Catharanthus Roseus Research Articles

Silkworm pupae protein-based film incorporated with Catharanthus roseus leaf extract-based nanoparticles enhanced the lipid stability and microbial quality of cheddar cheese

The study aimed to develop a silkworm pupae protein-based film for enhancing the lipid oxidative and microbial stability of cheddar cheese. The bioactive properties were imparted to the silkworm pupae protein-based film using an optimum level (2.0%) of Catharanthus roseus leaf extract-based nanoparticles (Cat-Ros-NPs) synthesised following a green method. The cheese samples were packaged within the treated film (T2, containing 2.0% Cat-Ros-NPs) and compared with control samples [control (cheese samples without any film), T0 (cheese samples within the films without any bioactive agent) and T1 {cheese samples within the films containing 2.0% C. roseus leaf extract (Cat-Ros-Ext)}] during 90 days trial (4±1 °C). The addition of bioactive agents (Cat-Ros-Ext or Cat-Ros-NPs) increased the thickness (µm) as well as density (g/ml) of the film, thereby decreasing the transmittance (%), solubility (%), moisture content (%), and water-vapour transmission rate (mg/mt2). Both the bioactive agents increased the redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) whereas decreased the brightness (L*) of the film. The films enhanced the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the enclosed cheese samples during storage and the highest values were recorded for the samples packed within T2 films. The cheese samples packaged within T2 and T1 films showed significantly lower values for lipid oxidation and microbial counts. This positive effect of the films (T2 and T1) was also recorded on protein oxidation (total-carbonyl content) after day 30 and sensory quality after day 60. Our results indicate the successful use of silkworm pupae protein for the development of bioactive packaging for cheddar cheese.

Characterization of a vacuolar importer of secologanin in Catharanthus roseus

Monoterpenoid indole alkaloid (MIA) biosynthesis in Catharanthus roseus is a paragon of the spatiotemporal complexity achievable by plant specialized metabolism. Spanning a range of tissues, four cell types, and five cellular organelles, MIA metabolism is intricately regulated and organized. This high degree of metabolic differentiation requires inter-cellular and organellar transport, which remains understudied. Here, we have characterized a vacuolar importer of secologanin belonging to the multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) family, named CrMATE1. Phylogenetic analyses of MATEs suggested a role in alkaloid transport for CrMATE1, and in planta silencing in two varieties of C. roseus resulted in a shift in the secoiridoid and MIA profiles. Subcellular localization of CrMATE1 confirmed tonoplast localization. Biochemical characterization was conducted using the Xenopus laevis oocyte expression system to determine substrate range, directionality, and rate. We can confirm that CrMATE1 is a vacuolar importer of secologanin, translocating 1 mM of substrate within 25 min. The transporter displayed strict directionality and specificity for secologanin and did not accept other secoiridoid substrates. The unique substrate-specific activity of CrMATE1 showcases the utility of transporters as gatekeepers of pathway flux, mediating the balance between a defense arsenal and cellular homeostasis.

Influence of biochar amendment on removal of heavy metal from soils using phytoremediation by Catharanthus roseus L. and Chrysopogon zizanioides L.

Advances in sustainable toxic heavy metal treatment technologies are crucial to meet our needs for safer land to develop an urban resilient future. The heavy metals bioaccumulate in the food chain due to their persistence in the soil, which poses a serious challenge to its removal and control. Utilisation of hyperaccumulators to reduce the mobility, accumulation and toxic impact of heavy metals is a promising and ecologically safe technique. Amendments such as biochar and chelates have been shown to enhance the phytoremediation efficiency. However, the potential soil improvement is influenced by the properties of the amendment, plant and metal heterogeneities. In this study, an organic sugarcane bagasse biochar amendment for the 60-day pot experiment using Catharanthus roseus L. (NT) and Chrysopogon zizanioides L. (VT) in a heavy metal-contaminated soil was applied. The influence of biochar on the phytoremediation of lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) from the soil was explored. The plant survival rate enhanced to 100% with biochar amendment, and the biomass increased from 5.83 to 15g in Zn-contaminated samples. Nutrients such as potassium concentration are directly correlated to the amendment rates, whereas phosphate decreases beyond the 2% biochar amendment rate in both plants. High heavy metal accumulation capacities with improved growth with biochar indicate the sustainability of the process. The translocation factor (TF) > 1 for Zn in NT represents the phytoextraction efficiencies whereas VT indicates high BCF values in the range of 0.5-3.53 for the amended Zn-contaminated soils. The findings indicate that the amendment rate of 2% improves nutrient cycling, plant biomass and heavy metal removal efficiencies. The insights from this study establish that the synergy between biochar amendment and the selected medicinal plants improved the phytoremediation efficiency.

Assessing Therapeutic Potentials of Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don Focusing on Anti-Diabetic, Analgesic and Anti-Diarrheal Activities

Catharanthus roseus, or 'Nayantara' in Bengali, is a perennial flowering herb. This study aimed to evaluate the pharmacological effectiveness of the plant, focusing on its anti-diabetic, peripheral and central analgesic, and antidiarrheal effects. Methanol soluble partition 200 (MSP-200) and 400 (MSP-400) mg/kg body weight were administered for glucose tolerance test (GTT), heat and chemical-induced response tests, sodium thiosulphate induced test, and castor oil induced test, evaluating anti-diabetic, peripheral and central analgesic, and antidiarrheal effects via in-vivo assay in Swiss-Albino mice model. Methanol soluble partition (MSP) at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses significantly reduced the blood glucose levels of mice by 31.00% and 32.97%, respectively (standard 46.24%). In peripheral analgesic activity, MSP-400 (62.82 ± 4.62%) outperformed MSP-200 (50 ± 3.62%) and MSP-200 (p = 0.0001) exhibited statistically significant central analgesic activity. MSP-400 demonstrated potent anti-diarrheal activity (p = 0.0002). The outcomes from this study put forward a cogent argument that C. roseus plant is capable of producing numerous bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, tannins, etc. which requires systematic phytochemical and pharmacological investigations. Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal 27(2): 215-222, 2024 (July)

Genetic comparison among some cultivars of Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don. using three intergenic spacers of the chloroplast genome

Abstract. Susanto AH, Dwiati M. 2024. Genetic comparison among some cultivars of Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don. using three intergenic spacers of the chloroplast genome. Biodiversitas 25: 2999-3007. Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don belongs to the Apocynaceae family and is recognized as both an ornamental plant and a medicinal herb. By means of both hybridization and mutation breeding, numerous cultivars of C. roseus have been developed over time. This encourages the necessity for molecular characterization to establish a DNA barcode for each cultivar, particularly in relation to its potential as a medicinal herb. Therefore, this study aimed to genetically compare some cultivars of C. roseus based on three Intergenic Spacers (IGS) of the chloroplast genome, namely trnQ-rps16, rps16-trnK, and trnL-rpl32. Ten samples of C. roseus were randomly collected from around Purwokerto City, Central Java, Indonesia, representing cultivars with various corolla and flower eye colors. Universal primers were used to amplify the three molecular markers. The results showed that some insertion-deletions (indels) with rps16-trnK and trnL-rpl32 were observed, indicating some potential barcodes for C. roseus cultivars, following pharmacological analysis. On the other hand, very little genetic difference among samples was found with trnQ-rps16. It can be concluded that some other molecular markers, specifically those more closely related to the expression of flower color in C. roseus, should be explored to obtain candidate DNA barcodes in assisting the authentication of medicinal herbs.

Documentation On Medicinal Plants of Khanapur Forest Bidar District, Karnataka

The present study was undertaken to document medicinal plants of Khanapur forest Bidar district, karnataka the documentation of medicinal plants helps to recognize the overall ecological conditions and gives profound understanding of the economic medicinal and traditional importance of medicinal plants diversity. The present research documentation work was started in November 2023 and completed in February 2024. The present study reported that 119 Medicinal plant species belongs to 54 families distributed in Khanapur forest Bidar included angiosperms Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms. Abrus precatorius, Ephedra, Withania sominifera, Catharanthus roseus, Tinospora cardifolia, Andrographis paniculata, Phyllanthus amarus, allium sativum, Cocos nucifera, Coleus aromaticus, Curcuma longa, Martynia annua, Ocimum tenuiflorum, Tamarindus indica, Terminalia chebula,Tithonia diversifolia, Acalypha indica, Brassica juncea, Clitoria ternatea, Datura metal, Delonix elata, Euphorbia antiquorum, Luffa acutangula, Madhuca longifolia, Myristica fragrans, Santalum album and Vitex negundo are some of the important medicinal plants of Khanapur forest Bidar district of karnataka.

Chemical composition and antifungal potential of Vinca rosea leaf essential oil and extracts from Northern India

Chemical composition and antifungal potential of <i>Vinca rosea</i> leaf essential oil and extracts from Northern India

Effect of abiotic and biotic elicitors on vincristine accumulation in endosperm derived in vitro cultures in Catharanthus roseous (L.) G. Don

Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don (Apocynaceae) is a well-studied herb renowned for its in vitro culture as a source of the anti-cancer alkaloid, vincristine. However, despite the recognized advantages of triploid cells over diploid cells in terms of productivity, the triploid endosperm tissue of this important medicinal plant has not been utilized for in vitro culture initiation. In this investigation, zygotic embryos and endosperm tissues were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with various combinations of auxins and cytokinins. The medium containing 2.50 µM 6-Benzyladenine (BA) and 1.25 µM 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) proved to be the most effective for callus and cell culture formation. Ploidy analysis using ploidy analyzer confirmed that the endosperm-derived callus exhibited mixoploid, while the embryo-derived callus remained diploid. Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LC–MS) analysis of callus and cell cultures grown on MS media with different combinations of auxins, cytokinins, elicitors, and precursors (both biotic and abiotic) revealed the accumulation of vincristine. Notably, treatment with a biotic elicitor derived from Aspergillus niger (300 mg/l) demonstrated superior efficacy in promoting the maximum accumulation of vincristine in endosperm-derived callus and cell biomass. These findings hold promise for the sustainable production of the anti-cancer alkaloid vincristine from endosperm-derived callus and cell cultures of Catharanthus roseus.

Biogenic synthesis of Hematite (α-Fe2O3) and Ni doped Hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles for enhanced In vitro cytotoxic studies on MCF-7 cell lines

Hematite (α-Fe2O3) and Ni doped Hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles were synthesized with different pH values employ with catharanthus roseus leaf extract as reducing and capping agents. X-ray diffraction analysis reported that the prepared nanoparticles exhibited rhombohedral in structure. FESEM micrographs revealed the prepared nanoparticles are needle in structure to plates like structure when the pH value is increased. FTIR analysis confirmed the bonds and functional groups of the prepared Hematite (α-Fe2O3) and Nickel doped Hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles. The UV spectra of the prepared nanoparticles revealed the band gap energies ranging from 1.12 eV to 1.54 eV. The hysteresis loop showed the magnetic properties of the prepared nanoparticles exhibited ferromagnetic behavior. The antioxidant DPPH radical scavenging and the antimicrobial activity confirmed the inhibition of nanoparticles against gram positive and gram negative bacteria in concentration dependent manner. Moreover, the cytotoxicity effect against MCF-7 cancer cell lines revealed the inhibitory potential of the prepared nanoparticles. Bio efficacy of the prepared nanoparticles may leads to its potential and practicable applications in environmental and biomedical fields.

Genome-wide re-identification of the CrRLK1L family in soybean and functional characterization of GmCrRLK1L2 in salt stress response

The Catharanthus roseus receptor-like kinase 1-like (CrRLK1L), a member of the plant receptor-like kinase family, plays crucial roles in plant development and stress response. Despite previous screenings of soybean CrRLK1Ls, their specific function in stress response remains unclear. Utilizing recent soybean whole genome sequencing data, a comprehensive genome-wide analysis was performed to identify CrRLK1Ls in soybean. This study identified 45 CrRLK1L members in soybean, with CrRLK1L2 singled out for further functional investigation. Phylogenetic analysis categorized GmCrRLK1L genes into six classes, some of which exhibited homologs in Arabidopsis. Gene structure and motif analysis revealed a predominance of intron-lacking and relatively conserved GmCrRLK1L genes, with conserved motif patterns across members. Collinearity analysis indicated that both gene tandem and segmental duplication events drove the expansion of the GmCrRLK1L gene family, with segmental duplications being the primary driver. Expression profiling under salt treatment revealed significant up or downregulation of several GmCrRLK1L genes. Overexpression of GmCrRLK1L2 in soybean resulted in reduced plant height and salt tolerance, while knockout did not affect salt tolerance, suggesting potential genetic compensations by other genes. RNA-seq data showed that GmCrRLK1L2 overexpression influenced the expression of metabolic pathways and salt stress-responsive genes, including ACS3, ACO1, PER64, PER53, SAT3, and BCAT2. These findings lay the groundwork for elucidating the biological roles of GmCrRLK1Ls in soybean growth, development, and response to salinity stress.

Documentation On Medicinal Plants of Deva Deva Vana Botanical Garden of Bidar District, Karnataka

The present study was undertaken to document medicinal plants of Deva Deva vana Botanical garden of Bidar district, karnataka. Deva Deva vana literally means ‘Forest of divine/celestial beings’ A Botanical garden maintained by the Forest department around 6 km from Bidar – Hyderabad Highway. It is home to around 200 medicinal plants and trees, and considered sacred. It is divided into around 10 gardens and a nursery which is classified according to a particular theme like Nandana vana, Ashoka vana, Navagraha vana, Rock Garden, shiva panchayath vana, Phala pushpa vana,..etc the documentation of medicinal plants helps to recognize the overall ecological conditions, conservation and gives profound understanding of the economic medicinal and traditional importance of medicinal plants diversity. The present research documentation work was started in February 2023 and completed in June 2024. The present study reported that 147 Medicinal plant species belongs to 64 families distributed and conserved in Deva Deva vana Botanical garden Bidar included angiosperms Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms. Abrus precatorius, Ephedra, Withania sominifera, Catharanthus roseus, Tinospora cardifolia, Andrographis paniculata, Phyllanthus amarus, allium sativum, Cocos nucifera, Coleus aromaticus, Curcuma longa, Martynia annua, Ocimum tenuiflorum, Tamarindus indica, Terminalia chebula,Tithonia diversifolia, Acalypha indica, Brassica juncea, Clitoria ternatea, Datura metal, Delonix elata, Euphorbia antiquorum, Luffa acutangula, Madhuca longifolia, Myristica fragrans, Santalum album and Vitex negundo are some of the important medicinal plants of Deva Deva vana Botanical garden Bidar district of karnataka.

Manipulating the community structure of arthropods in rice fields with floral resources plants

Abstract Conservation biological control encourages natural enemies to suppress target pests through manipulation of environmental factors that influence natural enemy survival and effectiveness, including microclimates, availability of food for adults and alternative prey, and shelter from adverse environmental conditions. This study aimed to identify selective flowering plants that could be used to manipulate the arthropod community structure in rice fields. Three rice fields (a field without resources of flowering plants, a field with vegetable crop, and a field with ornamental plant) were used in this experiment. The flowering plants included Helianthus sp., Catharanthus roseus, and Cosmos sulphureus while the vegetable plants included eggplant, cucumber, and long beans. Arthropod recording was carried out by direct observation and yellow pan traps from 14 to 98 days after planting. We recorded 33,728 arthropods representing 153 species in 68 families, 13 orders, and 2 classes. The presence of flowering plant significantly affects abundance, species richness, diversity index, and evenness of arthropods both in dry and wet seasons. The rice field surrounded with ornamental plants or vegetables showed the lowest abundance of phytophagous arthropods, the highest abundance of parasitoid and predatory arthropods. Therefore, vegetable crops such as cucumber, long beans and eggplant have great opportunities as refugia in rice fields.

Test the Effectiveness of Soursop Leaf Extract and Tapak Dara Leaf Extract as Mosquito Larvicide

In this rainy season the risk of contracting Dengue Fever increases. Many people control dengue fever chemically. The use of chemical larvicides has many disadvantages such as environmental pollution, resistance, and negative impacts on human health. This research aims to develop a natural larvicide from extracts of soursop leaves (Annona muricata) and tapak dara leaves (Catharanthus roseus). The study used a completely randomized design, with three replications. Soursop leaf and tapak dara leaf extracts were extracted using a maceration process using 70% ethanol solvent. III-IV instar Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae were used during the experiment, to assess the effect of formula (3 levels), dose (3 levels), and exposure time for 12 hours. All data were analyzed using Two-way ANOVA. The research results showed that the F1 formula and D3 dose were effective in eradicating mosquito larvae. Where the higher the concentration of soursop leaf extract and the higher the dose, the higher the mortality of mosquito larvae.

Tailor-made vincristine-liposomes for tumor targeting

To ensure selective targeting based on membrane fluidity and physico-chemical compatibility between the biological membrane of the target cell and the lipid membrane of the liposomes carriers. Lipid-based carriers as liposomes with varying membrane fluidities were designed for delivering vincristine, an anti-tumor compound derived from Madagascar's periwinkle. Liposomes, loaded with vincristine, were tested on prostate, colon, and breast cancer cell lines alongside non-tumor controls. Results showed that vincristine-loaded liposomes with fluid membranes significantly decreased the viability of cancer cell lines compared to controls. Confocal microscopy revealed the intracellular release of vincristine, evidenced by disrupted mitosis-specific labeling of actin filaments in metastatic prostate cell lines. This highlights the crucial role of membrane fluidity in the development of lipid-based drug carriers, offering a promising and cost-effective option for targeting cancer cells as an alternative to conventional strategies.

THE POTENTIAL OF Catharanthus Roseus AS A PHYTOREMEDIATION AGENT FOR HEAVY METAL REMOVAL IN CONTAMINATED SOIL

Heavy metals from human activities, such as industrial emissions and mining waste, contribute to environmental, nutritional, and health issues. Catharanthus roseus, a phytoremediation plant, was tested to determine the levels of heavy metals in soil and plants. The experiment involved preparing various amounts of heavy metals by combining four elements: Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), and Zinc (Zn). Four treatment groups were tested, each with varying levels of heavy metal contamination. The initial group (T0) served as the positive control, while the next four groups (T1-T4) were subjected to escalating levels of heavy metals. T1 was given a 200ml solution containing 0.9 (Cd) + 4.0 (Cu) + 0.18 (Pb) + 6.9 (Zn). T2 was given a 200ml solution containing 11.90 (Cd) +19.80 (Cu) +36.00 (Pb) + 54.3 (Zn). T3 was given a 200ml solution containing 23.80 (Cd) + 39.60 (Cu) + 72.00 (Pb) + 108.6 (Zn). T4 was given a 200ml solution containing of 23.80 (Cd) + 39.60 (Cu) + 72.00 (Pb) + 108.6 (Zn). The dataset included measurements of soil pH, heavy metal concentrations, plant height, and shoot and root length. The results showed that the T3 solution, consisting of 23.80 (Cd) + 39.60 (Cu) + 72.00 (Pb) + 108.6 (Zn), had the most favourable plant growth performance based on soil and plant concentrations. This suggests that immediate action is needed to ensure safe food availability.

Detection of Zn Water Pollution by a Biosensor Based on Alkaloids Derived from Iraqi Catharanthus Roseus

Detection of Zn Water Pollution by a Biosensor Based on Alkaloids Derived from Iraqi Catharanthus Roseus

WHY TARGET AYURVEDIC DRUGS FOR DRUG INDUCED LIVER INJURY (DILI)?

Dear Reader, Use of herbs as medicines is as old as history of human civilization. Discovery of most of the modern medicines dates back to 19th and 20th century. Most of the potent drugs discovered have their origin in plants and they were also called “Drugs from Plants or Drugs from Nature”. Some of the examples include Morphine from Opium (1803 AD), Quinine from Cinchona bark (1820 AD), Salicin from Salix alba (1829 AD), potent anti-cancer molecule Paclitaxal, from Taxus brevifolia (1971 AD), Camptothecin from Camptotheca acuminata (1966 AD) and Vincristine from Vinca rosea (1958 AD) etc.

Exploring the therapeutic potential of silver nanocomposition of Catharanthus roseus leaves extract for antimicrobial and antiviral activities: A pilot study

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized from natural sources offer promising solutions for combating microbial and viral infections. Catharanthus roseus (Periwinkle), renowned for its diverse pharmacological properties, provides a sustainable and eco-friendly method for producing AgNPs with significant antimicrobial and antiviral effects. This study explores the cytotoxic potential of AgNPs derived from C. roseus and their antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-HIV activities, highlighting the novelty of employing a green synthesis approach. AgNPs from C. roseus leaf extract (AgNP-CR) were synthesized and characterized using spectroscopic and microscopic techniques to determine their physicochemical properties. The antibacterial activity of AgNP-CR was assessed against clinically relevant bacterial strains, and antifungal activity was evaluated against common fungal pathogens. Additionally, anti-HIV activity was investigated through in vitro assays using HIV-infected cells. Results demonstrated significant antibacterial activity of AgNP-CR against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, AgNP-CR exhibited antifungal activity against pathogenic Aspergillus species. Importantly, AgNP-CR showed promising anti-HIV activity by inhibiting viral replication and cytopathic effects in infected cells. Cytotoxicity assays were also conducted to ensure the safety profile of the nanoparticles. Overall, this pilot study underscores the therapeutic potential of AgNPs synthesized from C. roseus in addressing bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. Further research is warranted to elucidate their mechanisms of action and optimize formulations for clinical applications.

Cloning and functional characterization of oxidosqualene cyclase gene for α-amyrin synthesis

Ursolic acid has gradually attracted much attention due to its unique pharmacological activities and valuable market value in recent years. Currently, ursolic acid is mostly extracted from loquat leaves, but the plant extraction method has low yield and high cost, and chemical synthesis is not readily available, so the biosynthesis method provides a new source for ursolic acid. α-amyrin acts as the main precursor for the synthesis of ursolic acid, and its yield is positively correlated with ursolic acid yield. Oxidosqualene cyclase(OSC) belongs to a multigene family which can catalyze the common precursor 2,3-oxidosqualene to generate different types of triterpene backbones, and plays a decisive role in the synthesis of triterpenoids. However, there are fewer reported key genes catalyzing the synthesis of α-amyrin in medicinal plants, and the yield and proportion of α-amyrin in the catalyzed products have always been a focus of research. In this study, ItOSC2, MdOSC1, AaOSC2 and CrAS, four enzymes capable of catalyzing the production of α-amyrin from 2,3-oxidosqualene, were cloned from Iris tectorum, Malus domestica, Artemisia annua and Catharanthus roseus, subject to sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree analyses, and transformed into Saccharomyces cerevisiae as plasmids. After 7 days of fermentation, the yield and proportions of α-amyrin, β-amyrin and ergosterol were measured. Finally, AaOSC2 with the best ability to catalyze the generation of α-amyrin was filtered out, providing a key gene element for the later construction of engineered yeast strains with high production of α-amyrin and ursolic acid.

Preliminary Phytochemical Screening of Catharanthus Roseus (L.) G. Don

Catharanthus roseus is a well-known ayurvedic herb. The therapeutic effect of plant materials in a variety of diseases has prompted their continuous investigation and use. This led us to investigate the preliminary phytochemical components of Catharanthus roseus plant extracts. The techniques were used to conduct phytochemical screening of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of the C.roseus leaves.