Convallaria Majalis Research Articles

“Lily of the valley”-like Au@RCA-AS1411 nanoplatforms polyvalent aptamers-targeted drug delivery system for combined photothermal and chemo-tumor cell therapy

The combined photothermal and chemo- therapy overcomes the limitations of single one, and enhances the therapeutic efficiency which holds broad prospects in tumor treatment. Herein, the “Lily of the valley”-like Au@RCA-AS1411 nanoplatform with polyvalent aptamers-targeted capability has been designed based on rolling circle amplification (RCA) for dual-treating of liver cancer through photothermal and chemotherapy. Polyvalent aptamers can be effectively constructed by the Au@RCA-AS1411 nanoplatform, bolstering the capacity for targeting cancer cell and reducing the toxic side effects on normal cells. Meanwhile, multiple gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been successfully linked to the nanoplatform via SH, which realized the aggregation of AuNPs and the photothermal conversion efficiency is improved to 69.7 %. In addition, the photothermal enhancement of Dox release was demonstrated by Au@RCA-AS1411. This nanoplatform was used to treat L929 and HepG2 cells, and found that it had no toxic and side effects on cells and had good biocompatibility. Au@RCA-AS1411 nanoplatform with polyvalent aptamers showed stronger specific targeting ability to HepG2 cells than Au@RCA without aptamers and Au@DNA-AS1411 containing only one aptamer. After laser irradiation, the survival rate of HepG2 cells in the presence of Au@RCA-AS1411 decreased to 27.8 %, which was lower than that of normal L929 cells and other controls. Encouragingly, when combined with drugs, the survival rate of HepG2 cells was significantly reduced to 11.2 %, indicating that the nanoplatform combination therapy enhanced and showed synergistic effects.

Characterizations of White Mulberry, Sea-Buckthorn, Garlic, Lily of the Valley, Motherwort, and Hawthorn as Potential Candidates for Managing Cardiovascular Disease-In Vitro and Ex Vivo Animal Studies.

Cardiovascular diseases are a broadly understood concept focusing on vascular and heart dysfunction. Lack of physical exercise, type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, thromboembolism, and kidney and lung diseases all contribute to the development of heart and blood vessel dysfunction. Although effective and important, traditional treatment with diuretics, statins, beta blockers, calcium inhibitors, ACE inhibitors, and anti-platelet drugs remains a second-line treatment after dietary interventions and lifestyle changes. Scientists worldwide are still looking for an herbal product that would be effective and free from side effects, either taken together with or before the standard pharmacological intervention. Such herbal-originated medication therapy may include Morus alba L. (white mulberry), Elaeagnus rhamnoides (L.) A. Nelson (sea-buckthorn), Allium sativum L. (garlic), Convallaria majalis L. (lily of the valley), Leonurus cardiaca L. (motherwort), and Crataegus spp. (hawthorn). Valuable herbal raw materials include leaves, fruits, seeds, and even thorns. This short review focuses on six herbs that can constitute an interesting and potential therapeutic option in the management of cardiovascular disorders.

Effect of Paracetamol Biodegradation Products Quantitative Indicators of the Anatomical Structure of the Lily of the Valley Leaf (<i>Convallaria majalis</i> L.)

Introduction. Due to the global pharmaceutical pollution of water bodies in many countries, there is currently an increasing interest of researchers in finding effective, including microbiological, ways of processing pharmaceutical waste to obtain new useful products based on them. The results of previous studies have shown that the product of bacterial destruction of paracetamol exhibits pronounced stimulating properties in relation to medicinal plants of the aster, linseed, clear-flowered, plantain, etc. families. There is no information about the effect of this product on plants of the liliaceae family.Aim. To investigate the effect of the paracetamol biodegradation product on the quantitative indicators of the anatomical structure of the lily of the valley leaf – Convallaria majalis L., fam. Liliaceae.Materials and methods. The experiments were laid in the Kirov region (2021, 2022) in accordance with the Guidelines for Conducting Registration Tests of Growth Regulators (2016). The scheme of the experiment: the control area – natural watering with water; the test area – watering with the product of biodegradation of paracetamol obtained on the basis of the laboratory of alkanotrophic microorganisms of the PFRC UB RAS (Perm); the reference area – watering with the growth stimulator "Zircon" (NRPP "NEST M", Russia). Quantitative parameters of the anatomical structure of the lily of the valley leaf were evaluated by the linear dimensions of the epidermis, elements of the conducting system and mesophyll. Viewing, photographing and processing of photographs was carried out using a microscope Motic (Motic Deutschland GmbH, Germany) in the program Motic Image 2000. Mathematical processing of experimental data was carried out by the method of variance analysis using Excel 2019, STATISTICA 12.6, STATGRAPHICS Plus 5.1 programs.Results and discussion. Anatomical examination showed an increase in the size of the cells of the upper and lower epidermis of the lily of the valley leaf in the designated growing seasons on the accounting sites treated with a product of the biodegradation of paracetamol and a standard ("Zircon") in comparison with the control (water). When using the biodegradation product of paracetamol, an increase in the thickness of the mesophyll by 10–16 % and the number of layers by 14–30 % was recorded. When using the growth stimulator "Zircon", the thickness of the mesophyll and the number of its layers increased by 3–6 % and 8–15 %, respectively. The increase in the thickness of the phloem and xylem of the conductive beam when treated with the paracetamol biodegradation product was 20–30 % greater than in the control, and 2 times greater than when treated with the growth stimulator "Zircon".Conclusion. The product of the biodegradation of paracetamol in different years of use, regardless of environmental factors, shows a pronounced stimulating effect on the lily of the valley of the May, significantly increasing the quantitative indicators of the anatomical structure of the leaf compared with the growth stimulator "Zircon" and control (water). The obtained data can be used in medicinal plant growing in the development of agrotechnical methods for growing raw materials of the lily of the valley of the May, as well as in the formation of a dossier when registering this product as a new plant growth stimulator.

Fecal Deployment: An Alternative Way of Defensive Host Plant Cardenolide Use by Lilioceris merdigera Larvae

The brilliant red Lilioceris merdigera (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) can spend its entire life cycle on the cardenolide-containing plant Convallaria majalis (lily of the valley) and forms stable populations on this host. Yet, in contrast to many other insects on cardenolide-containing plants L. merdigera does not sequester these plant toxins in the body but rather both adult beetles and larvae eliminate ingested cardenolides with the feces. Tracer feeding experiments showed that this holds true for radioactively labeled ouabain and digoxin, a highly polar and a rather apolar cardenolide. Both compounds or their derivatives are incorporated in the fecal shields of the larvae. The apolar digoxin, but not the polar ouabain, showed a deterrent effect on the generalist predatory ant Myrmica rubra, which occurs in the habitat of L. merdigera. The deterrent effect was detected for digoxin both in choice and feeding time assays. In a predator choice assay, a fecal shield derived from a diet of cardenolide-containing C. majalis offered L. merdigera larvae better protection from M. rubra than one derived from non-cardenolide Allium schoenoprasum (chives) or no fecal shield at all. Thus, we here present data suggesting a new way how insects may gain protection by feeding on cardenolide-containing plants.

Сосновые (Pinus sylvestris) леса и редколесья Северо-Западного Приладожья

Сосновые (Pinus sylvestris) леса и редколесья Северо-Западного Приладожья

Expositionen mit Fruchtpflanzen in Deutschland im Zeitraum 2010–2019

ZusammenfassungHintergrundAnfragen zu Fruchtpflanzen sind ein häufiger Konsultationsgrund von Giftinformationszentren, wobei hervorzuheben ist, dass es keine großen systematischen Studien zur Giftigkeit auf Grundlage von Expositionsdaten gibt. Ziel der Arbeit ist die Bestimmung des Vergiftungsrisikos durch Fruchtpflanzen in Deutschland.MethodenRetrospektive Untersuchung der Daten des Gemeinsamen Giftinformationszentrums Erfurt zu Vergiftungsanfragen bzgl. Fruchtpflanzen (2010–2019) mit ausführlicher Darstellung vorab publizierter Zwischenergebnisse, tabellarischer Handreichung und Pflanzenfotografien als Identifizierungshilfe sowie Trendanalysen.ErgebnisseAus 16.088 Pflanzenexpositionen mit 16.700 Pflanzen wurden 214 verschiedene Fruchtpflanzenarten identifiziert. 45 Fruchtpflanzenarten (21 %) stellten sich als relevant (≥ 30 Anfragen) heraus, davon 6 (2,8 %) als hochrelevant (≥ 300 Anfragen). Allen relevanten Pflanzen wurde eine definierte Risikokategorie (RK) zugeordnet: RK 0 (2; 4,4 %), RK 1 (26; 57,8 %), RK 2 (12; 26,7 %) und RK 3 (5; 11,1 %). Von den Anfragen bezogen sich 6 % (459/7607) auf RK 0, 47,9 % (3645/7607) auf RK 1, 39,3 % auf RK 2 (2986/7607) und 6,8 % (517/7607) auf RK 3. 69,5 % (5284/7607) der Anfragen betrafen Kleinkinder (1 bis < 6 Jahre). Die Expositionsfolgen waren für alle Altersklassen zu 82 % symptomlos, 14,7 % leichtgradig, 3 % mittelschwer und 0,3 % schwer, wobei schwere Vergiftungen durch 7 Pflanzenarten verursacht wurden. Eine Intervention wurde in 66,8 % (5079) der Anfragen eingeleitet. Anfragen betrafen am häufigsten: Taxus baccata, Ligustrum vulgare, Physalis alkekengi, Prunus laurocerasus, Convallaria majalis, Mahonia spec., Sambucus spec., Lonicera spec., Sorbus aucuparia, Thuja spec., Hedera helix und Cotoneaster spec.DiskussionVergiftungen durch Fruchtpflanzen in Deutschland sind selten. Es besteht allerdings ein hoher Informations- und Aufklärungsbedarf.

Forest herb species with similar European geographic ranges may respond differently to climate change

Many phenological studies have shown that spring geophytes are very sensitive to climate change, responding by shifting flowering and fruiting dates. However, there is a gap in knowledge about climatic drivers of their distributions and range shifts under climate change. Here we aimed to estimate climate niche shifts for four widely distributed and common geophytes of the nemoral zone of Europe (Anemone nemorosa, Anemone ranunculoides, Convallaria majalis and Maianthemum bifolium) and to assess the threat level under various climate change scenarios. Using MaxEnt species distribution models and future climate change scenarios we found that the precipitation of the warmest quarter was the most important factor shaping their ranges. All species studied will experience more loss in the 2061–2080 period than in 2041–2060, and under more pessimistic scenarios. M. bifolium will experience the highest loss, followed by A. nemorosa, A. ranunculoides, and the smallest for C. majalis. A. ranunculoides will gain the most, while M. bifolium will have the smallest potential range expansion. Studied species may respond differently to climate change despite similar current distributions and climatic variables affecting their potential distribution. Even slight differences in climatic niches could reduce the overlap of future ranges compared to present. We expect that due to high dependence on the warmest quarter precipitation, summer droughts in the future may be particularly severe for species that prefer moist soils. The lack of adaptation to long-distance migration and limited availability of appropriate soils may limit their migration and lead to a decline in biodiversity and changes in European forests.

Vegetal and zoomorphic imagery as a means of artistic embodiment of the natural/artificial opposition in Guy de Maupassant's novel "Our Heart"

The article is devoted to the analysis of the vegetative and bestiary poetics of Guy de Maupassant's late psychological novel "Our Heart" (1890), which lacks the proper attention of literary scholars both in France and abroad (scientific reflection is focused on short stories and novels of the heyday of Maupassant's realism). Therefore, its poetic study and introduction into the modern literary context is an actual scientific task. The purpose of the article is to define the semantics and symbolism of plant and bestiary imagery in the artistic structure of G. de Maupassant's novel "Our Heart" and to establish its functions in the realization of natural/artificial opposition, that is conceptual for the novel. The research was carried out in the framework of the structural-semiotic method of analysis of the artistic text. The analysis of the novel from the point of view of the artistic functions of floral and zoomorphic imagery proved the special place of these tools in deepening the psychological picture and expressive-emotional expressiveness of the images of the protagonists: André Mariolle and Madame de Burne. The range of these tropes is from vegetal and zoomorphic comparisons and metaphors to elaborate zoo- and dendroanthropomorphic images (Michelle de Burne is first a ‘bird of paradise’, a ‘wild bird’, then a ‘hawk of prey’ and, allusively, an ‘ostrich’, and also an old tired ‘horse’, a ‘nag’; Mariolle – is a ‘trapped wounded animal’, a ‘thrush in a cage’, a ‘small fish caught in a net’). The plant analogue of the heroine is a man-made flower garden, which gradually withers and decays, as her love for Mariolle fades away. Michelle's image is accompanied by numerous floral details that acquire a metaphorical meaning (these are cultural flowers of selected varieties – roses, orchids, carnations, geraniums, lilies of the valley, chrysanthemums, lilies etc.). In contrast to the “artificial” Michelle, the image of the “natural” Elizabeth is associated with wild forest plants – violets, gorse etc. The protagonist is correlated with ramified dendrosymbolism (chestnut, beech, oak, linden etc.) and the image of the forest as a secret liminal space. The symbolism of the wild forest is opposed in the novel by the symbolism of an orderly garden (as one of the options for embodying the natural/artificial opposition). Vegetal and zoomorphic images not only accompany the characteristics of the characters, but are also closely intertwined, passing one into the other (the anthropomorphic image of fused trees turns into the image of a battle between a predatory beast and its victim, plant juices become living blood). Subjective signs of the main character's “artificiality” are the images of stone flowers and stone animals decorating the central spatial locus of the novel – Abbey Mont Saint Michel. So, florisms, dendrisms and animalistic images in the novel perform a characteristic function, convey the dynamics of the feelings of the protagonists, acquiring a metaphorical meaning, and fill the landscape with symbolic details.

First Report of Alternaria Leaf Blight Caused by Alternaria alternata on Convallaria majalis in China.

Convallaria majalis is native to temperate zones in the northern hemisphere, Europe, Asia, North America and China, and has excellent ornamental properties and medicinal value. In July 2021, leaf blight was observed on nearly 70~90% of C. majalis plants growing in Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine campus (45.72°N, 126.68°E) from Harbin City, China. The typical symptom on the leaves is irregular dark brown lesions. As the brown lesions expanded and eventually coalesce, they form large necrotic areas, with chlorosis, curling, and wilting at the apical edge of the diseased leaf. Ten symptomatic leaves were randomly collected from twenty different plants at the site. Several fragments of diseased tissues (5×5mm) were disinfected in 75% ethyl alcohol for 30 s and 7% NaOCl for 60 s, rinsed three times in sterile distilled water, plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA), and incubated at 25 °C in the dark for 7 days. Twenty purified fungal isolates were obtained by single spore isolation. The morphology of all the twenty isolates was similar, and two isolates were randomly selected (LL, LL01) for further study. Colonies of these isolates on PDA were off-white to black with abundant cotton-like aerial hyphae, and the diameter of the colony is 72 to 85 mm. On potato carrot agar (PCA) medium, these isolates produced light brown and solitary conidiophore with septum. Conidia were ovate to pear-shaped, brown to black in color, with 1-4 transverse septa and 0-2 longitudinal septa, and measured 20.5 to 38.5 × 7 to 13.5 µm (n=100). The isolates were identified as Alternaria alternata according to their morphological characteristics (Simmons 2007). Two representative isolates LL and LL01 were used for molecular identification. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, RNA polymerase second largest subunit (RPB2), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1), and Alternaria major allergen (Alt a 1) were amplified with the primers ITS4/ITS5(White et al. 1990), RPB2-5F2/RPB2-7CR (Khodaei and Arzanlou 2013), gpd1/gpd2, EF1-728F/EF1-986R (Nishikawa and Nawashima 2020) and Alt-for/Alt-rev (Woudenberg et al. 2015). The resulting sequences were deposited in GenBank (ITS, OM319508, OP799847; RPB2, OM649830, OP830846; GAPDH, OM296234, OP830845; TEF1, OM393717, OP830844; Alta1, OM171258, OP830847). Phylogenetic analyses showed 100% identity between LL and LL01 and the type strain CBS 118815. Thus, the fungus was identified as A. alternata based on morphology and molecular analysis. Pathogenicity tests were done by spraying conidial suspensions containing 106 conidia/ml of A. alternata isolates LL and LL01 on leaves of six healthy C. majalis plants, separately. Another six plants were sprayed with sterile distilled water as control and both sets of plants covered with plastic bags and placed in a greenhouse maintained at 25⁰ C. Plastic bags were removed from plants after 48 h. After 15 days inoculation, the similar symptoms were observed on the inoculated plants, whereas control plants remained healthy. The pathogenicity tests were conducted three times. A. alternata was reisolated and identified based on morphological and molecular traits, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. alternata causing leaf blight on C. majalis in China and worldwide. The result will serve as the foundation for management leaf blight of C. majalis.

Состояние лиственничников и перспективы выращивания лиственницы сибирской в подзоне хвойно-широколиственных лесов

For the sustainable development of society, timely and high-quality reproduction of forests is necessary with the preservation of ecosystem functions at the expense of economically valuable species, such as Larix sibirica Led. The aim of the work is to study the composition and structure of artificially created larch forests in the subzone of broadleafconiferous forests of the Kirov Region to find out the possibility, expediency and features of them for the conservation and maintenance of biodiversity, as well as timber resources. Communities were characterized from these positions by traditional silvicultural, geobotanical, ecological, and cenotic characteristics. The state of the stand was evaluated in comparison with normal stands according to M.M. Orlov. It was found that: 1) Larch stands mainly correspond to the values of normal stands of this age and are distinguished by a greater stock of wood than forests of the main forest-forming species of the region. 2) There is a tendency of natural transformation of larch forests into forests with greater participation of spruce: large undergrowth of Picea abies L., Abies sibirica Ledeb., Betula pendula L.; presence of boreal species in underbrush: Sorbus aucuparia L., Rubus idaeus L.; prevalence of boreal ecological and cenotic group (EEC) among herbs; moss cover of taiga species. 3) The main reason for community change is high density of stands. 4) Presence of non-moral ECG species, including Convallaria majalis L., which is protected in Kirov region. Increase of resource, supporting and preserving functions of forest ecosystems in the sub-zone of broadleaf-coniferous forests of Kirov region is possible and expedient by using L. sibirica in forest reproduction. To prevent transformation of larch forests into forests with spruce it is necessary to maintain illumination, for which purpose it is expediente carry out a full complex of forest maintenance cuts, especially thinning and pass logging.

Ecological and coenotic characteristics of the Dokuchaev windbreaks and shelterbelts of Kirovohrad Region

Based on the methods of transverse transects and phytoindication, results of the analysis of ecological and cenotic status of the Dokuchaev shelterbelts and their extremities are provided. A combination of various ecological conditions characterizing formation of vegetation cover in the protective shelterbelts is demonstrated. The current state of plant communities of the forest strips is described. A regionally rare plant species in Kirovohrad Region, Convallaria majalis, is reported. It was established that the investigated shelterbelts were formed under forest-meadow and forest-steppe conditions. The analysis of coenotic features of all studied shelterbelts has proved that they have similar species composition and communities structure. The Dokuchaev windbreaks and shelterbelts need further monitoring of changes in their plantation structure, distribution and introduction of new plant species, as well as ecological and sanitary conditions.

How Do Pollen Grains of Convallaria majalis L. Respond to Different Habitat Conditions?

To date, the effect of habitat conditions on the characteristics of pollen has not been extensively investigated; however, it needs to be remembered that it may be highly significant for the quality of their generative reproduction success. It was decided to conduct the analyses on Convallaria majalis as a common species, naturally found in many different forest habitats. Moreover, the investigations covered pollen morphology and for the first time also the variability of pollen grains in this species. The plant material came from 98 natural sites located in Poland, in nine differing forest habitats. In total, 2940 pollen grains were analyzed in terms of five quantitative features (i.e., the length of the longest and shortest polar axes–LA and SA, exine thickness–Ex, the LA/SA and Ex/LA ratios) as well as the following qualitative ones: pollen outline and shape, sulcus type and exine ornamentation. Our studies revealed that the most important pollen characteristics in C. majalis included sulcus type, exine ornamentation, distribution and size of perforations, LA and pollen shape. The study showed the response of pollen to different habitat conditions found in the nine investigated habitats. The Ex/LA ratio and Ex were these pollen characteristics, which exhibited the most marked response to the different habitat conditions. Pollen from two habitats, moist mixed coniferous forest and upland mesic broadleaved forest, exhibited the most distinct characteristics.

I.P. Pavlov as an experimental pharmacologist (to the 275th anniversary of the Department of Pharmacology of the Military Medical Academy)

The work is devoted to the formation of pharmacology as a science within the walls of the Medico-Surgical Academy, founded in 1798. The main purpose of the work is to sanctify the activities of the famous Russian physiologist and naturalist I.P. Pavlov in the field of experimental and clinical pharmacology, performed mainly in the early period of his work at the Medico-Surgical (Military Medical) Academy (1879-1895). The scientific publications of I.P. Pavlov in this area, mainly works on the use of bitterness as appetite stimulants, herbal preparations of cardiotonic action obtained from Adonis vernalis, lily of the valley, hellebore, the use of caffeine and bromine preparations for the treatment of neuroses were analyzed. In addition to scientific activity, the formation of I.P. Pavlov as a lecturer, his features of teaching, the introduction of demonstrations of experiments on animals during lectures, explanation of the mechanisms of reproducible physiological and pharmacological phenomena were described. The implementation aspect of the theoretical developments of I.P. Pavlov in practical medicine was revealed as well.

Involvement of monocyte-derived extracellular vesicle-associated tissue factor activity in convallatoxin-induced hypercoagulability.

Convallatoxin (CNT) is a natural cardiac glycoside extracted from lily of the valley ( Convallaria majalis ). Although it is empirically known to cause blood coagulation disorders, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. CNT exerts cytotoxicity and increases tissue factor (TF) expression in endothelial cells. However, the direct action of CNT on blood coagulation remains unclear. Therefore, herein, we investigated the effects of CNT on whole blood coagulation system and TF expression in monocytes. Blood samples were collected from healthy volunteers to measure plasma thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT) concentration using ELISA and to perform rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) and whole-blood extracellular vesicle (EV)-associated TF (EV-TF) analysis. The effects of CNT were also investigated using the monocytic human cell line THP-1. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting were performed, and PD98059, a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor, was used to elucidate the action mechanism of CNT-mediated TF production. CNT treatment increased EV-TF activity, shortened the whole blood clotting time in rotational thromboelastometry analysis, and increased TAT levels, which is an index of thrombin generation. Furthermore, CNT increased TF mRNA expression in THP-1 cells and EV-TF activity in the cell culture supernatant. Therefore, CNT may induce a hypercoagulable state with thrombin generation, in which elevated EV-TF activity derived from monocytes might be involved. These procoagulant effects of CNT were reversed by PD98059, suggesting that CNT-induced TF production in monocytes might be mediated by the MAPK pathway. The findings of the present study have further clarified the procoagulant properties of CNT.

Study of forest plants species diversity in “Radomyshlske” forestry-hunting enterpise

The types of plant diversity on the territory of the Radomyshl Forestry in areas with different types of forest vegetation conditions were investigated. 21 species belonging to 15 families and 18 genera have been identified. The main types of forest are determined (Pinus sylvestris-Vaccinium vitisidaea+V. myrtillus-Cladonia spp.+ Pleurozium; Pinus sylvestris-Calluna vulgaris-Pleurozium+ Cladonia ssp.; Pinus sylvestris-Vaccinium myrtillus-Pleurozium; Pinus sylvestris-Pteridium aquilinum-Vaccinium myrtillus-Pleurozium; Pinus sylvestris-Calamagrostis arundinacea+Convallaria majalis) and key indices of species diversity (Simpson, Shannon-Viviver, Yvnyanyoti and Margalef). Among the types of forest, the most widespread are green moss-shrub pine forests, and it is precisely the areas with this type of forest that are characterized by the highest indicators of species diversity and richness with peak indicators of the Simpson Index – 0.89; The Shannon-Weaver index is 2.55 and the Margalef index is 3.21. The indicators of the green moss-lichen pine forest, on the contrary, indicate a rather poor species diversity, namely Simpson's index – 0.75; The Shannon-Weaver index is 1.67 and the Margalef index is 1.65. However, this type of forest was characterized by the maximum level of equitability – 0.9. A comparative analysis of the species composition of the studied areas was also carried out to assess beta-diversity using the Jaccard index. Shrub-green moss pine forests with a dominance of blueberry and gorse have the greatest similarity (0.7), as well as green moss-small herbaceous and shrub-green moss pine forests with a blueberry dominance (0.6); the smallest – small-grass pine and green-mosslichen pine (0.2) Key words: types of diversity, beta-diversity, alpha-diversity, phyto-diversity, Polissia of Ukraine, types of forests.

The Life Cycle of Ctenothrips distinctus (UZEL, 1895) (Insecta: Thysanoptera) and its Influence on the Host Plant Convallaria majalis L.

In this paper, we describe the morphological characteristics of the preimaginal stages of Ctenothrips distinctus, as well as its life cycle in temperate climate conditions. We also revise the key characters of the second larval instar of C. distinctus, which were previously confused with those of Taeniothrips picipes (Zetterstedt, 1828). The morphological characteristics of the C. distinctus propupa and pupa represent their adaptations to moulting in the soil, not on the host plant. The study of the biology of C. distinctus is supplemented by an analysis of the impact of the foraging by this insect on its host plant Convallaria majalis. Based on the morphological, anatomical and histological analyses of Lily of the Valley leaves, we show that both adults and larval instars feed on the epidermal cells of both the upper and lower sides of the leaf blade in C. majalis. However, the assimilation parenchyma cells located immediately below the epidermis at the feeding site retain their shape.

Screening of the Antimicrobial Potential of Aqueous Extracts of Some Plants Collected from the City of Narafominsk, Moscow, Russia

Background: The antimicrobial properties of medicinal plants, including those from Russian flora, can be a considerable asset in the fight against antibiotic resistance and the search for new antimicrobials. The present work aimed at assessing the antimicrobial properties of plants collected from the Narafominsk's flora, a city located on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia.&#x0D; Methods: The plants were collected from June to August 2021, the extraction was carried out with water as a solvent and the antimicrobial activity of the extracts was tested on 3 referenced microorganisms from the American Type Culture Collection (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 and Candida albicans ATCC 10231). We determined the inhibition diameters by the well diffusion method, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) &amp; minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) by the microbroth dilution method.&#x0D; Results: A total of 59 samples from 33 plants were extracted and included 44.1% of leaves (n=26), 32.2% of flowers (n=19), 8.5% of barks (n=5), 5.1% of whole plant (n =3) and 1 stem and 1 root (1.7%). Inhibition diameters ranged from 0 to 28 mm, MICs and MBCs from 0.5&lt; to &gt;128 mg/ml. 69.49% (n=41) of the plants showed an inhibition diameter greater than zero (&gt;0 mm) against S. aureus, 42.37% (n=25) against E. coli and only 23.72% (n=14) against C. albicans. The plant parts ranked in decrease order of antimicrobial activity were as follows: flower &lt; bark &lt; leaf &lt; whole plant &lt; root &lt; stem &lt; fruit. The plants having shown a noteworthy antimicrobial (MIC ≤0.5 mg/ml) activity against at least 1/3 microorganisms tested and which deserve to be investigated in depth were: flowers of Epilobium angustifolium, Spirea japonica, Heracleum mantegazzianum and Saponaria officinalis, bark of Picea abies and the whole plant extract of Rumex obtusifolius. The second group (1≤ MIC ≤ 4 mg/ml) of plants with no less worthy antimicrobial abilities were flowers of Angelica sylvestris, Arctium minus, Centaurea jacea, Convallaria majalis, Melampyrum nemorosum and Physocarpus opulifolius, leaf of Achillea millefolium and Heracleum mantegazzianum, and bark of Quesrcus robur.&#x0D; Conclusion: Flower extracts of Epilobium angustifolium, Spirea japonica, Heracleum mantegazzianum, Saponaria officinalis against are highly recommended for further studies since they presented the best MIC and inhibitions diameters.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Convallaria majalis L.

The complete chloroplast genome of an important medicinal plant, Convallaria majalis Linnaeus, was sequenced for the first time. The entire circular genome is 162,218 bp in length, with 37.9% GC contents. The genome has consisted of a large single-copy region (LSC) with a length of 85,417 bp, a small single-copy region (SSC) with a length of 18,495 bp, and two inverted repeat regions (IRs) with a length of 29,153 bp each. The genome harbored 133 genes, including 87 protein coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. The phylogenetic tree of 24 plant species was constructed based on the maximum-likelihood method. This study will provide theoretical basis for further study on plant genetics phylogenetic research.

Experience of using some herbal medicines in a polyclinic

Persons suffering from functional disorders of the nervous system with cardiovascular disorders make up a significant part of outpatient therapeutic patients. Their treatment in polyclinic conditions requires long-term use of individually selected medications that normalize the activity of the nervous system, favorably affect the heart muscle and improve blood circulation. Such a combined, sedative, cardiotonic effect and the property of reducing the excitability of the heart muscle are preparations of goricolor, lily of the valley, valerian, motherwort and hawthorn.

Rare plant species in Zavodska hromada (Myrhorod district, Poltava region, Ukraine)

According to our own observations, literature data and herbarium data, we compiled a list of rare plant species of Zavodska hromada (Myrhorod district, Poltava region, Ukraine) including the information on the findings of them. We have posted plant observations on iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/people/igor_olshanskyi. There are two species that are included in Annex I of the Bern Convention [according to the oflcial translation into Ukrainian: https:// zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/995_032#Text] (Jurinea cyanoides and Salvinia natans), five species that are listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine (2009) (Anacamptis palustris, Astragalus dasyanthus, Dactylorhiza incarnata, Gladiolus tenuis and Salvinia natans) and eight species are rare in Poltava region (Amygdalus nana, Convallaria majalis, Inula helenium, Nymphaea alba, Sanguisorba officinalis, Utricularia vulgaris, Valeriana officinalis, Vinca minor). On the territory of Zavodska hromada, rare plant species are more common in rivers, meadows and swamps in the floodplains of the rivers Sula, Artopolot and Bodakva. Also, they grow on steppe slopes and in forests.