Phytochemical Changes Research Articles

Mycorrhizal influence on metabolites, indigestible oligosaccharides, mineral nutrition and phytochemical constituents in onion (Allium cepa L.) plant

Mycorrhizal fungi are symbionts forming mutualistic relationship with plant roots. In the present study, surface sterilized onion seeds were sown in earthen pots filled with sterile soil. Half the pots were inoculated with sterilized arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) spores and sterilized inoculated maize root fragments and another half without any AMF inoculation represented control but were provided sterilized maize root fragments having no AMF colonization. After 40 days of germination, the inoculated plants along with their controls were sampled at 20, 40, 60 and 80 days of growth. The bulbs of onion plant are shown to present a higher level of metabolites like carbohydrates, protein and phenolics, and mineral nutrition in the mycorrhizal ones as compared to the non-inoculated ones. The HPLC analysis depicted that indigestible oligosaccharides are increased due to AMF inoculation. Phytochemical changes in the AMF infected plants in comparison to their respective controls by GC–MS analysis are also reported here in.

Phytochemicals and quality characteristics of candied paprika (Capsicum annuumL.) during storage

Summary In this study, we prepared candied paprika from various coloured fresh paprika and compared the changes in phytochemicals and quality for 42 days by analysing carotenoids, ascorbic acids and total phenolic content, and by assessing sensory and instrumental qualities. We identified five types of carotenoids from candied red paprika (CRP) and three from candied orange paprika (COP) and candied yellow paprika (CYP). At 0-day storage, capsanthin and β-carotene in CRP were quantitatively analysed to 26.96 μg g−1 fw and 3.81 μg g−1 fw, zeaxanthin and β-carotene in COP were 9.35 μg g−1 fw and 4.16 μg g−1 fw, and lutein and β-carotene in CYP were 0.27 μg 100 g−1 fw and 0.70 μg 100 g−1 fw, respectively. After 42-days storage, CRP retained approximately 68.6% carotenoids, COP retained 40%, and CYP retained 33%. Ascorbic acid and total phenolic content decreased during storage as carotenoids did. However, rates of decrease were different in different coloured paprika, especially, ascorbic acid in COP and phenolic acid in CRP were considerably conserved for 42 days. Hardness, springiness and chewiness in all samples were significantly increased by 14-days storage and maintained until 42-days storage, and all the sensory parameters, including colour, appearance, odour, texture, paprika flavour and overall consumer preference showed no differences until 28 days.

Changes in lycopene, total carotenoid and anti-radical activity in teasel gourd [Momordica subangulata ssp. renigera (G. Don) de Wilde] fruit fractions at different stages of maturity

The study investigated phytochemical changes in aril and pulp of Momordica subangulata ssp. renigera (G. Don) de Wilde fruit during ripening process. Aril had higher lycopene (57.0±2.2μg/g), carotenoids (149.8±0.3μg/g), flavonoids (396.0±2.3mg/100g), phenolics (297.7±2.2mg/100g), tannin (495.4±2.8mg/100g), and xanthophylls (111.8±0.9mg/100g) than pulp at stage-1. Carotenoids, lycopene and xanthophylls in aril fraction increased from turning yellow to ripe stage by 205.0%, 524.5%, and 303.7%, respectively while in pulp by 633.2%, 557.4%, and 1113.2%, respectively. Flavonoids (18.3%, 16.5%), tannins (24.4%, 26.8%), phenolic (20.2%, 19.5%), β-carotene (87.4%, 70.6%), and chlorophyll (55.1%, 82.0%) were decreased in aril and pulp. The ABTS and DPPH activities reduced in both fractions with ripening. The ABTS anti-activity had strong correlation with lycopene (r=0.984; p<0.01), phenolics (r=0.976; p<0.01), tannin (r=0.984; p<0.01), β-carotene (r=0.951; p<0.01), carotenoids (r=0.923; p<0.01), and chlorophyll (r=0.951; p<0.01). Ripe fruits of M. subangulata ssp. renigera can be used for higher recovery of lycopene for herbal industry.

Changes during storage of driedMoringa oleiferaleaves prepared by heat pump-assisted dehumidified air drying

Summary Moringa oleifera leaves contain phytochemicals that are retained during heat pump-assisted dehumidified air drying. Changes in phytochemicals, antioxidant capacity and colour were evaluated at 15–35 °C, during storage of dried leaves in polypropylene (PP) or high barrier (PET/Al/PE) packaging for up to 6 months. The aw of samples in PP increased from 0.373 to 0.669. Decreases in total phenolics were greatest at 35 °C in PP (48%) and least at 15 °C in PET/Al/PE (19%). There were few significant changes in DPPH inhibition after 2 months storage. There was little change in kaempferol and some increase in quercetin. During storage, samples became less green, suggesting breakdown in chlorophyll had occurred. The degradation of flavonoids followed first-order kinetics. The half-life for total flavonoids ranged from 2.13 to 1.47 months for samples stored in PP and from 2.59 to 1.83 months for samples stored in PET/Al/PE.

Changes in phytochemicals, anti-nutrients and antioxidant activity in leafy vegetables by microwave boiling with normal and 5% NaCl solution

The present study investigated the changes in phytochemicals and antioxidant activities in 25 leafy vegetables with two common boiling practices viz., with 5% NaCl solution (BSW) and normal water (BNW) in a domestic microwave oven. Fresh samples (100g) were rich in polyphenols (58.8–296.9mg), tannin (402.0–519.4mg), flavonoids (148.9–614.4mg), carotenoids (69.0–786.3mg), anthocyanin (11.7–493.7mg) and ascorbic acid (245.0–314.2mg). Microwave boiling significantly (p<0.05) decreased/increased phytochemicals but none of the compounds followed same trend in all vegetables. Boiling process reduced anti-nutrients from fresh samples (FS) as observed for nitrate (4.5–73.6% by BSW and 22.5–98.8% by BNW); phytate (6.2–69.7% by BSW and 10.6–57.3% by BNW) and oxalate (14.7–88.9% by BSW and 14.5–87.3% by BNW) but saponin increased in 18 vegetables by BNW while 8 vegetables by BSW. The study revealed differential pattern of change in phytochemical matrix and anti-nutrients in vegetables by microwave boiling which will help in devising efficient cooking practices and contribute in health and nutritional security.

Survey of bioactive metabolites in selected cultivars and varieties of Lactuca sativa L. under water stress

Plants respond to water stress with a variety of physiological and biochemical changes, but their response vary between species, varieties and cultivars. The present study focused on changes of bio-functional phytochemicals (phenolic compounds, chlorophyll, carotenoids, dietary fiber) in commercial cultivars and old, traditional varieties of lettuce under different water regimes (water-deficit, well-watered and water-logged). Results revealed lettuce varieties and cultivars with a different response behavior to water stress. Biomass production under drought conditions was reduced significantly. Carotenoid and chlorophyll contents decreased in both water extremes, while total phenols were accumulated under limited water availability. Dietary fiber content was not influenced by different water regimes. Water stress reduces biomass production and led to a change of phytochemicals in lettuce, however, old and traditional varieties did not show a different water stress adaptation compared to commercial cultivars.

Silicon, endophytes and secondary metabolites as grass defenses against mammalian herbivores.

Grasses have been considered to primarily employ tolerance in lieu of defense in mitigating damage caused by herbivory. Yet a number of mechanisms have been identified in grasses, which may deter feeding by grazers. These include enhanced silicon uptake, hosting of toxin-producing endophytic fungi and induction of secondary metabolites. While these mechanisms have been individually studied, their synergistic responses to grazing, as well as their effects on grazers, are poorly known. A field experiment was carried out in 5 × 5 m outdoor enclosures to quantify phytochemical changes of either endophyte-infected (E+) or endophyte-free (E-) meadow fescue (Schedonorus pratensis) in response to medium intensity (corresponding with densities of ca. 1200 voles/ha for 5 weeks during 3 months) or heavy intensity (ca. 1200 voles/ha for 8 weeks during 3 months) grazing by a mammalian herbivore, the field vole (Microtus agrestis). A laboratory experiment was then conducted to evaluate the effects of endophyte infection status and grazing history of the grass diet on vole performance. As predicted, grazing increased foliar silicon content, by up to 13%. Grazing also increased foliar levels of phosphorous and several phenolic compounds, most notably those of the flavonols isorhamnetin-diglycoside and rhamnetin derivative. Silicon concentrations were consistently circa 16% higher in E+ grasses than in E-grasses, at all levels of grazing. Similarly, concentrations of chlorogenic acid derivative were found to be consistently higher in E+ than in E- grasses. Female voles maintained on heavily grazed grasses suffered higher mortality rates in the laboratory than female voles fed ungrazed grass, regardless of endophyte infection status. Our results conclusively demonstrate that, in addition to tolerance, grasses employ multi-tiered, effective defenses against mammalian grazers.

Anxiety Behaviour Displayed in C57BL/6J Mice Consuming Coffee and Cocoa, but not Observed in Mice Consuming Japanese Green Tea in a High Fat Diet Induced Obesity Model

It is now acknowledged that certain foods may affect mood and behavior. Recently, the food industry has seen a rise in foods containing beverages such as green tea cake, ice-cream, coffee biscuits as per the traditional chocolate as a food and cocoa beverage. Green tea has been suggested to exert numerous health properties, including anxiolytic properties (Vignes et. al. 2006), as does cocoa (i.e. migrane) (Savi et. al. 2002). Numerous studies have studied the consumption of these beverages (i.e. cocoa, coffee and green tea) for their anti-oxidant effect but few studies have included them in a feed format. In this study, mice were allotted into a 16 week treatment of a high-fat, high carbohydrate diet of varying treatments including 1) control diet (21% fat, 36.1% sucrose), 2) 2% cocoa (21% fat, 36.1% sucrose), 3) 2% coffee (21% fat, 36.1% sucrose) and 4) 2% green tea (21% fat, 36.1% sucrose). Subjects were offered the diets in a non-beverage feed format and fresh diet was offered daily. At week 16, the cocoa group mice displayed quicker entry time to dark areas, a greater (p&lt;0.05) amount of time spent in the dark box area and higher (p&lt;0.05) number of peeking events when compared with the control group. In addition, the coffee group mice displayed a higher (p&lt;0.05) re-entries from the light to the dark box area (i.e. anxiety like behavior/ agitation), whereas the green tea group did not display the same level of anxiety like behavior seen in the cocoa and coffee groups. This result may suggest an anxiolytic offset effect against caffeine in green tea versus coffee or another phytochemical component or body compositional changes when consuming a high fat, high sucrose diet.

Changes in Phenolic Compounds During Storage of Pasteurized Strawberry

This study aimed to establish mathematical models to describe changes in phenolics of pasteurized strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) during storage at 23 °C for 90 days. Freshly cut strawberries cubes were pasteurized for 5 min in a water bath at 90 °C following a heating time of 15 min. Antioxidant activity, total phenolics, total anthocyanins, and individual phenolic compounds were assessed immediately before or after pasteurization and at regular time intervals during storage. The results indicated that (1) pasteurization did not affect (P < 0.05) the concentrations of total phenolics or total anthocyanins, but significantly reduced the concentrations of quercetin-3-rutinoside, kaempferol, and cyanidin-3-glucoside, and increased the concentrations of (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, quercetin-3-galactoside, and ellagic acid; (2) changes in antioxidant capacity, total anthocyanin, and individual compounds during storage were described by a pseudo-first-order model with the exception of total phenolic and specifically kaempferol and ellagic acid which followed zero-order kinetic models. Pelargonidin-3-glucoside degraded at the highest rate (k = 0.07 day−1), followed by ellagic acid (k = 0.004 day−1) and kaempferol (k = 0.003 day−1). The rate constants can be used to predict phytochemical changes in strawberry products during storage.

The effect of cooking on the phytochemical content of vegetables

Cooking induces many chemical and physical modifications in foods; among these the phytochemical content can change. Many authors have studied variations in vegetable nutrients after cooking, and great variability in the data has been reported. In this review more than 100 articles from indexed scientific journals were considered in order to assess the effect of cooking on different phytochemical classes. Changes in phytochemicals upon cooking may result from two opposite phenomena: (1) thermal degradation, which reduces their concentration, and (2) a matrix softening effect, which increases the extractability of phytochemicals, resulting in a higher concentration with respect to the raw material. The final effect of cooking on phytochemical concentration depends on the processing parameters, the structure of food matrix, and the chemical nature of the specific compound. Looking at the different cooking procedures it can be concluded that steaming will ensure better preservation/extraction yield of phenols and glucosinolates than do other cooking methods: steamed tissues are not in direct contact with the cooking material (water or oil) so leaching of soluble compounds into water is minimised and, at the same time, thermal degradation is limited. Carotenoids showed a different behaviour; a positive effect on extraction and the solubilisation of carotenes were reported after severe processing.

Phytochemical changes in phenolics, anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, and carotenoids associated with sweetpotato storage and impacts on bioactive properties

Sweetpotato phytochemical content was evaluated in four genotypes (NCPUR06-020, Covington, Yellow Covington, and NC07-847) at harvest and after curing/storage for 4 or 8months. Curing and storage for up to 8months did not significantly affect total phenolic content in Covington, Yellow Covington, and NC07-847, however for NCPUR06-020, a purple-fleshed selection, total phenolic content declined mainly due to anthocyanin degradation during storage. Covington had the highest carotenoid content at harvest time (281.9μg/g DM), followed by NC07-847 (26.2μg/g DM), and after 8months, total carotenoids had increased by 25% and 50%, respectively. Antioxidant activity gradually declined during storage, and freshly harvested sweetpotatoes also demonstrated higher anti-inflammatory capacity as gauged by inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in SH-SY5Y cells. Gradual changes in sweetpotato phytochemical content and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity were noted during normal long-term storage, but the specific effects were genotype-dependent.

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid and Elongate Hemlock Scale Induce Changes in Foliar and Twig Volatiles of Eastern Hemlock

Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) is in rapid decline because of infestation by the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae; 'HWA') and, to a lesser extent, the invasive elongate hemlock scale (Fiorinia externa; 'EHS'). For many conifers, induced oleoresin-based defenses play a central role in their response to herbivorous insects; however, it is unknown whether eastern hemlock mobilizes these inducible defenses. We conducted a study to determine if feeding by HWA or EHS induced changes in the volatile resin compounds of eastern hemlock. Young trees were experimentally infested for 3 years with HWA, EHS, or neither insect. Twig and needle resin volatiles were identified and quantified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. We observed a suite of changes in eastern hemlock's volatile profile markedly different from the largely terpenoid-based defense response of similar conifers. Overall, both insects produced a similar effect: most twig volatiles decreased slightly, while most needle volatiles increased slightly. Only HWA feeding led to elevated levels of methyl salicylate, a signal for systemic acquired resistance in many plants, and benzyl alcohol, a strong antimicrobial and aphid deterrent. Green leaf volatiles, often induced in wounded plants, were increased by both insects, but more strongly by EHS. The array of phytochemical changes we observed may reflect manipulation of the tree's biochemistry by HWA, or simply the absence of functional defenses against piercing-sucking insects due to the lack of evolutionary contact with these species. Our findings verify that HWA and EHS both induce changes in eastern hemlock's resin chemistry, and represent the first important step toward understanding the effects of inducible chemical defenses on hemlock susceptibility to these exotic pests.

Spectroscopic sensitivity of real‐time, rapidly induced phytochemical change in response to damage

An ecological consequence of plant-herbivore interactions is the phytochemical induction of defenses in response to insect damage. Here, we used reflectance spectroscopy to characterize the foliar induction profile of cardenolides in Asclepias syriaca in response to damage, tracked in vivo changes and examined the influence of multiple plant traits on cardenolide concentrations. Foliar cardenolide concentrations were measured at specific time points following damage to capture their induction profile. Partial least-squares regression (PLSR) modeling was employed to calibrate cardenolide concentrations to reflectance spectroscopy. In addition, subsets of plants were either repeatedly sampled to track in vivo changes or modified to reduce latex flow to damaged areas. Cardenolide concentrations and the induction profile of A. syriaca were well predicted using models derived from reflectance spectroscopy, and this held true for repeatedly sampled plants. Correlations between cardenolides and other foliar-related variables were weak or not significant. Plant modification for latex reduction inhibited an induced cardenolide response. Our findings show that reflectance spectroscopy can characterize rapid phytochemical changes in vivo. We used reflectance spectroscopy to identify the mechanisms behind the production of plant secondary metabolites, simultaneously characterizing multiple foliar constituents. In this case, cardenolide induction appears to be largely driven by enhanced latex delivery to leaves following damage.

Robinia Peseudoacacia L. Flavonoids in Defence of Plant against Soil Crude Oil Pollution

Crude oil effects were examined on Robinia peseudoacacia L. leaf flavonoids. Ten R. peseudoacacia seeds cultivated in 4 treatments: 0% (control), 1%, 2% and 3% crude oil in three repetitions in equal condition for 12 weeks. Leaf flavonoids examined using chromatographical methods. Results showed phytochemical changes in crude oil grown plants. Those were amount and number changes and appearance leaf flavonoids in comparison with control. This study showed flavonoids may have a protective defensive role against some environmental stresses such as crude oil pollutants and plants must have mechanisms that make them resistant to adverse environments and retain their fitness.

Changes of Folate and Other Potential Health-Promoting Phytochemicals in Legume Seeds As Affected by Germination

Folate deficiency associated with low dietary intake is a well-documented public health problem, resulting in serious health and socioeconomic burdens. Therefore, optimization of the germination process of different cultivars of legume seeds in relation to the content and composition of folate, vitamin C, and total phenolics and total antioxidant capacity was carried out to maximize the health-promoting properties. The content and composition of folate, vitamin C, and total phenolic and total antioxidant capacities varied between species, among cultivars, and with germination time. During germination, total folate content was maximum at 815.2 μg/100 g fresh weight in soybean sprout and at 675.4 μg/100 g fresh weight in mungbean sprout on the fourth day, which were equivalent to, respectively, 3.5- and 3.9-fold increases in the seed's content, and total folate content strongly decreased thereafter. 5-CH(3)-H(4)folate was the most abundant folate species in legume sprouts and reached a maximum on the fourth day. Vitamin C was not detected in raw seeds, and its content increased sharply in soybean and mungbean sprouts and reached a maximum at the fourth day of germination (29 and 27.7 mg/100 g fresh weight, respectively). Germination of soybean and mungbean for 4 days provided the largest amount of total folate as well as the more stable species 5-CH(3)-H(4)folate and also brought about large amounts of vitamin C and total phenolics and substantial antioxidant capacities.

EFFECT OF SESAME LEAF DIET ON DETOXIFICATION ACTIVITIES OF INSECTS WITH DIFFERENT FEEDING BEHAVIOR

Three diverse insects, a polyphagous "leaf chewer" (Atractomorpha lata), a polyphagous "sap feeder" (Myzus persicae), and a "restrictive feeder" (Plutella xylostella) responded differently when fed with eight cultivars of sesame either as whole leaf or via artificial diet. There was limited or no correlation in induction between detoxifying enzyme substrates (esterase, glutathione s-transferase [GST], and mixed function oxidase [MFO] activities) when activity toward various substrates α-naphthyl acetate, 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, 1,2-dichloro-4-nitrobenzene, and p-nitroanisole (pNA), were compared although they were generally elevated in the tissues from insects on sesame than a reference fed with radish seedlings. In A. lata, esterase activity for the cultivar 11Pusan and 45Laos were three-fold higher compared to the reference, while other cultivars, 24Nanbu-twasaki and 56S-radiatum were--two- to three-fold lower than the reference. In M. persicae, the esterase activity was as much as five-fold higher than the reference in one test cultivar. GST activities of the sesame cultivars were generally higher (≈two-fold) than the reference in all insects and at variable ratios among the cultivars. The MFO activity toward pNA in grasshoppers feeding on these sesame cultivars was either highly expressed or nonexistent. These results indicate that although the cultivars belong to the same species, they might have undergone changes in secondary phytochemicals in response to varying biogeographical distribution. Each insect species is suspected to target a specific plant chemical burden that it tries to overcome in each cultivar through enzyme activation.

Effects of processing on phytochemical profiles and biological activities for production of sorghum tea

The present study was undertaken to assess the changes of phytochemical profiles, antioxidant, α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activities of sorghum grain during the processes of sorghum tea production. Significant (p<0.05) changes of total phenolics (TPC), total flavonoids (TFC) and procyanidins (PAC) contents were found in sorghum grains during soaking, steaming and roasting processing. Significant (p<0.05) increases of ferulic (free) and p-coumaric acid (bound) were present in sorghum upon steaming processing. Roasting processing (150°C, 1h) caused significant (p<0.05) increases in phenolic acids, TPC, TFC and PAC compared with the soaking and steaming stages. Accompanied with the changes of phytochemicals of sorghum grain, there were complex changes of biological activities during the successive processes. Our study also showed that there were positive linear correlations between TPC, TFC, PAC and bioactivities of sorghum grain, however, PAC has the strongest correlation (0.979, 0.968 and 0.912, respectively, p<0.0001) with DPPH radical-scavenging activity, α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activities.

1‐Methylcyclopropene effects on temporal changes of aroma volatiles and phytochemicals of fresh‐cut cantaloupe

Orange-fleshed cantaloupe melons have intense aroma and flavor but are very perishable during storage life. Fresh-cut processing enhances ethylene-mediated quality losses. Post-cutting 1-methylcyclopene (1-MCP) application to fresh-cut cantaloupe was evaluated for its effects on quality attributes, phytochemical content and aroma volatiles. Fresh-cut cantaloupe (Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis 'Fiesta') cubes treated with 1.0 µL L(-1) of 1-MCP for 24 h at 5 °C, packaged in vented plastic clamshells and stored under normal atmosphere at 5 °C for 9 days, preserved their soluble solids, total phenolics, total carotenoids and β-carotene contents, but significant softening occurred. A significant increase of non-acetate esters and a decrease of aldehydes occurred during storage. Most quality attributes of fresh-cut cantaloupe were unaffected by the treatment with 1-MCP. 1-MCP-treated fresh-cut cantaloupe accumulated higher levels of propyl acetate, 2-methylbutyl acetate, methyl butanoate, methyl 2-methyl butanoate, methyl hexanoate, 2-methylbutyl alcohol and phenethyl alcohol, and lower levels of benzyl alcohol and heptanal than untreated controls. Post-cutting treatment with 1-MCP affected nine of the flavor-important volatiles, particularly those derived from the amino acids isoleucine and phenylalanine, but had no practical effect on phytochemicals or other quality attributes.

MICROBIAL AND HERBIVORE INDUCED PHYTOCHEMICAL CHANGES IN OKRA AGAINST SHOOT AND FRUIT BORER, EARIAS VITTELLA (FAB.)

Microbial andherbivore induced phytochemical changes were studied in okra variety, Arkaanamika and hybrid, CoBhH1, againstshoot and fruit borer, Earias vittella. Induction was done either bymicrobial alone (microbial talc-based bioformulation Pseudomonas fluorescens(Pf1), Beauveria bassiana B2 isolate, Pf1+B2 consortia) or by bothmicrobial and herbivore (E. vittella infestation). Herbivore alone infestedplants served as infested control and undamaged plants left as absolutecontrol. Biochemical pathways encompassing induced resistance viz.,phenols and oxidizing defense enzymes such as peroxidase (PO), phenylalanineammonia lyase (PAL) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) were assessed to envisage thedevelopment of induced resistance. Accumulation of phenol was high in Pf1+B2consortia inoculated plants as against absolute control in variety, Arkaanamika and hybrid, CoBhH1. Inoculation with both microbial consortia and E.vittella caused 9.8 times increased accumulation of phenolics in ArkaAnamika and 8.6 times in CoBhH1. Defense enzymes activity was alsosignificantly higher in Pf1 + B2 consortia treated plants as against absolutecontrol. Further, infestation by E. vittella resulted in the enhancementof accumulation of phenols, induction of PO, PAL and PPO activity. In absolutecontrol, CoBhH1 had higher phenolic accumulation and increased activity ofdefense enzymes than Arka Anamika.

Downregulation of Cinnamoyl CoA Reductase Affects Lignin and Phenolic Acids Biosynthesis in Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge

The biosynthesis of salvianolic acid B shares the phenylpropanoid pathway with lignin, and cinnamoyl CoA reductase (CCR; EC 1.2.1.44) is a specific enzyme in the lignin pathway. In this study, a CCR gene (SmCCR1) from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge was cloned using DNA walking technology (GenBank ID: JF798634). The full-length SmCCR1 is 2,489 bp long and consists of four introns and five exons encoding a polypeptide of 324 amino acid residues. Sequence alignment revealed that SmCCR1 shares 83 % identity with CCR sequences reported in Camellia oleifera and other plant species. Expression pattern analysis indicated that expression of SmCCR1 can be induced by exposure to Xanthomonas campestris pv. Campestris or methyl jasmonate. To demonstrate its functioning, we selected a 296-bp fragment and established an RNA interference construct that was introduced into S. miltiorrhiza by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated gene transfer. Transgenic plants exhibited dwarfing phenotypes, and both syringyl and guaiacyl lignin monomers were decreased more than 60 %. In contrast, biosynthesis of phenolic acids—danshensu, rosmarinic acid, and salvianolic acid B—was strongly induced by 2.03-, 1.41-, and 1.45-fold, respectively, in the roots of transgenic plants from line CCR-10. Consistent with these phytochemical changes, downregulation of SmCCR1 also affected the expression of related genes in the phenolics and lignin biosynthetic pathways. Our results also provide potential opportunities for engineering danshensu and salvianolic acid B production in S. miltiorrhiza.