Genus Astragalus Research Articles

In vitro antitumour and immunomodulating activity of saponins from Astragalus glycyphyllos

Many species of genus Astragalus have been extensively studied for their wide range of biological activities, including antioxidant, cytoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antitumour, anti-infective, immune-boosting, antihypertensive and antidiabetic effects. This study presents an in vitro evaluation of the anticancer and immunomodulating properties of saponins obtained from aerial parts of Astragalus glycyphyllos L. In a series of standard MTT experiments we examined the antiproliferative effects of a total saponin mixture, the purified saponin subfraction obtained from it, and the isolated triterpenoid saponin (AGOS1), against different bladder carcinoma and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma tumour models. The in vitro immunomodulating activity of AGOS1 was further examined on murine isolated spleen lymphocytes and peritoneal macrophages. Results showed greatest overall cytotoxicity of the purified subfraction and prominent immune stimulating effects of the isolated saponin on both cell lineages.

Contributions to Genus Astragalus L. (Fabaceae) in Turkey

In this study, the new arrangements of three Astragalus species were given, that is endemic in Turkey. Astragalus physodes subsp. acikirensis (sect. Cystium) was raised to the species level; Astragalus darendensis was reduced to synonym of Astragalus scabrifolius (sect. Incani) and Astragalus tuna-ekimii was reduced to synonym of Astragalus chamaephaca (sect. Macrosemium). Comments are provided on the relevent taxa about their taxonomic positions by examining the recollected samples and the type samples.

Flavonol glycosides from aerial parts of Astragalus thracicus Griseb

Abstract Five flavonol glycosides, including a new glutaryl-conjugated compound, were isolated from methanolic extract of the endemic Balkan species Astragalus thracicus Griseb. Based on NMR and MS spectra, one new compound was identified as kaempferol 3-O-[β-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-α-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)-(2-3-hydroxy-3-methylgutaroyl)-β-galactopyranoside)] (1). The other compounds, all known, were identified as mauritianin (2), kaempferol-3-O-α- l -rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-galactopyranoside (3), kaempferol-3-O-β-apiofuranosyl-(1→2)-β-galactopyranoside (4), and quercetin-3-O-β-apiofuranosyl-(1→2)-β-galactopyranoside (5). All of them, except 2, were found for the first time in a representative of genus Astragalus.

Discovery of Bioactive Compounds from Traditionally used Medicinal Plants: A Profile of Nilufar Z. Mamadalieva

Discovery of Bioactive Compounds from Traditionally used Medicinal Plants: A Profile of Nilufar Z. Mamadalieva

Bulgarian species of genus Astragalus as potential sources of mauritianin

Mauritianin is a relatively rare flavonoid, but several studies revealed its pharmacological potential. In this study overground parts of ten Astragalus species were investigated for mauritianin content to find a reliable source of the compound. The quantity of the flavonoid in each extract was determined by a novel high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry method. For the first time mauritianin is reported in A. cicer, A. onobrychis, A. glycyphyllos, A. glycyphylloides, A. corniculatus and A. ponticus. Only in A. depressus the compound was not found. Significant differences in mauritianin content (from 4 to 1642 ng/mg dry weight) of the samples were observed. Noteworthy, A. onobrychis var. chlorocarpus and A. cicer could be considered as a potential source of the compound, substituting the rare A. monspessulanus subsp. monspessulanus.

Polyphenol Profile and Biological Activity Comparisons of Different Parts of Astragalus macrocephalus subsp. finitimus from Turkey.

The members of the genus Astragalus have great interest as traditional drugs in several folk systems including Turkey. In this sense, the present paper was aimed to explore the biological properties and chemical profiles of different parts (aerial parts, leaves, flowers, stems, and roots) of A. macrocephalus subsp. finitimus. Antioxidant (radical quenching, reducing power, and metal chelating) and enzyme inhibitory (α-amylase and tyrosinase) effects were investigated for biological properties. Regarding chemical profiles, individual phenolic compounds were detected by LC-MS, as well as total amounts. The leaves extract exhibited the strongest antioxidant abilities when compared with other parts. However, flowers extract had the best metal chelating ability. Hyperoside, apigenin, p-coumaric, and ferulic acids were identified as main compounds in the tested parts. Regarding enzyme inhibitory properties, tyrosinase inhibitory effects varied from IC50: 1.02 to 1.41 mg/mL. In addition, the best amylase inhibition effect was observed by leaves (3.36 mg/mL), followed by aerial parts, roots, stems, and flowers. As a result, from multivariate analysis, the tested parts were classified in three cluster. Summing up the results, it can be concluded that A. macrocephalus subsp. finitimus could be a precious source of natural bioactive agents in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmeceutical applications.

<p><strong>Plant diversity of Khuzestan and dust sources in the southwest of Iran, with a checklist of vascular plants</strong></p>

Khuzestan province covers an area of 64236 square kilometers in the southwest of Iran and the border of Iraq. The area belongs to two regions, Irano-Turanian (IT) in the north and Sahara-Sindian in the south. An area with 349254 ha is the source of dust in Khuz province. We investigated the floristic composition, life-form spectrum and the phytogeography of the area during 2009–2018 by collecting vascular plants to provide an annotated checklist of the plants in Khuz province. In this time about two years focused on the vegetation of the septet areas of the source of dust and dune. Approximately 10,000 vascular plant specimens were collected from 13 types of terrestrial habitats and 15 types of wetlands. A total of 985 species and infraspecific taxa of vascular plants belonging to 487 genera and 93 plant families were recorded as native and naturalized in the study area. The richest families are Asteraceae (62 genera/132 species), Fabaceae (22/79), Poaceae (43/68), Brassicaceae (43/58), Lamiaceae (19/48), and Apiaceae (30/45). The genera Astragalus (20 species) and Convolvulus (14 species) are the most species-rich in Khuz. Raunkiaer’s plant life-form spectrum in the area is dominated by therophytes (33%) and hemicryptophytes (29%). The core flora of Khuz has the Irano-Turanian origin; the widespread elements are also well represented in the study area. The dust sources area includes four types of vegetation: wetland species, hygrophyte plants, terrestrial halophytes, and psammophytic plants. The main sources of dust rise are covered with two classes of vegetation (halophytes and pasmophytes), with 77 dune species, 43 species of salty soil places, and 28 species adapted to both climate and soil of the area.

Species identification in complex groups of medicinal plants based on DNA barcoding: a case study on Astragalus spp. (Fabaceae) from southwest China

Species from the genus Astragalus L. (Fabaceae) are distributed throughout the world, with southwest China being one of the distribution centers of this genus. Many Astragalus species are used by local Chinese people as traditional medicines for enhancing immunity. However, the complexity of morphological characters in many Astragalus species makes it difficult to correctly identify them. DNA barcoding is a useful tool for species identification based on standardized DNA markers. In this study, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and three chloroplast regions (matK, rbcL, and trnH–psbA) were used for the identification of Astragalus species from SW China. The ITS region showed a high success rate of PCR amplification and bidirectional sequencing, as well as a high discriminatory ability (72%). The matK region also possessed relatively perfect university and had a high discriminatory ability (61%); while the rbcL region, the most popular cpDNA marker, showed good university but low discriminatory ability (44%). We found that the trnH–psbA region was not suitable for identifying Astragalus species because of its low success rate of DNA sequencing. In the studied species, combination of multiple DNA barcodes could improve the discriminatory ability. The ITS region was able to identify frequently used Astragalus species in SW China, such as A. yunnanensis, A. acaulis, A. bhotanensis, and A. camptodontoides, and we concluded that this region could be listed as the core barcode for species identification of medicinal Astragalus species from SW China.

Astragalus blattneri (Fabaceae), a New Species from Iran

Iran, especially the northwestern part of the country, is the center of diversity of the genus Astragalus section Hymenostegis in the Old World. A new species A. blattneri Bagheri & Maassoumi of that section from East Azarbayjan Province in NW Iran is here described and illustrated based on morphology and nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and plastid ycf1 sequence data. It morphologically resembles A. chrysostachys and A. recognitus but differs from these species by DNA sequences and several morphological characters.

Chemical fingerprinting techniques for the differentiation of polysaccharides from genus Astragalus

A generic strategy based on chemical fingerprinting is proposed for the differentiation of polysaccharides from Astragalus membranaceus (AEP) and A. mongholicus (AOP), using multiple chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques. Complete and mild acid hydrolysis and Smith degradation were employed for the depolymerization of polysaccharides. The corresponding digested products were efficiently separated and detected using GC–MS, HILIC-ELSD and HR-ESI−-MS. The resulting bottom-up fingerprinting reflected the variations in native polysaccharides, which may be attributed to the three structural levels, which are monosaccharide compositions, glycosidic linkages, and skeletal structure. Similarity analysis from GC–MS and HILIC-ELSD fingerprinting showed that the correlation coefficients from homologous species were more than 0.914, whereas those from heterologous species were less than 0.796. It also noted that characteristic peak area ratio of Man/Gal in Smith fingerprinting could be used a feasible parameter for direct discrimination of AEP and AOP. Principal component analysis from m/z fingerprinting data resulted in clear clustering of AEP and AOP based on changes of oligosaccharides in mild acid hydrolyzates. By combining the accurate m/z, ESI−-MS/MS and methylation assays, the structures of a series of hexose glycopolymers in mild acid hydrolyzates were characterized by predominant 1,6 glycosidic linkages along with minor 1,4 glycosidic linkages. The established chemical fingerprinting is not only an interconnected structure mapping but also a powerful approach for the evaluation of polysaccharides from traditional Chinese medicines.

COĞRAFİ BİLGİ SİSTEMLERİ (CBS) İLE KAHRAMANMARAŞ'TA (TÜRKİYE) ASTRAGALUS TÜR DAĞILIMI VE ZENGİNLİĞİNİN KONUMSAL ANALİZİ

The aim of this study is to determine the species richness of the genus Astragalus in Kahramanmaraş and to present the updated distribution information with the help of Geographic Information Systems in a conservation point of view. In this study, country flora, recently published articles on the province of Kahramanmaraş, checklists, regional flora studies in the province, section revisions of Astragalus and the plant samples collected from the field surveys in Kahramanmaraş were used. According to the results of the field studies supported by the literature, 95 plant taxa belonging to the genus Astragalus are listed together with their valid names and previous synonyms. The number of endemic taxa in Kahramanmaraş is 37 (39%). In the plant list, the largest sections of the genus Astragalus are Rhacophorus with 23 taxa, Onobrychium with 8 taxa, Dasyphyllium, Malacothrix, Myobroma, Proselius and Pterophorus with 6 taxa for each. The distribution of the taxa to the phytogeographical regions is as follows; 56 taxa (59%) Irano-Turanian element, 28 taxa (30%) Multi-regional or unknown origin, and the rest; 6 taxa (6%) is an element of the Eastern Mediterranean, 4 taxa (4%) of the Eastern Mediterranean (mountain) element and 1 taxon (1%) of the Euro-Siberian element. IUCN threat categories of endemic taxa were determined. As a result, totally 11 taxa are in threatened categories according to IUCN (4 taxa in CR, 2 taxa in EN and 5 taxa in VU category) and the remaining 26 taxa are in lower threat categories (NT and LR). According to the distribution of the species produced based on the grid system, (J13) in Çağlayancerit, (D4, E4 and G8) in Göksun, (I10) in the place between Ekinözü and centre district, and (K10) in the centre district of Kahramanmaraş were determined as the richest squares in terms of number of taxa in the conservation point of view. These areas are very important in terms of conservation biology as they are the most intense areas of steppic conditions, livestock and grazing pressure.

Ecological adaptation of <i>Astragalus mongholicus</i> Bunge

One of the current research areas is a comprehensive study of plants that are widely used in traditional medicine, with the aim of possible further introduction. Astragalus mongholicus Bunge is a valuable promising medicinal plant used as a part of recipes for many diseases in the practice of Oriental and Tibetan medicine. Astragalus mongholicus is a species belonging to the large genus Astragalus in the family Fabaceae. It is included in the flora of Mongolia vascular plants. The basis of the work was the study of the morphological, physiological and anatomical features of Astragalus mongholicus Bunge, in order to identify the ecological adaptability of the species to the natural and climatic conditions of northern Mongolia. This is a typical long-stem herbaceous polycarpic, hemicryptophyte, has an underground caudex storage organ - for the supply of nutrients and replenishment of buds. It is reproduced by seeds only. The species belongs to the transitional group of plants - xeropetrophyte, which is resistant to water deficiency, populates mountainous steppes. It is a heliophyte that is well developed in conditions of increased solar insolation, with sharp temperature fluctuations during the period of spring growth, development and maturation of fruits and seeds. These adaptations are incorporated in the morphological structure of the biomorph, physiological and anatomical features of the Astragalus mongholicus leaf structure. Based on the conducted morphological and physiological analysis, as well as the anatomical study of the Mongolian Astragalus leaf, it can be concluded that in the course of a long evolutionary development the species is well adapted to the arid climatic conditions of northern Mongolia.

Evaluation of Phytochemical, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activity on Astragalus Chrysostachys Boiss. Roots.

Astragalus is a well-known genus in Leguminosae family that represented more than 800 species growing in Iran. Nevertheless, there are a few reports on Astragalus plants endemic to Iran. The roots of Astragalus plants are rich in saponins, flavonoids and polysaccharides that possess various pharmacological activities. In the present study, chemical components, antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Astragalus chrysostachys Boiss. roots were evaluated. For determination of phytochemicals in Astragalus chrysostachys Boiss. roots, total hydroalcoholic extract was fractionated with ethyl acetate and n-butanol. Ethyl acetate extract as a flavonoid rich extract was analyzed using vacuum liquid chromatography and preparative TLC and consequently a major flavonoid was isolated. The structure of the obtained compound was elucidated with 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Additionally, the essential oil of the roots was analyzed by GC-MS. Antioxidant activity of all extracts was evaluated by different assays. Moreover, antibacterial activities of the extracts were also investigated against 2 Gram-positive and 2 Gram-negative bacteria using Micro-dilution Broth method. Apigenin-6, 8-di-C-glucoside was detected in ethyl acetate extract for the first time in genus Astragalus. In addition, m-tolualdehyde, acetophenone, croweacin were found to be characteristics of the volatile oil of roots. Ethyl acetate extracts revealed notable antioxidant activity in DPPH scavenging assay with IC50 value of 14.6 µg/mL. Evaluation of antibacterial activity on the tested extracts showed mild activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Since there have been no reports on Astragalus chrysostachys Boiss. to date, the present data might be promising for application of this plant derivatives in phytotherapeutic practice.

ЭКОЛОГО-БИОЛОГИЧЕСКАЯ ОЦЕНКА РОДА ASTRAGALUS L. В УСЛОВИЯХ ЛАНДШАФТОВ НОВГОРОДСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ

ЭКОЛОГО-БИОЛОГИЧЕСКАЯ ОЦЕНКА РОДА ASTRAGALUS L. В УСЛОВИЯХ ЛАНДШАФТОВ НОВГОРОДСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ

Two new species and a new record of the genus Astragalus (Fabaceae) from NE Iran

Two new species and a new record of the genus Astragalus (Fabaceae) from NE Iran

Fabrication and characterization of porous scaffolds for bone replacements using gum tragacanth

The practice of bone implants is the standard procedure for the treatment of skeletal fissures, or to substitute and re-establish lost bone. A perfect scaffold ought to be made of biomaterials that duplicate the structure and properties of natural bone. However, the production of living tissue constructs that are architecturally, functionally and mechanically comparable to natural bone is the major challenge in the treatment and regeneration of bone tissue in orthopaedics and in dentistry. In this work, we have employed a polymeric replication method to fabricate hydroxyapatite (HAP) scaffolds using gum tragacanth (GT) as a natural binder. GT is a natural gum collected from the dried sap of several species of Middle Eastern legumes of the genus Astragalus, possessing antibacterial and wound healing properties. The synthesized porous HAP scaffolds were analyzed structurally and characterized for their phase purity and mechanical properties. The biocompatibility of the porous HAP scaffold was confirmed by seeding the scaffold with Vero cells, and its bioactivity assessed by immersing the scaffold in simulated body fluid (SBF). Our characterization data showed that the biocompatible porous HAP scaffolds were composed of highly interconnecting pores with compressive strength ranging from 0.036 MPa to 2.954 MPa, comparable to that of spongy bone. These can be prepared in a controlled manner by using an appropriate binder concentration and sintering temperature. These HAP scaffolds have properties consistent with normal bone and should be further developed for potential application in bone implants.

FLAVONOLGLYCOSIDE OF SOME SIBERIAN SPECIES OF THE SECTION XIPHIDIUM BUNGE OF THE GENUS ASTRAGALUS L.

For the first time, the composition and content of flavonolglycosides was studied by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and a chromatograms of extracts of leaves of plants of the species of the Xiphidium Bunge section of the genus Astragalus L. Siberia was compared. The leaves of five species were investigated: A. ionae Palibin, A. lenensis Shemetova, Schaulo et Lomon., A. macroceras C. A. Meyer, A. palibinii Polozhij, A. stenoceras C. A. Meyer. There were found 9 main components, among them flavonols isoqurcitrin, rutin and astragalin have been identified. Glycosides G1, G2, G6 and isoquercitrin was found in all species, astragalin there is only in A. macroceras. Rutin not detected in A. stenoceras. The amount of the main glycosides of flavonoids in the leaves of plants in the species A. ionae, A. lenensis and A. palibinii varies between 0.26–0.70%, in A. macroceras – 0.37–0.59%, in A. stenoceras – 0.20% by weight of the absolutely dry raw material. The composition of the components on chromatograms confirms the taxonomic similarity between A. ionae–A. lenensis–A. palibinii. The chromatograms of A. macroceras and A. stenoceras have a large number of common components, however, composition the most abundant is noted in the A. macroceras.

Seed morphology of the genus Astragalus L. from North Asia

Seed morphology of the genus Astragalus L. from North Asia

Resolving the position of Astragalus borysthenicus Klokov within the Astragalus L. species

The present study is focused on several species from the genus Astragalus L. with the aim to clarify the taxonomic status of Ukrainian local endemic species Astragalus borysthenicus Klokov, which is sometimes considered a synonym to A. onobrychis L. In this study, the morphological features, current taxonomy, taxonomical history, and phylogenetic analysis based on rDNA Bayesian inference, as well as comparative analysis of ITS1 and ITS2 secondary structures, were investigated. It was found that A. borysthenicus is distant from A. onobrychis according to phylogenetic analysis. Moreover, A. borysthenicus has differences from the investigated taxa in its secondary structures of ITS1 and ITS2 transcripts. These data suggest that A. borysthenicus should be treated as a separate species rather than a synonym to A. onobrychis.

Biochemical characteristics of aboveground phytomass of plant of the genus Astragalus L. in the right-bank of forest-steppe of Ukraine

Objective – to find out the specific features of the biochemical composition of the representatives of the Astragalus genus as valuable phyto-raw materials for medicinal and energy purposes in the conditions of the Right-Bank of Forest-Steppe of Ukraine.Materials and methods. The object of research is plants of the genus Astragalus species, in the collection fund of department cultural flora of M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the NAS of Ukraine.Phyto-raw materials were analyzed during the budding, flowering and fruiting phase in the biochemical laboratory of the department of cultural flora of the M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the NAS of Ukraine according to generally accepted methods. Processing of research results was performed by analysis of variance and statistical estimate of the average data using of program Microsoft Excel (2010).Results. The greatest amount of dry matter in all the investigated introducents accumulates in the fruiting phase (24,37–38,64 %) and the maximum value was in A. glycyphyllos.The total content of sugars significantly increases during the flowering phase. The highest was in A. glycyphyllos (20,00 %). Protein content in plants of the genus Astragalus in this period was 14,00–24,42 %, ascorbic acid respectively 102,44–398,45 %. A high level of ascorbic acid was released – A. ponticus. A high level of lipid content during the growing season (except for budding) was characterized by A. galegiformis.Intensive accumulation of cellulose in plants of the genus Astragalus is fixed in the flowering phase (34,84–42,36 %). The highest content of cellulose was characterized in plants A. falcatus.It was found that the most energy-producing plants were A. galegiformis and A. ponticus (more than 81 Gcal/ha), somewhat less valuable were A. falcatus plants (61–80 Gcal/ha). At an energy-productivity of 41–60 Gcal/ha, belong to the A. cicer and A. glycyphyllos plants.Conclusions. It was established that plants of the genus Astragalus species are characterized by a rich quantitative and qualitative composition of BAC in terms of dry matter. According to the biochemical composition, all accumulate sugars, vitamin C, carotene, lipids, protein, fiber and other valuable substances, which indicates the prospect of using them as valuable medicinal phytopreparations. The productivity of above-ground phytomass, the output of total energy and phyto-fuel per unit area gives grounds for considering data of introducts as valuable raw materials for the needs of bioenergy