic vegetation. The impoverishment of the phytocenotic composition of helophytic and hygrophytic vegetation is explained by the lack of favorable conditions for the development of their phytocenoses (the watercourse has abrasion banks along a significant length) or trampling and eating by grazing animals. The studied river is characterized by species diversity in comparison with previously studied urban watercourses. Index comparison has revealed an inverse relationship between species diversity and the level of anthropogenic load. Cluster analysis has revealed that the structure of flora and vegetation from the source to the mouth of the river is not homogeneous and is formed under the influence of a combination of hydrological, chemical and anthropogenic factors. The results of our chemical analysis of the water showed that the maximum permissible concentrations of Fe, Zn, Cu, surfactants, NO2 and NH3 were exceeded throughout the river. However, the environmental indicators assessed based on the structural parameters of macrophytes allow us to consider the ecological status of the watercourse satisfactory. Thus, the Kurdyum river is moderately polluted with a high trophic status.

Progress in the Study of Chemical Structure and Pharmacological Effects of Total Paeony Glycosides Isolated from Radix Paeoniae Rubra.

Radix paeoniae rubra, known as red peony root, is derived from the dried roots of Paeonia lactiflora pall or Paeonia veitchii lynch from the Ranunculaceae family. It is recognized for its properties of clearing heat, cooling blood, dispelling stasis, and alleviating pain, making it one of the most commonly used herbs in traditional Chinese medicine. Total paeony glycosides (TPGs) are identified as the principal active constituents of Radix paeoniae rubra, comprising monoterpenoid compounds with a cage-like pinane structure and monoterpenoids with a lactone structure. This review summarizes the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of TPGs, with the aim of elucidating their relationships.

Taxonomic relevance of leaf surface micromorphology in Korean Clematis L. (Ranunculaceae).

Clematis, one of the largest genera of the family Ranunculaceae, has a wide array of morphological variation and is considered the most difficult group of taxa in terms of infrageneric discrimination. This study assessed the leaf micromorphological features of 19 Clematis taxa (16 species and three varieties) found in Korea. The leaf surface features were studied under scanning electron microscopy, and the stomatal counting and measurement were carried out under light microscopy. Clematis are hypostomatic, meaning the stomata are only found on the abaxial surface of the leaf. Observed taxa showed near uniformity in the epidermal cell type, structure, and morphology on both surfaces of the leaf. Differences were observed in the presence and absence and/or abundance of trichomes on both the adaxial and abaxial surfaces, the epidermal cell boundary, and the periclinal and anticlinal wall of the cells. Differences were also observed in the number of the epidermal cells connected with the stomata on the abaxial surface, with small differences noted in epidermal cell shapes. The ANOVA showed a significant variation in the stomata density in the studied taxa (P < 0.0001). The cluster analysis based on 13 leaf micromorphological features generated four major clusters. These results indicated similarities in certain key leaf micromorphological features among taxa from the Tubulosae, Clematis, and Virona sections. In the genus Clematis, as with other morphological characteristics, using leaf micromorphological characters alone, which possess limited taxonomic value, proves inadequate for resolving infrageneric relationships. However, incorporating certain features with other morphological characteristics offers a possible alternative means of determining the infrageneric relationships within the genus.

The complete plastome of Thalictrum elegans Wall. ex Royle and its phylogenetic analysis

Thalictrum elegans Wall. ex Royle, a species within the family Ranunculaceae, is mainly distributed along forest margins and grassy slopes at altitudes 2700-4000 m on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Despite its wide distribution in alpine ecosystems, its genetic diversity remains poorly understood. In this study, we assembled and characterized the complete chloroplast genome of T. elegans, addressing a significant gap in our understanding of its genetic composition. The chloroplast genome is 155,864 base pairs long and contains 131 genes, including 86 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis of 15 representative Thalictrum species revealed that the genus can be classified into three clades. T. elegans along with another nine other species formed the largest monophyletic clade and is most closely related to T. petaloideum and T. foliosum. These findings enhance our understanding of the genetic diversity of T. elegans and contribute to its conservation and utilization.

Optimization of Extraction Process of Total Alkaloids from Thalictrum delavayi Franch. and Their Therapeutic Potential on Pulmonary Infection Caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli

Bacterial co-infected pneumonia is an acute inflammatory reaction of the lungs mainly caused by Gram-negative bacteria. Antibiotics are urgently important but have the disadvantage of antibacterial resistance, and alternative treatments with medicinal plants are attractive. On the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, Thalictrum delavayi Franch. (T. delavayi) is an important member of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae), is rich in alkaloids and has been used in folk medicine for thousands of years. In this study, the extraction process of total alkaloids from the whole T. delavayi plant was optimized and the extract’s therapeutic potential against pulmonary infection caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli was investigated. The results showed that the optimum experimental conditions for the total alkaloids (2.46%) from T. delavayi were as follows: hydrochloric acid volume fraction of 0.8%, solid–liquid ratio of 1:12 and sonication time of 54 min. The treatment reduced bacterial counts, white blood cell counts and inflammatory cell classification in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and the levels of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in the serum in experimental groups. The results in our experimental preliminary work suggested that the total alkaloids from T. delavayi had therapeutic effects on mice with Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli mixed infectious pneumonia, providing experimental support for the plant’s therapeutic potential in treating pulmonary infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli.

Therapeutic and Phytochemical Properties of Thymoquinone Derived from Nigella sativa.

Nigella sativa (N. sativa), commonly known as black seed or black cumin, belongs to the family Ranunculaceae. It contains several phytoconstituents, Thymoquinone (TQ), thymol, thymohydroquinone, carvacrol, and dithymoquinone. TQ is the main phytoconstituent present in N. sativa that is used as an herbal compound, and it is widely used as an antihypertensive, liver tonic, diuretic, digestive, anti-diarrheal, appetite stimulant, analgesic, and antibacterial agent, and in skin disorders. The study focused on collecting data on the therapeutic or pharmacological activities of TQ present in N. sativa seed. Antidiabetic, anticancer, immunomodulator, analgesic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hepato-protective, renal protective, and antioxidant properties of TQ have been studied by various scientists. TQ seems to have a variety of consequences on how infected cells behave at the cellular level.

Determining the genetic diversity of some black cumin genotypes collected in different regions of Türkiye using RAPD markers

Black cumin is one of the important medicinal aromatic plants belonging to the Ranunculaceae family. It is mostly used in the Middle East and for some diseases, especially in the Iranian region. It is important to know the genetic resources of such important medicinal and aromatic plants. Characterization of genetic resources sheds light on both the conservation of genetic resources and the future breeding studies. In this study, a total of 8 black cumin plants were characterized with 17 RAPD primers. Presence (1) and absence (0) scoring of gel images was performed using the Agarose Gel Electrophoresis (AGE) method. In genetic characterization, phylogenetic dendrogram with Bayesian statistics and Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) with Jaccard similarity index were performed. As a result of the findings, the Nigella damascena, one of the black cumin plant species, was 100% separated from the Nigella sativa species. Additionally, Nigella sativa species differed among Konya, Eskişehir and Çameli genotypes. It gave similar results to Bayesian statistics in PCoA. The analysis indicated that Konya, Eskişehir and Çameli genotypes of Nigella sativa species have a higher potential to be used in breeding studies compared to other genotypes.

Several major herb pairs containing Coptidis rhizoma: a review of key traditional uses, constituents and compatibility effects.

Herb compatibility is the soul of traditional Chinese Medicine prescriptions. Coptidis rhizoma (CR) (Coptis chinensis Franch., Coptis deltoidea C.Y.Cheng et Hsiao, or Coptis teeta Wall.; family Ranunculaceae), is a well-known herb. The bitter and cold nature of CR can irritate the spleen and stomach, and certain ingredients in CR may trigger allergic reactions. Herb combinations can help alleviate the side effects caused by CR. Through data analysis and literature research, there are many herbs combined with CR have a high frequency, but only a few are currently used as formulae in clinical practice. The results showed that these six herb pairs are usually widely studied or used as prescriptions in the clinic. This paper describes the six herb pairs from the key traditional uses, changes in bioactive constituents, and compatibility effects, especially with Euodiae fructus (family Rutaceae), Scutellariae radix (family Lamiaceae), Magnoliae Officinalis cortex (family Magnoliaceae), Glycyrrhizae radix et rhizoma (family Fabaceae), Ginseng radix et rhizoma (family Araliaceae), and Aucklandiae radix (family Asteraceae), and found that herbs are more effective when used in combination. Therefore, it is feasible to establish some methods to study herb pairs comprehensively from different perspectives. This paper aims to provide the latest and most comprehensive information on the six herb pairs and summarize the pattern of CR compatibility effects. It aims to attract more attention, and further experimental studies will be conducted to investigate and evaluate the effects of herb pairs containing CR. These data can also provide valuable references for researchers and also provide more possibilities for future applications in clinical practice and new drug development.

Pharmacological Characterization of Nigella sativa Extract and the Compound Beta-caryophyllene

Traditional medicines made from medicinal plants are the most abundant biosources of medications. Pharmaceutical medications, synthetic pharmaceuticals, Siddha, Ayurveda, nutraceuticals, and dietary supplements all come from plant sources. In spite of several studies using herbal plants that have shown a strong link between phytochemical, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory content, Nigella sativa—a spice plant of the Ranunculaceae family—showed more significant qualities than its competitors. Numerous pharmacological properties were discovered in both the Nigella sativa essential oil and the seeds. Nigella sativa is considered to be the most powerful antioxidant and medicinal plant with known medicinal properties and therapeutic applications, and it is used as traditional medicine for respiratory, gastrointestinal, rheumatic, and inflammatory disorders. The study was conducted using Nigella sativa and compound Beta caryophyllene to determine the anti-oxidant, invitro-anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and enzymatic and non-enzymatic activity of the ethanolic seed extract of Nigella sativa and compound Beta caryophyllene on Alzheimer's disease because there were no toxic effects or serious side effects observed using animal models or in clinical trials. The antioxidant activity of the compound and the extract was examined to study the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the extract and the compound beta-caryophyllene. Phytochemical screening exhibited secondary metabolites of the extract, such as phenols, flavonoids, steroids, alkaloids, and cardiac glycosides. Nigella sativa extract and its constituents such as beta-caryophyllene, possess a protective effect against toxicity, which is caused by drugs used for treating cancer as well as neurodegenerative disorders. Further, the extract prevents a decrease in hemoglobin levels as well as leukocyte counts. The purpose of the research is to demonstrate that Nigella sativa and the chemical beta-caryophyllene may be employed as medicinal agents and that beta-caryophyllene may have potential cholinesterase inhibitory effects.

Genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the Nigella sativa (black seed) plastome

In this study, the complete plastome sequence of Nigella sativa (black seed), was analyzed for the first time. The plastome spans approximately 154,120 bp, comprising four sections: the Large Single-Copy (LSC) (85,538 bp), the Small Single-Copy (SSC) (17,984 bp), and two Inverted Repeat (IR) regions (25,299 bp). A comparative study of N. sativa’s plastome with ten other species from various genera in the Ranunculaceae family reveals substantial structural variations. The contraction of the inverted repeat region in N. sativa influences the boundaries of single-copy regions, resulting in a shorter plastome size than other species. When comparing the plastome of N. sativa with those of its related species, significant divergence is observed, particularly except for N. damascena. Among these, the plastome of A. glaucifolium displays the highest average pairwise sequence divergence (0.2851) with N. sativa, followed by A. raddeana (0.2290) and A. coerulea (0.1222). Furthermore, the study identified 12 distinct hotspot regions characterized by elevated Pi values (> 0.1). These regions include trnH-GUG-psbA, matK-trnQ-UUG, psbK-trnR-UCU, atpF-atpI, rpoB-psbD, ycf3-ndhJ, ndhC-cemA, petA-psaJ, trnN-GUU-ndhF, trnV-GAC-rps12, ycf2-trnI-CAU, and ndhA-ycf1. Approximately, 24 tandem and 48 palindromic and forward repeats were detected in N. sativa plastome. The analysis revealed 32 microsatellites with the majority being mononucleotide repeats. In the N. sativa plastome, phenylalanine had the highest number of codons (1982 codons), while alanine was the least common amino acid with 260 codons. A phylogenetic tree, constructed using protein-coding genes, revealed a distinct monophyletic clade comprising N. sativa and N. damascene, closely aligned with the Cimicifugeae tribe and exhibiting robust support. This plastome provides valuable genetic information for precise species identification, phylogenetic resolution, and evolutionary studies of N. sativa.

First Report ofCoptis Wilt Disease Caused by Plectosphaerella cucumerina in China.

Coptis (Coptis chinensis) belongs to the Ranunculaceae family, the rhizomes used in traditional Chinese medicine. Since 2021, an uncommon stem and leaf wilt disease, with an average disease incidence of 70%~90%, has been observed in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces. The early wilt symptoms were observed on older leaves and stems, and the whole seedling wilted and died. The rhizome of the diseased seedlings changed in color, became necrotic, and rotted. Symptomatic roots and stems were surface-sterilized with 70% ethanol for 30 s, followed by 0.2% NaClO for 2-3 min, rinsed in sterile water three times, and then placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 25℃for 14 days. Fungal growth was observed, and six isolates with similar morphology were obtained. The 14-day-old colonies on PDA were buff with few aerial hyphae and slimy surfaces. Aerial hyphae were sparse with simple or branched conidiophores. Conidia were hyaline, smooth, ovoid, septate or aseptate, and 5.77 to 9.53 × 2.15 to 3.32 µm (n = 50). Three of the six isolates were subjected to further analysis. The genomic DNA of three isolates (CCF1-1, CCF1-2, CCF1-3) was extracted using Axygen MAG-FRAG- I-50 (Axygen Bio-Tek) for molecular identification. Partial sequences of the internal transcribed spacer of rDNA (ITS) and large subunit rDNA (LSU) were amplified using the primers ITS1/4 and LR5F/LROR, respectively (Vilgalys and Hester 1990). Their sequences were aligned by MEGA X (Kumar et al., 2018), and the sequences of each region showed 100% sequence similarity among our isolates. A BLAST search of ITS and LSU sequences (accession nos. ON377369, ON428244) showed that both regions had the highest nucleotide similarities (99.43 to 99.89%) to the Plectosphaerella cucumerina strains. Based on morphological and molecular analyses, the isolates were identified as P. cucumerina (Palm et al. 1995). The pathogenicity of our isolates CCF1-1, CCF1-2, CCF1-3 was tested on ten 2-month-old healthy seedlings of coptis, respectively. For the seedlings, 30 ml of fungal conidial suspension (1×106 conidia/ml) or sterile water, as control, were poured into their root area. Conidia suspension were prepared from 14-day-old cultures on PDA by eluting with sterilized water. The seedlings were incubated at 25°C and 75% relative humidity under a 12-h/12-h light/dark cycle. The test was repeated three times. After 20 days, only seedlings inoculated with P. cucumerina exhibited symptoms similar to those diseased seedlings in the field. The control seedling had no symptoms. The morphologically similar fungus was re-isolated from the tested seedlings, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. Based on molecular, morphological, and pathogenic properties, P. cucumerina is the causal fungal pathogen of coptis wilt disease. Previously, P. cucumerina has been related to wilt disease in strawberry and Chinese cabbage (Yang et al. 2023; Gao et al. 2022), but to our knowledge, this is the first report of P. cucumerina causing wilt disease on coptis in China. Coptis wilt disease tends to occur in a warm and rainy environment, and strengthening the detection and quarantine of seedlings is the key to preventing the occurrence and spread of the disease.

A Comprehensive Research Review of Herbal Textual Research, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Traditional Uses, Clinical Application, Safety Evaluation, and Quality Control of Trollius chinensis Bunge.

Trollius chinensis Bunge (TCB) is a perennial plant of the Ranunculaceae family with medicinal and edible values. It is widely distributed and commonly used in various regions, including Asia, Europe, and North America. The main chemical components of TCB include alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and volatile oil compounds. TCB is renowned for its anti-inflammatory, heat-clearing, detoxifying, and eyesight-improving properties. Its dried flowers are commonly used as a traditional Chinese medicine indicated for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections, chronic tonsillitis, pharyngitis, influenza, and bronchitis. Modern pharmacology has demonstrated the anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, and antioxidant effects of TCB. This study presents a comprehensive overview of various aspects of TCB, including herbal textual research, botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, traditional uses, clinical application, and quality control, aiming to provide new ideas on the scientific application of TCB as well as the integration of modern research with traditional medicinal uses.

The Diversity and Floristic Analysis of Rust Diseases in the Sanjiangyuan Forest Plants.

Between 2020 and 2023, rust fungus specimens were collected from the primary forested regions of the Sanjiangyuan area in Qinghai Province, resulting in over 300 samples. A taxonomic and phylogenetic study of the rust fungi from these forests was conducted using morphological and molecular biological techniques. The investigation identified rust fungi from 7 families, 12 genera, 56 species and varieties, including 10 new host records, 1 new record for China, and 2 novel species. The host plants involved belonged to 26 families, 48 genera, and 78 species. Pucciniaceae and Coleosporiaceae were the dominant families, with the genera Puccinia, Melampsora, and Gymnosporangium being prevalent. The rust fungi in the Sanjiangyuan forests showed a biogeographical affinity with the North Temperate Zone. Floristic comparisons revealed a higher similarity with rust fungi from Inner Mongolia, Gansu, and Tibet and a lower similarity with those from Hainan. An analysis of the life forms of rust fungus host plants indicated that herbaceous plants were the most common, followed by shrubs and trees. In different regions of Sanjiangyuan, rust fungi were found as follows: Golog Prefecture with 6 families, 9 genera, and 28 species; Yushu Prefecture with 5 families, 8 genera, and 31 species; Huangnan Prefecture with 5 families, 9 genera, and 26 species; and Hainan Prefecture with 4 families, 5 genera, and 10 species. The families Pucciniaceae, Melampsoraceae, and Coleosporiaceae were common across all four regions. Moreover, the families Rosaceae, Asteraceae, Ranunculaceae, Salicaceae, and Caprifoliaceae were shared among the host plants in these regions.