Medicinal Plant Products Research Articles

Accumulation of chemical elements in the roots of <I>Euphorbia fischeriana</I> Steudel in the Shilka river basin (Transbaikal region)

Background. Euphorbia fischeriana Steudel is used in traditional and herbal medicine in Russia and China. Its roots contain 241 chemical components, but there is not enough knowledge about the plant’s elemental composition. Concentrations of chemical elements in plants have an impact the effectiveness of medical products.Materials and methods. The research was conducted in the Transbaikal region. Plants were analyzed using an ICP-MS Elan 9000 mass spectrometer (Canada). The ICP-MS method of measuring metal content in solid objects, PND F 16.1:2.3:3.11-98 was used. Chemical analysis of the soil was performed at Kostromskaya State Station of Agrochemical Service. The obtained data were statistically processed using the Microsoft Excel software.Results. The accumulation of macro- and microelements in plant roots was studied (Ca, P, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn, Zn, Mo, Cr, Co, Se, Cu, B, Ni, V, As, Li, Pb, Ba, Bi, Cd, Hg, Be, Sb, Rb, Zr, Sn, Ag, W, Sr, and Ti). The chemical elements whose concentrations were significantly higher or, contrariwise, lower than the clarke of terrestrial plants were identified. Accumulations of Ti, Ag, As, Cr, Sr, Li, Ba, Mo, Fe, Bi, and Sb in descending order were 2–14 times higher than the clarke of terrestrial plants. Concentrations of Mn, Cd, Se, and especially V and Cu in E. fischeriana roots were low (0.01–5% of the clarke). The concentration of As in the test areas exceeded the threshold limit value for medicinal herbage and medicinal plant products (OFS.1.5.3.0009.15). Conclusion. The study made it possible to find deficiencies of a number of vital elements in E. fischeriana roots, discrepancy between the tested herbage and the threshold limit value for As, and increased accumulation of a number of toxic and potentially toxic elements compared with the clarke.

Molecular barcoding of Melissa officinalis L. (badranjboye) in Iran and identification of adulteration in its medicinal services

Medicinal plants are an important source for treatment of diseases in many countries. Today, controlling the quality of the products of medicinal plants is an important task. Customer health may be in danger due to the fraud and misconduct by the sales associates in the sales centers. Melissa officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) is an important medicinal plant used for treatment of several diseases. In Iran, the species of Dracocephalum, Hymencrater, Nepeta and Stachys are mistakenly sold under the name of Badranjboye that have different pharmaceutical properties. For avoiding this mistake, this investigation was performed with the following aims: 1) Checking for the cheating and identifying the Badranjboye in the Iran’s market of medicinal plants, 2) Providing the molecular barcode for the medicinal species of Melissa. For this purpose, Market-sold plant samples (leaves) and original reference plant species were compared by morphology, odor as well as Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and chloroplast DNA ((psbA–trnH) and (trnL–trnF)) sequences. Various molecular analyses, such as sequencing, determination of genetic distance, and construction of phylogenetic tree were performed. These reports have shown that internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and chloroplast DNA (psbA–trnH) sequences are an efficient molecular marker to produce barcode gap and differentiating Melissa officinalis from other species.

Financial evaluation of establishing Ferula assa-foetida medicinal plant production business in dryland conditions

Financial evaluation of establishing Ferula assa-foetida medicinal plant production business in dryland conditions

Production and Quality of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Recent Findings on Stress Effects, Elicitors, Harvesting and Market Development

There is an expanding interest worldwide in medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) due to their use as raw materials in the production of medicinal, aromatic and cosmetic products [...]

Electronic Nose Analysis and Statistical Methods for Investigating Volatile Organic Compounds and Yield of Mint Essential Oils Obtained by Hydrodistillation

A major problem associated with the development of medicinal plant products is the lack of quick, easy, and inexpensive methods to assess and monitor product quality. Essential oils are natural plant-derived volatile substances used worldwide for numerous applications. The important uses of these valuable products often induce producers to create fraudulent or lower quality products. As a result, consumers place a high value on authentic and certified products. Mint is valued for essential oil used in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and health industries. This study investigated the use of an experimental electronic nose (e-nose) for the detection of steam-distilled essential oils. The e-nose was used to evaluate and analyze VOC emissions from essential oil (EO) and distilled water extracts (DWEs) obtained from mint plants of different ages and for leaves dried in the shade or in the sun prior to hydrodistillation. Principal component analysis (PCA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and artificial neural networks (ANN) were performed on electrical signals generated from electronic nose sensors for the classification of VOC emissions. More accurate discriminations were obtained for DWEs sample VOCs than for EO VOCs. The electronic nose proved to be a reliable and fast tool for identifying plant EO. The age of plants had no statistically significant effect on the EO concentration extracted from mint leaves.

Evaluation of Anti-oxidant properties of some medicinal plant products by ABTS Radical Scavenging Assay

Antioxidant properties of plant products Cumin, Cinnamon, Pepper, Clove, and Star anise were measured against Quercetin as control by ABTS radical scavenging assay. The absorbance is recorded at 734nm, and percent inhibition is calculated at different concentrations of the sample. Graph pad prism method is used to calculate the IC50 values. A comparative account is tabulated in the study for the afore-mentioned plant products. Among the tested samples, Cinnamon has exhibited the highest IC50 value being 142 in chloroform extracts and the lowest being 18.09 is of star anise in methanol extracts.

Scientific justification of the need for balanced development of medicinal plant growing

Medicinal plant growth plays a significant role in the development of the national economy as a component of the processing industry, agriculture and forestry nowadays. Its resource base is a valuable natural resource, an indispensable functional part of the biosphere, and the basis for maintaining the potential of human health. An important aspect of balanced development is the preservation of medicinal plant resources in the natural conditions of their growth to preserve the species composition of commodity products and the biological diversity of the ecosystem. The global trend, including Ukrainian, testifies to the rapid increase in the importance of preserving the species diversity of the natural fauna and wild herbs in particular. There are two directions of medicinal plant cultivation: the use of natural plant resources (the collection of wild species) and the cultivation of medicinal plants. The specificity of the development of this industry directly depends on the way of its management for the production of medicinal plant material, about 160 species of wild plants and about 60 species of cultivated medicinal plants are currently used. That is, over 70% of medicinal plants are wildlife, and they constitute the fund of comprehensive renewable resources of the state that are harvested in Ukraine, ad this, in turn, attaches great importance to this area of harvesting of medicinal plants, since it is predominant. The following research methods were used to perform the tasks set in the work: economic-statistical, abstract-logical, system-structural and comparative, graphic and design-constructive, and others like that. The current state of medicinal plant growing shows a significant gap in production processes, logistics, environmental management, certification, and other financial and organizational aspects. Solving of these issues will contribute to the development of the greening agriculture, the development of rural areas, the stabilization of the volume of cultivation of medicinal plants, and the regulation of market relations for the production of medicinal plants. Additional attention needs to be paid to the systematization of priorities, and search for ways to optimize the direction of development of medicinal plant growth in order to balance. In particular, taking into account the ecological, economic, and social features of the development of this industry involves solving the problems of preserving the natural resources of medicinal plants, the instability of the volumes of their harvesting and growing, the low weight of environmentally clean (from chemical and radiation pollution) quality of products that meet the quality requirements for its certification, as well as the low level of innovation implementation in the development of Ukrainian industry.

Medicinal plant-associated rhizobacteria enhance the production of pharmaceutically important bioactive compounds under abiotic stress conditions.

Interest in cultivating valuable medicinal plants to collect bioactive components has risen extensively over the world to meet the demands of health care systems, pharmaceuticals, and food businesses. Farmers commonly use chemical fertilizers to attain maximal biomass and yield, which have negative effects on the growth, development, and bioactive constituents of such medicinally important plants. Because of its low cost, environmentally friendly behavior, and nondestructive impact on soil fertility, plant health, and human health, the use of beneficial rhizobial microbiota is an alternative strategy for increasing the production of useful medicinal plants under both standard and stressed conditions. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) associated with medicinal plants belong to the genera Azotobacter, Acinetobacter, Bacillus, Brevibacterium, Burkholderia, Exiguobacterium, Pseudomonas, Pantoea, Mycobacterium, Methylobacterium, and Serratia. These microbes enhance plant growth parameters by producing secondary metabolites, including enzymes and antibiotics, which help in nutrient uptake, enhance soil fertility, improve plant growth, and protect against plant pathogens. The role ofPGPRin the production of biomass and their effect on the quality of bioactive compounds (phytochemicals) is described in this review. Additionally, the mitigation of environmental stresses including drought stress, saline stress, alkaline stress, and flooding stress to herbal plants is illustrated.

Physiological and biochemical responses of black cumin to vermicompost and plant biostimulants: Arbuscular mycorrhizal and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria

The aim of this research was to find a natural method for increasing black cumin ( Nigella sativa Linn) growth by using microbial soil amendments and, at the same time, decrease reliance on mineral fertilizers . We investigated the influence of mineral fertilizer (NPK), vermicompost (VC), Pseudomonas fluorescens (PF), Azotobacter chroococcum (AC) , Azospirillum brasilense (AB), and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on plant weight, chlorophyll (Chl) content, relative water content (RWC), total soluble sugar (TSS), proline , glycine betaine (GB), and leaf micronutrients of black cumin during 2020 and 2021. VC and AMF treatments nearly doubled the fresh and dry weights of plants compared to control plants. The highest Chl a (1.62 mg g −1 ) was observed in PF-treated plants, while Chl b in VC (0.62 mg g −1 ) and AMF (0.60 mg g −1 ) showed higher amounts compared with control plants. The RWC ranged from 69% in control to 83.3% in plants treated with VC in the second year. The TSS in all treated plants was higher than in control plants, and the highest for NPK (129.6 mg g −1 compared to 77 mg g −1 ). NPK yielded the highest proline (158.6 µmol g −1 ) and AMF resulted in the maximum GB (5 µmol g −1 ) in the first-year plants. The highest Zn content was reported in AC and AMF-treated plants, and Fe in VC and AMF also showed higher amounts compared with control plants. Cu and Mn with all fertilizers, particularly upon AB and AMF application, were higher than in control plants. Heat map (HA) analysis showed Chl b, GB, and TSS as sensitive traits upon fertilization. AMF colonization and VC, due to their high potential for increasing RWC, Chl content, and micronutrient uptake, they can be recommended as the most effective fertilization treatments for yielding optimum growth in black cumin. AMF colonization is an appealing and more effective alternative to synthetic fertilizers for cumin cultivation. AMF and VC application can be suggested as sustainable agricultural fertilizers containing useful microorganisms to improve the growth performance and mineral composition of black cumin. The amount of dillapiole in EO derived from inoculated black cumin plants with P. fluorescens and G. mosseae was increased. • Microbial soil amendments an efficient and natural way of improving the growth of black cumin. • Arbuscular mycorrhizal and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria induce growth and biochemical properties. • AMF and PGPR significantly enhanced micronutrients uptake. • Microbial soil amendments can lead to better production of medicinal plants.

Dual production of solar energy and important plant-derived active pharmaceutical ingredients: Artemisinin, a pilot study

• An simulated agrivoltaic system for the dual production of renewable energy and medicinal plants was investigated. • Artemisia annua plants that were shaded produced 20% more artemisinin than plants that were not shaded. • It seems possible to grow important high-value crops while also producing renewable photovoltaic energy. Agrophotovoltaics is a relatively new field of research where land is used for the production of both solar energy and various suitable (food) crops. Due to persistent rolling blackouts in South Africa, and a dire need to invest in renewable energy, a pilot study was conducted to test the feasibility to produce high value active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) yielding plants in combination with solar energy. In this study, solar panels were simulated by removing direct sunlight from Artemisia annua plants, and the concentration of the API, artemisinin, was determined and compared to control plants exposed to full sunlight. The impact of a low light regime on the biosynthesis of artemisinin was therefore investigated. Samples were collected from the shaded plants as well as from the control plants and artemisinin content quantified with liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. In addition, scanning electron microscopy analysis was conducted to determine the influence on the number and morphology of glandular trichomes which are believed to be the site of artemisinin production and/or storage. The shaded plants were found to contain roughly 20% more artemisinin as compared to the control plants. Scanning electron microscopy analysis could not establish a clear indication of the impact on the glandular trichomes due to a dense layer of filamentous trichomes obscuring the glandular trichomes in the sun exposed leave material. This pilot study indicates in principle that low maintenance solar panels may be used for energy generation and in practical enhancement of artemisinin content.

Combining green manure and cattle manure to improve biomass, essential oil, and thymol production in Thymus vulgaris L.

Green manure can be used as an alternative to animal manure and organic compounds and can also be part of the management practices for medicinal plant production systems. The objective of this study was to use a combination of sunn hemp ( Crotalaria juncea ) and cattle manure in the fertilization of Thymus vulgaris L. plants to design better production strategies. The effects on vegetative growth , nutrient accumulation, essential oil production and chemical composition, photosynthetic pigments , and antioxidant activity were investigated. On the basis of four rates of cattle manure (0, 3, 6, and 9 kg m −2 ), additional four rates of green manure (0, 3, 6, and 9 kg m −2 sunn hemp) were added to each rate of cattle manure plus a positive control treatment (chemical fertilizer), totaling 17 treatments. The combination of organic manures (green and cattle manure) as well as the chemical fertilizer positively affected the dry weight of thyme leaves, stems, and roots. The combination of the highest doses of cattle and sunn hemp manure (9 kg·m −2 and 9 kg·m −2 , respectively) resulted in an accumulation of total dry weight 10 times greater than that of the treatment without fertilization, which was significantly higher than that of the control treatment (0 kg m −2 cattle manure and 0 kg m −2 sunn hemp). Only application of green manure ( Crotalaria juncea ) has positive affected in dry weight. Significant increases in total and a and b chlorophylls and carotenoids were observed in thyme plants with the use of organic fertilizers . The essential oil production and chemical composition were improved by organic fertilization. The highest percentage of thymol (65.42%) was obtained in the group with 9 kg m −2 cattle manure and 3 kg·m −2 green manure. The application of both cattle manure and green manure increased the antioxidant activity of thyme, and this activity was correlated with high levels of carotenoids. The combined use of green and cattle manures is an inexpensive way to increase the yield of thyme and its essential oil and thymol production, and it can reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and thus is ecologically sound for the cultivation of medicinal plants. • Green manure improves the production and quality of thyme cultivation. • Essential oil and thymol are responsive to combined organic fertilization. • Organic fertilizer combination improves growth and antioxidant response. • Cattle manure in thyme fertilization results in better plant performance. • Nutrients in leaves was high under cultivation at the highest organic fertilization.

The effect of different ammonium to nitrate ratios on antioxidant activity, morpho-physiological and phytochemical traits of Moldavian balm (Dracocephalum moldavica)

Improving yield and secondary metabolites production of medicinal plants through nutrition management recently has been considered. The present study was done to determine the effects of different ammonium (NH4+) to nitrate (NO3−) ratios (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, 0:100) on morphophysiological, nutrient contents (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg), phenolic compounds (Total phenolics (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents and individual phenolics including chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid, gallic acid, cinnamic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, p-Coumaric acid, apigenin, and quercetin by HPLC–DAD), essential oil composition (by GC and GC–MS), and antioxidant capacity (by DPPH and FRAP assays) of Moldavian balm (Dracocephalum moldavica L.) in deep water culture (DWC) system. The highest biomass and morphological traits values of D. moldavica observed in 0:100 ratio of NH4+:NO3−. Also, the highest TPC and TFC was earned in plants that supplied with 0:100 ratio of NH4+:NO3−. Using the 25:75 ratio of NH4+:NO3− caused the highest nutrient contents (N, Ca and Mg) in the leaves. p-Coumaric acid was detected as the major abundant phenolic compound in extracts and the application of 75:25 ratio of NH4+:NO3 resulted in the highest amounts of p-Coumaric acid, gallic acid, rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, and rutin. The highest antioxidant capacity by both FRAP and DPPH assays was obtained in 75:25 ratio of NH4+:NO3−. Also, the highest geranial and geranyl acetate, geraniol, and neral were obtained in 75:25, 25:75, and 50:50 ratios of NH4+:NO3−, respectively. Plants supplied with the 0:100 ratio of NH4+:NO3−, had the highest total carotenoids, while the highest chlorophyll a and b content gained with 75:25 ratio of NH4+:NO3−. These results suggest that the management of N source in nutrient recipe could contribute to enhance of morphophysiological traits, antioxidant activity and phytochemical compounds in Moldavian balm.

Medicinal plant microbiome: advances and prospects

Medicinal plants are the main source of clinical medication in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). China has achieved large-scale cultivation and production of medicinal plants. As an important resource for the sustainable development of agriculture in the future, microorganisms can also promote the green, ecological and high-quality development of Chinese medicine agriculture. However, research on the medicinal plant microbiome is still limited. Therefore, based on the development timeline of microbiome research, the present study reviewed the origin, technology, and hotspots of microbiome research and proposed some suggestions for future research according to the advances in medicinal plant microbiome.(1)Systematic investigation of medicinal plant microbiome on the species, genus, and family levels should be carried out on the medicinal plants of different chemotypes in order to reveal the coevolution of the microorganisms and their host plants.(2)Spatial and temporal research on medicinal plant microbiome should be performed to reveal the effects of microorganisms on the growth, development, and secondary metabolite accumulation of medicinal plants, as well as the underlying mechanisms.(3)Model medicinal plant species should be selected and microorganism-plant interaction research models should be established.(4)Core microbiome of medicinal plants should be explored for the future application of crucial microbes in the sustaina-ble agriculture of Chinese medicine.(5)Breeding of medicinal plant-associated microbes should be carried out to lay the foundation for novel medicinal plant breeding strategies.(6)High-throughput sequencing, traditional incubation, and isolation of microbes should be combined to study medicinal plant microbiome, thereby promoting the exploitation and application of uncultured microbial strains.(7)Platforms for the preservation of medicinal plant-associated microbe strains and data of their metabolites should be established and the exchange of information and cooperation between these platforms should be subsequently enhanced. With these suggestions, the efficient and rapid development of medicinal plant microbiome research is expected to be promoted.

Cytotoxicity Testing of Tinospora cordifolia Extracts against Human Kidney Cancer Cell Line

Background: Anti-cancer effects of medicinal plant products are mentioned in the ancient texts of Ayurveda. Currently, they have been studied at experimental and clinical levels in reverse pharmacology mode. Tinospora cordifolia wild is the most widely used for its medicinal properties in Ayurveda. It has been reported for having anticancer potential in many cancers. 
 Aim: The aim of the study is to explore the anticancer potential of Tinospora cordifolia Wild extracts against human kidney cancer cell lines. 
 Materials and Methods: Methanolic extracts leaf and stem of Tinospora cordifolia were obtained by soxhlet extraction. Both the extracts were analyzed for phytochemical screening. Both the extracts along with marker berberine were assessed for their cytotoxicity using the sulforhodamine B assay method against a 786-O human renal cell carcinoma cell line. Statistical analysis was done by Two way (ANOVA) followed by Bonferroni’s Post hoc test. 
 Results: Tinospora Cordifolia leaf and stem extracts and berberine showed highly significant cytotoxic activity as compared to control.
 Conclusion: Therefore, Tinospora cordifolia can be considered as a potential medicinal plant with anticancer activity against human kidney cancer.

Evaluation of essential oil composition and antioxidant activity of yarrow as influenced by foliar application of humic substance-based products: Using multivariate exploratory method

The growth-promoting ability with the organic fertilizers especially humic substance-based products, it has caused their use to be considered. This research aimed to investigate the effect of foliar application of humic and fulvic acids on essential oil compositions and antioxidant activity of yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and calculating the selection criterion (SC) to identify the main chemical compositions. Treatments consisted of four applied levels of humic acid, HA (Control: 0, HA1: 250, HA2: 500, and HA3: 1000 mg L−1) and fulvic acid, FA (Control: 0, FA1: 250, FA2: 500, and FA3: 1000 mg L−1). According to the results, two PCs had eigenvalues ≥ 1 and showed 80.75% and 65.84% of variance with application of HA and FA, respectively. Based on the results, HA and FA had significant effects on the amount of important medicinal compounds. The main essential oil compounds of different HA- and FA-treated plants were: α-pinene (0.81–6.44%), 1-octen-3-ol (2.68–16.55%), p-cymene (2.85–6.90%), 1,8-cineole (0.45–4.06%), camphor (0.36–6.90%), borneol (3.91–22.83%), myrtenol (2.02–2.88%), thymol (1.01–2.59%), E- caryophyllene (0.39–1.98%), spathulenol (2.3–19.3%), and caryophyllene oxide (5.93–12.60%). According to the calculated coefficient of determination (R2), the maximum positive effects of FA addition were observed for E- caryophyllene, α-terpineol, terpinen-4-ol, and benzaldehyde (R2 = 0.98, 0.93, 0.91, and 0.84, respectively), and that of HA application were obtained for cis-cadin-4-en-7-ol and spathulenol (R2 = 0.99 and 0.92). Results showed that the antioxidant activity of yarrow plant extract significantly improved when FA especially at high levels (i.e., 500 and 1000 mg L−1) was applied. On the other hand, in HA-treated plants, only application of 1000 mg L−1 had a positive effect. Findings of the present study can be used to manage production of medicinal plants and the quality of their products. In addition, in sustainable agriculture, using humic substances can reduce the application rate of chemical fertilizers, thereby maintaining the environment.

BIOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF FRUITS OF LONICERA CAERULEA L. AND ITS SUBSPECIES DURING IN-TRODUCTION IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE BASHKIR URALS

Lonicera caerulea L. and its subspecies Lonicera caerulea subsp. edulis (Turcz. ex Freyn) Hulten and Lonicera caerulea subsp. altaica Pall. belong to the genus Lonicera L. family Caprifoliaceae Juss., they are valuable fruit plants that are used in medicine, food industry, agriculture. The value of these species lies in the early ripening of fruits and a high content of vitamin C and other biologically active compounds.
 The aim of the study was the qualitative and quantitative determination of the main groups of biologically active substances – organic acids and tannins, in the fruits of three species of the genus Lonicera from the collection of the South Ural Botanical Garden-Institute and the selection of the most promising species. For analysis, honeysuckle fruits were collected in the full ripening phase and dried to an air-dry state. Phytochemical studies were carried out according to generally accepted methods.
 As a result of the study, it was found that all the studied honeysuckle samples contain citric, malic, succinic, oxalic, ascorbic acids, and tartaric acid in Lonicera caerulea subsp. edulis. According to the quantitative content of ascorbic acid and the sum of organic acids, a species is distinguished in Lonicera caerulea subsp. edulis, whose fruits contain 174 and 1723 mg/100 g respectively, and in Lonicera caerulea subsp. altaica and Lonicera caerulea their content is below. The analysis of fruits for the content of tannins showed, that they are dominated by substances of condensed nature, which are based on catechism, and in a larger amount they accumulate in Lonicera caerulea – 426 mg/100 g in a smaller amount – in Lonicera caerulea subsp. edulis – 171 mg/100 g.
 The obtained data allow us to recommend the studied species of the genus Lonicera as a promising source of raw materials for the creation of medicinal plant products based on them, enriched with vitamins and other valuable biologically active substances on their basis.

Mycorrhizal Inoculation Improves the Quality and Productivity of Essential Oil Distilled from Three Aromatic and Medicinal Plants: Thymus satureioides, Thymus pallidus, and Lavandula dentata

In Morocco, extensive use, traditional practices, and climate change have seriously impacted the productivity of aromatic and medicinal plants (AMP). To mitigate these adverse effects, this study aims at evaluating the potential of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), namely Rhizophagusirregularis and Funneliformis mosseae, in improving biomass, essential oils (EOs), and biomolecule production in Thymus satureioides, T. pallidus, and Lavandula dentata. Compared to non-inoculated-AMP, AMF induced significant increases in biomass production by 37.1, 52.4, and 43.6%, and in EOs yield by 21, 74, and 88% in T. satureioides, T. pallidus, and L. dentata, respectively. The EOs of inoculated-AMP exhibited increased proportions of major compounds such as thymol (23.7%), carvacrol (23.36%), and borneol (18.7%) in T. satureioides; α-terpinene (32.6%), thymol (28.79%), and δ-terpinene (8.1%) in T. pallidus; and camphor (58.44%), isoborneol (8.8%), and fenchol (4.1%) in L. dentata. Moreover, AMF significantly improved the anti-germinative and antifungal activities of the EOs. Indeed, IC50 values decreased by 1.8, 16.95, and 2.2 times against Blumerai graminis, Zymoseptoria tritici, and Fusarium culmorum, respectively, compared to non-inoculated-AMP. This study highlights the performance of the symbiosis between AMF and AMPs in terms of high quality of EOs production while respecting the environment. The associations F. mosseae-Thymus and R. irregularis-Lavandula are the most efficient.

Factors Affecting Consumption of Different Forms of Medicinal Plants: The Case of Licorice

Licorice is one of the widespread medicinal plants used in various forms in many countries. Medicinal plants have an important role in health nutrition. This industry is in the early stages of its life cycle, but consumers’ recent trends toward healthy and organic food products with low detrimental effects on human health and the environment have provided a greater opportunity for the promotion and marketing of these products. The purpose of this research was to evaluate factors affecting the marketability and consumption of various forms of licorice. In this study, we used the multinomial logit regression approach with a dataset derived from a survey of consumers of medicinal plant products in 2020 in the city of Mashhad, Iran. The results showed that consumers’ experience, having a reputable brand, packaging, gender, having a particular disease, consultation index, and cultural index had significant effects on consumers’ preferences for various forms of licorice. These results indicate that to increase the consumption of different forms of licorice, attention should be paid to creating reputable brands for the specific needs of different market segments.

Chemical composition, antileishmanial, and cytotoxic effects Ferula macrecolea essential oil against Leishmania tropica

BackgroundThe current study was aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, as well as antileishmanial and cytotoxic effects of the essential oil of Ferula macrecolea and its main compound, terpinolene, against promastigotes and amastigotes of Leishmania tropica. MethodsThe chemical composition of the essential oil was analyzed by a gas chromatograph connected to a mass spectrometer (GC/MS). The MTT (3-(4.5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) − 2.5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay was used to study the effects of the essential oil and terpinolene against promastigotes while the macrophage model was used for evaluating the effect of F. macrecolea essential oil against amastigotes of L. tropica as well as assessing cytotoxicity. The Griess reaction assay was employed to study the nitric oxide (NO) produced by treating macrophage cells with the essential oil and terpinolene. Furthermore, the effect of the essential oil and terpinolene on plasma membrane permeability and inhibition of infection in macrophages was evaluated. ResultsThe main compounds were terpinolene (77.72%), n-nonanal (4.47%), and linalool (4.35%), respectively. The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of the essential oil, terpinolene, and glucantime against promastigotes were 27.6, 11.6, and 32.8 μg/mL, respectively; however, their IC50 values against amastigotes were 42.3, 19.6, and 56.9 μg/mL, respectively. The 50% cytotoxic concentrations of the essential oil, terpinolene, and glucantime were 471.3, 207.3, and 1165.3 μg/mL, respectively. The production of NO in macrophage cells after treatment with the essential oil and terpinolene was increased in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.001). The results revealed that by increasing the concentration of the essential oil and terpinolene, the permeability of the parasites' plasma membrane was significantly changed (p < 0.001). The pre-incubation of Leishmania parasites with F. macrecolea essential oil and terpinolene significantly declined the rate of cell infection by 74.8% and 79.4%, respectively (p < 0.001). ConclusionThe results of the present study indicated that F. macrecolea essential oil, especially its main compound, i.e., terpinolene, has a potent antiparasitic effect on the promastigote and amastigote stages of L. tropica. Considering the advantages of medicinal plant products over their chemical counterparts, it is suggested that in the continuation of this study, the effect of F. macrecolea essential oil, especially terpinolene, on laboratory animals, and in case of high efficiency, in humans be evaluated.

Economics of Production and Marketing of the Most Important Medicinal Plants in Minya Governorate (A Case Study of Cumin and Aniseed Crops)

Economics of Production and Marketing of the Most Important Medicinal Plants in Minya Governorate (A Case Study of Cumin and Aniseed Crops)