Hypericum Androsaemum Research Articles

Management and control options for tutsan (<i>Hypericum androsaemum</i>) in hill country pastures a review

Tutsan (Hypericum androsaemum) is a highly invasive semievergreen shrubby weed found throughout New Zealand Described as a serious pasture weed in 1937 it has been held in check for many years by tutsan rust Recently it has spread rapidly into pasture forestry and conservation areas Present methods available for managing tutsan are proving inadequate and unsustainable This review paper provides an overview of tutsans biology ecology habitat and its current distribution in New Zealand It details possible management strategies and control options with emphasis on control by herbicides The paper identifies a number of potential herbicides which although not currently registered for control of tutsan have shown good efficacy on this weed and could be developed for use on agricultural land through further research Herbicides currently registered for control of tutsan in Australia as well as the current recommendations in Victoria and Western Australia are also summarised

Interplay of calcium, cAMP and PKA in flavonoid accumulation by cell cultures of Hypericum androsaemum L.

Widely distributed throughout Europe, Hypericum androsaemum L. is an herbaceous plant whose leaves have been used traditionally to prepare infusions with diuretic, cholagogue, and hepatoprotective properties. Recent research has also revealed that plant water extracts exhibit antitumor [1], antioxidant and anti-acetylcholinesterase activities [2]. Cell cultures established from hypocotyl-derived callus of H. androsaemum were reported [3] to accumulate small amounts of flavonoids, with the highest levels being achieved during the stationary phase (day 14). Later on [4], it was found that flavonoid accumulation and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity increased considerably 72h after addition of CaCl2 (15 mM) or calcium ionophore A23187 (5µM) to the nutrient medium of 11-day-old cultures. Since there is a growing body of evidence that Ca2+ and cAMP interact in many systems, similar experiments were carried out using 100µM dibutyryl cAMP (db-cAMP), a membrane-permeable cAMP analog. Treatment with this cAMP-modulator also caused a pronounced increase in both flavonoid content and PAL activity measured on day 14. Moreover, the stimulatory effects of db-cAMP were prevented or markedly inhibited by pretreatment of cells with the calcium channel blocker verapamil (100µM). On the other hand, the Ca2+-induced enhancement of flavonoid accumulation and PAL activity could be mimicked by treating cell cultures with 50µM Sp-cAMPS, an activator of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA). Altogether, these data are consistent with a possible interplay between Ca2+, cAMP and PKA in the regulation of flavonoid accumulation in H. androsaemum cell cultures.

Flavonoid accumulation in Hypericum androsaemum cell cultures: involvement of cAMP/PKA signaling

Hypericum androsaemum L. is a perennial herb growing wild in damp or shady areas throughout Eurasia. Leaf infusions have been used traditionally for its diuretic, cholagogue, and hepatoprotective properties [1]. Recent research has also shown that plant water extracts exhibit antitumor [2], antioxidant and anti-acetylcholinesterase activities [3].

Water extracts of tree Hypericum sps. protect DNA from oxidative and alkylating damage and enhance DNA repair in colon cells

Diet may induce colon carcinogenesis through oxidative or alkylating DNA damage. However, diet may also contain anticarcinogenic compounds that contribute to cancer prevention. DNA damage prevention and/or induction of repair are two important mechanisms involved in cancer chemoprevention by dietary compounds. Hypericum sps. are widely used in traditional medicine to prepare infusions due to their beneficial digestive and neurologic effects. In this study, we investigated the potential of water extracts from three Hypericum sps. and some of their main phenolic compounds to prevent and repair oxidative and alkylating DNA damage in colon cells. The results showed that water extracts of Hypericum perforatum, Hypericum androsaemum, Hypericum undulatum, quercetin and rutin have protective effect against oxidative DNA damage in HT29 cells. Protective effect was also observed against alkylating DNA damage induced by methyl-methanesulfonate, except for H. androsaemum. With regard to alkylating damage repair H. perforatum, H. androsaemum and chlorogenic acid increased repair of alkylating DNA damage by base excision repair pathway. No effect was observed on nucleotide excision repair pathway.Antigenotoxic effects of Hypericum sps. may contribute to colon cancer prevention and the high amount of phenolic compounds present in Hypericum sps. play an important role in DNA protective effects.

ChemInform Abstract: Polycyclic Polyprenylated Acylphloroglucinols and Cytotoxic Constituents of Hypericum androsaemum.

AbstractAndroforin A (I) and hyperandrone A (II) are isolated from the aerial parts together with a series of known constituents.

Polycyclic Polyprenylated Acylphloroglucinols and Cytotoxic Constituents of Hypericum androsaemum

Two new polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols (PPAPs), androforin A and hyperandrone A, together with twelve known compounds, were isolated from the aerial parts of Hypericum androsaemum. Their structures were established by detailed spectral analysis. In the cytotoxic assay, 1,4-O-diferuloylsecoisolariciresinol showed activities comparable with those of cisplatin, and acetyloleanolic acid exhibited moderate inhibitory effects against HL-60, SMMC-7721, A-549, MCF-7, and SW480 cancer cell lines.

Effect of technological processing upon the antioxidant capacity of aromatic and medicinal plant infusions: From harvest to packaging

Antioxidants are secondary metabolites in plants, designed to protect them from abiotic stress; however, they may also improve one's general health, following regular ingestion. Since most foods from plant origin are consumed only after processing and formulation, the final activity exhibited by their antioxidants may be rather different from that in the original plant.Ten plants empirically used in Portugal in traditional medicine were accordingly studied – agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus), walnut-tree (Juglans regia), myrtle (Myrtus communis), raspberry (Rubus idaeus), sage (Salvia sp.), savory (Satureja montana), sweet-amber (Hypericum androsaemum), thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium), for total antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content. Significant variations were found between fresh and frozen forms: most plants decreased those features by 30–80 %. However, weather conditions prevailing during plant growth also had a significant impact, besides postharvest storage conditions – especially in the case of antioxidant capacity. Typically, a decrease occurred throughout processing and storage, which was maximum for myrtle and minimum for yarrow.The results of this research are useful in attempts to preserve the antioxidant content of plant-derived foods, or of plant additives in foods, via rational manipulation of processing conditions after harvest and throughout storage.

Molluscicidal activity of crude water and hexane extracts of Hypericum species to snails (Radix peregra)

In spite of intense research on both chemical constituency and biological activity of Hypericum species, potential applications of their active components for pest control have been less well investigated. In the present study, Hypericum androsaemum (tutsan), Hypericum foliosum (malfurada), and Hypericum undulatum (wavy St. John's wort) aqueous and hexane extracts were studied for their molluscicidal and ovicidal activities against Radix peregra. The molluscicidal activity of the aqueous extracts was low, except for H. androsaemum infusion (median lethal concentration [LC50](adults) = 317.1 ppm; LC50(juveniles) = 415 ppm), and less important compared with the toxicity of all three hexane extracts tested: H. androsaemum (LC50(adults) = 30.47 ppm; LC50(juveniles) = 73.25 ppm), H. undulatum (LC50(adults) = 30.55 ppm; LC50(juveniles) = 60.54 ppm), and H. foliosum (LC50(adults) = 48.61 ppm; LC50(juveniles) = 38.81 ppm). An ovicidal effect was observed only with H. androsaemum infusion (1.85% of hatching at 500 ppm) and H. foliosum hexane extract (0.0% of hatching at 100 ppm). A preliminary phytochemical investigation of the lipophylic extracts from these Hypericum sp. revealed a different chemical profile and confirmed the presence of ursolic acid only in H. undulatum as the main compound. The present study indicates that products from hexane extracts of the Hypericum sp. analyzed may be used as potential molluscicides to control snails responsible for transmitting fasciolosis.

Hypericum androsaemum water extract inhibits proliferation in human colorectal cancer cells through effects on MAP kinases and PI3K/Akt pathway

MAP kinase and PI3K/Akt signalling pathways are commonly altered in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) leading to tumor growth due to increased cell proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis. Several species of the genus Hypericum are used in Portugal to prepare herbal teas to which digestive tract effects are attributed. In the present study, the antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects of the water extracts of H. androsaemum (HA) and H. perforatum (HP) were investigated in two human colon carcinoma-derived cell lines, HCT15 and CO115, which harbour activating mutations of KRAS and BRAF, respectively. Contrarily to HP, HA significantly inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in both cell lines. HA decreased BRAF and phospho-ERK expressions in CO115, but not in HCT15. HA also decreased Akt phosphorylation in CO115 and induced p38 and JNK in both cell lines. HA induced cell cycle arrest at S and G2/M phases as well as caspase-dependent apoptosis in both cell lines. Chlorogenic acid (CA), the main phenolic compound present in the HA extract and less represented in the HP water extract, did, however, not show any of those effects when used individually. In conclusion, water extract of HA, but not of HP, controlled CRC proliferation and specifically acted on mutant and not wild-type BRAF. The effect of HA was, however, not due to CA alone.

Does forest fragmentation affect the same way all growth-forms?

Fragmentation of natural habitats is one of the main causes of the loss of biodiversity. However, all plants do not respond to habitat fragmentation in the same way due to differences in species traits. We studied the effect of patch size and isolation on the biodiversity of vegetation in the mixed-oak forests in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. The aim was to evaluate whether all the growth-forms of vegetation are equally affected by forest fragmentation in order to improve the management strategies to restore this type of vegetation. This study has shown that the effect of the area and spatial isolation of the patches was not the same for the different growth-forms. Fragmentation had a mainly negative effect on the richness and diversity of forest specialist species, especially ferns and herbaceous growth-forms. Moreover, the presence and/or cover of woodland herbaceous species (such as Lamiastrum galeobdolon and Helleborus viridis) and of woodland ferns (namely Asplenium adiantum-nigrum, Asplenium trichomanes, Polystichum setiferum, Dryopteris affinis) were negatively affected by patch size, possibly due to the reduction of habitat quality. These species have been replaced by more generalist species (such as Cardamine pratensis, Cirsium sp., Pulmonaria longifolia or Rumex acetosella) in small patches. Patch isolation had a negative effect on the presence of forest specialist species (namely, L.galeobdolon, Frangula alnus, Hypericum androsaemum, A.adiantum-nigrum and Athyrium filix-femina) and favored colonization by more generalist species such as Cirsium sp., Calluna vulgaris, Erica arborea or Ulex sp. Thus, in this region special attention should be paid to the conservation of forest specialist species, especially ferns and herbs. In conservation policy focused on forest specialist species, the most valuable species in forest ecosystems, conservation of large forest areas should be promoted.

Effects of cAMP modulators on flavonoid accumulation in cell cultures of Hypericum androsaemum L.

Hypericum androsaemum L. has been used in traditional medicine for its diuretic and hepatoprotective properties [1], which are attributed to the diverse flavonoids and phenolic acids found in this species.

Assay of flavonoid aglycones with HPLC in four species of genus Hypericum

Hypericum plants are widely used in phytotherapy in many countries. A number of plants of this genus have exhibited various pharmacological activities attributed to their flavonoid content. The present paper describes a reverse-phase HPLC method developed for the assay of 7 flavonoid aglycones (quercetin, myricetin, isorhamnetin, rhamnetin, kaempferol, luteolin and apigenin) in polar extracts of four Hypericum species from UK, Hypericum androsaemum, L., Hypericum ericoides, Arechav, Hypericum x moserianum (Hypericum calycinum x Hypericum patulum) Andre and Hypericum olympicum, L. The identity of detected flavonoids was confirmed by comparing their retention times with those of corresponding standards. The content of detected flavonoids varied from 816.69 (mg/Kg fresh wt.) in Hypericum moserianum to 6726.52 (mg/Kg fresh wt.) in Hypericum olympicum. Quercetin and apigenin were present in all the species while myricetin and kaempferol were detected only in H. moserianum.

Natural extracts as potential source of antioxidants to stabilize polyolefins

AbstractSeveral natural matrices were investigated as potential sources of antioxidants to be used as plastic additives. Extracts of four matrices obtained under the same experimental conditions were initially considered: green tea, black tea, Lippia citriodora and Hypericum androsaemum. Both, the antioxidant activity of the extracts and their content in flavanols and quercetin, were compared. The antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH analysis and the phenolic composition by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using ultraviolet (UV) diode array and fluorescence (FL) detectors. Concentration of the flavanols reduced in the same way as their antioxidant activity starting with green tea, through black tea, Hypericum androsaemum, and Lippia citriodora. The performance of polypropylene samples stabilized with green tea extract, or its individual components catechin and epicatechin, was compared with samples stabilized with a mixture of the synthetic antioxidants Irganox 1076 and Irgafos 168. Each sample was extruded and consecutively reextruded up to four times. The melt flow index (MFI) and the oxidation induction time (OIT) of the samples were measured after each step. The obtained results showed the interest of this natural matrix as a potential source of antioxidants for plastics. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011

Involvement of calcium and cAMP in flavonoid production by cell cultures of Hypericum androsaemum L.

Hypericum androsaemum L. is an herbaceous plant widely distributed throughout Europe which has been used in traditional medicine on account of the diuretic and hepatoprotective properties of its leaves [1]. These biological effects have been ascribed to the different flavonoids and phenolic acids known to be present in this species. Cell suspension cultures established from hypocotyl-derived callus of H. androsaemum were reported [2] to accumulate low amounts of flavonoids, with the highest levels being found during the stationary phase (day 14). More recently [3], it was shown that treatment of 11-day-old cultures for 72h with 15 mM CaCl2 or 5µM calcium ionophore A23187 increased considerably the accumulation of flavonoids and the activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), which is the first committed enzyme in the phenylpropanoid pathway. In similar experiments, the addition of 20µM forskolin (an activator of adenylyl cyclase) or 100µM dibutyryl cAMP (db-cAMP, a membrane-permeable analogue of cAMP) also enhanced the flavonoid levels recorded on day 14, but only the latter treatment caused a significant increase in PAL activity. Moreover, the stimulatory effects of db-cAMP were prevented or markedly inhibited by pretreatment of cells with the calcium channel blocker verapamil (100µM). Taken together, these results suggest that both calcium and cAMP are involved in flavonoid metabolism of H. androsaemum cell cultures.

Evaluating Fertility of Triploid Clones of Hypericum androsaemum L. for Use as Non-invasive Landscape Plants

Although Hypericum androsaemum L. is a valuable landscape plant, the species can be weedy and potentially invasive in certain locations. Infertile, non-invasive cultivars of H. androsaemum with desirable ornamental features would be ecologically beneficial and valuable for the horticultural industry. The male and female fertility of 10 triploid H. androsaemum, developed with a combination of variegation and foliage colors, was investigated under greenhouse (controlled pollination) and field conditions (natural pollination). Male fertility was evaluated based on pollen viability tests (pollen staining and pollen germination). Female fertility was based on fruit set, seed set, germinative capacity of seeds, and number of seedlings produced for each flower. Although values for different measures of fertility varied among triploid clones, pollen germination was significantly reduced for all triploids and nine of the 10 triploids produced no viable seed. These results represent 100% failure of ≈171,000 potential fertilization events based on fertility levels of diploid controls. The remaining triploid clone produced two seedlings per flower compared with 260 seedlings per flower for the controls. However, the seedlings produced by the triploid clone died shortly after germination. This research documented that the triploid H. androsaemum tested are highly infertile with no measurable female fertility. These clones will provide ideal alternatives to fertile forms of H. androsaemum where invasiveness is a concern. These methods also provide a useful protocol for evaluating fertility of other taxa that are selected or developed as non-invasive cultivars of potentially weedy species.

The Role of Secreting Structures Position on the Leaf Volatile Organic Compounds of Hypericum androsaemum

Hypericum androsaemum L. presents typical translucent, essential oil producing glands, which are distributed on the leaf along both margins (margin glands) and on the lamina (lamina glands). The gland secretion was studied by histochemical and chemical analysis; the gland content was sampled directly from the secretory glands, and the volatile organic compounds (VOC) of the margin and lamina glands were separately analyzed. The lipophilic fraction of the lamina glands had as main components: (E)-2-hexenal (15.5%), hexadecanoic acid (14.7%), beta-caryophyllene (11.2%), germacrene B (11.0%) and gamma-himachalene (9.8%). The lipophilic fraction of the margin glands had as its main components: beta-pinene (22.0%), limonene (17.6%), (E)-beta-ocimene (6.1%), methyl linoleate (5.7%), terpinolene (5.4 %), (E)-2-hexenal (4.9%) and alpha-pinene (4.1%).

In Vitro Protective Effect of Hypericum androsaemum Extract Against Oxygen and Nitrogen Reactive Species

Hypericum androsaemum L. (Gutiferae) is a medicinal plant growing in Western Europe that has been used in traditional medicine in the prevention or treatment of liver diseases. Oxidative stress and nitrosative stress are common pathogenetic mechanisms contributing to initiation and progression of hepatic damage in several liver disorders. In the present study, an ethanol:water (4:6) extract from H. androsaemum branches and leaves were evaluated for its putative in vitro scavenging effects on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil radical, on reactive oxygen species, namely HO•, O₂•-, ROO•, ¹O₂ and H₂O₂ and on reactive nitrogen species, namely •NO and ONOO⁻. The hypericum extract presented a remarkable capacity to scavenge all the tested reactive species, all the IC₅₀ values being found at the μg/ml level. IC₅₀ values for 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil, and for the reactive oxygen species O₂•-, H₂O₂, HO• and ¹O₂ were 11.3 ± 0.7, 32.7 ± 3.4, 944 ± 47, 595 ± 82, 28.3 ± 1.2 μg/ml respectively. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity value obtained for ROO• was 1.5 ± 0.1 μmol Trolox equivalents/mg extract. The IC₅₀ values for •NO and ONOO⁻ were 2.2 ± 0.2 and 1.2 ± 0.1 μg/ml respectively. The content of total phenolics was 281 ± 2 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g of lyophilized extract. The observed antioxidant activity provides scientific support for the reported therapeutic use of H. androsaemum, though further in vitro and in vivo studies are required to ascertain the risk/benefit score at therapeutic concentrations.

Effects of calcium, W-7, and forskolin on flavonoid accumulation in cell cultures of Hypericum androsaemum L.

Effects of calcium, W-7, and forskolin on flavonoid accumulation in cell cultures of Hypericum androsaemum L.

Hypericum androsaemum L. essential oils: characterization of their variation profiles

Hypericum androsaemum L. essential oils: characterization of their variation profiles

Effects of calcium and W-7 on flavonoid accumulation in cell cultures of Hypericum androsaemum L

Hypericum androsaemum L. is a plant found in damp or shady places throughout Europe and has been used in folk medicine owing to the diuretic and hepatoprotective properties of its aerial parts [1]. These biological activities are attributed to the several flavonoids and phenolic acids occurring in the plant.