Root Parts Research Articles

Using multi-omics approach to investigate the effect of a moon soil simulant on Vigna radiata seedling root and shoot growth, stress responses, and photosynthesis

The Moon's first habitats with a support system and semi-permanent lunar settlement are projected for the 2030s. Growing plants for a food supply is one of the most important factors supporting human life on the Moon. A Moon soil simulant was used in this study as a simulation of the use of available resources on the Moon and a representation of one of the possible alternatives to Moon agriculture. A few studies present the effect of Moon soil simulant on plant growth; however, no study has shown the effect of Moon soil simulant on physiology, proteome, and metabolome simultaneously. Effect of a Moon soil simulant on Vigna radiata seedling growth, physiology, proteins, and metabolites, both in the shoot and root parts were observed. V. radiata seedlings were grown on a Moon soil simulant and Earth soil, as a control, under the same environmental conditions. Vigna radiata seedlings grown on the Moon soil simulant showed no significant difference in shoot height, shoot biomass, or shoot water content compared to the control. However, water stress metabolites, l-proline and kaempferol, were higher. Stress response proteins and metabolites related to jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis were also higher, which might be due to the increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) in shoots and reduced chlorophyll content. The shoot also had reduced PS II activity (Fv/Fm) and downregulation of proteins related to carbon and energy metabolism. Vigna radiata seedlings grown on the Moon soil simulant showed downregulated lipoxygenase (LOX) proteins that might affect the maintenance of MDA at a certain level in roots and the lower expression of glutathione, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase. Jasmone and epi-jasmonic acid were lower compared to the control, which might affect the downregulation of proteins related to stress response in roots and proteins related to the biosynthesis of stress secondary metabolites. The higher expression of aquaporins may have contributed to maintaining the root water content compared to the control. In addition, the low N content in the Moon soil simulant might induce the upregulation of proteins related to root elongation as a foraging strategy, resulting in increased root length and root biomass compared to the control. Interestingly, formononetin, which has a role in arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) colonization and nodule primordia organogenesis by symbiotic soil bacteria, was found to be higher in root seedlings grown on the Moon soil simulant. This study provides a deeper understanding of the effect of Moon soil simulant on a plant at early growth stages as basic knowledge to support future Moon agriculture.

Untargeted GC-MS metabolomics to identify and classify bioactive compounds in Combretum platypetalum subsp. oatesii (Rolfe) Exell (Combretaceae).

Combretum platypetalum is used in traditional African healing practices against different infections. Unfortunately, no scientific knowledge of its phytochemical composition exists, except for the isolation of two compounds from the leaves. Scientific study has been limited to the leaves only, despite the applications of stems and roots in traditional medicine practice and natural product drug discovery programs. Omics was applied to identify and classify different volatile and semivolatile bioactive compounds in the leaf, stem, and root parts of C. platypetalum. The thermal stability of the plant constituents at 60-65°C extraction temperature by Soxhlet and maceration at room temperature on the type, class, and concentration of compounds in the leaf was further investigated. A GC-MS untargeted metabolomics approach, automated deconvolution by the Automated Mass Spectral Deconvolution and Identification System (AMDIS) for GC-MS data, preprocessing by Metab R, and multivariate statistical data analysis were employed in this study. A total of 97 phytoconstituents, including 17 bioactive compounds belonging to the terpenoids, flavonoids, long-chain fatty acids, and other unclassified structural arrangements distributed across C. platypetalum, were identified for the first time. A correlation (r = 0.782; P = 0.000) between Soxhlet and maceration extraction methods relative to resolved chromatographic peak areas of metabolites was established. Findings corroborate the reported bio-investigation of its leaf extracts, its traditional uses, and previous findings from the Combretum genus. The results substantiate the possible applications of C. platypetalum in natural product drug discovery and provide a guide for future investigations.

Evaluation of Proximate Composition, Mineral Elements and Bioactive Compounds in Skin and Flesh of Beetroot Grown in Lithuania

In the world, red beetroot is regarded as one of the most important vegetables due to its valuable nutritional features; however, the industrial processing of beetroot produces large amounts of waste, such as skin, which could be a relevant source of bioactive compounds, minerals, fiber, and so on. In this study, the variations in the proximate composition, mineral element amounts, and some antioxidants in the skin and flesh of beetroot genotypes grown in Lithuania were appraised. Proximate compositions (total soluble solids, dry matter, fiber, protein, ash, and total sugars), amounts of some minerals (N, P, Ca, Mg, K, Fe, Zn, Cu, B, and Mn), total phenolics, and total anthocyanins and betalains were determined. The results revealed that proximate composition, minerals, total phenolics, and total anthocyanins and betalains depends on the root part and genotype of the beetroot. All investigated beetroot skin samples have significantly greater amounts of protein, dry matter ash, fiber, total sugars, minerals (except K), total phenolics, and total anthocyanins and betalains than the flesh. ‘Alto F1’ skins had the highest amounts of protein, fiber, ash, Na, Mg, and Zn. ‘Kosak’ skins contained the greatest amounts of dry matter, total sugars, K, P, Ca, Fe, Mn, and total anthocyanins and betalains. It can be concluded that the tested beetroot skins (especially ‘Alto F1’ and ‘Kosak’), due to their valuable nutritional compositions, can be used as a source of natural supplements that can enrich the quality of various food products or be used for the manufacture of functional food.

Reduced cadmium(Cd) accumulation in lettuce plants by applying KMnO4 modified water hyacinth biochar

In this study, water hyacinth was adopted to prepare biochar followed by modification using KMnO4. And the modified biochars were applied in Cd contaminated soil, exploring the effects of water hyacinth biochar on lettuce growth, Cd enrichment, soil enzyme activities and microbial changes by pot experiments. Modified biochar application significantly reduced the Cd accumulation in lettuce shoots and roots. Compared to the control, the application of water hyacinth biochar at 1% rate resulted in significant reduction of Cd contents by 40.7% and 33.7% in the shoots and roots of lettuce. Also, the reduction was 33.3% and 20.8% compared with the application rate of unmodified biochar. With the increase of biochar application, the amount of Cd was absorbed by lettuce shoots and roots showing significant reduction of plant Cd accumulation in response to the biochar application rate. Additionally, the lowest available Cd concentration in soil (1.34 mg kg−1) was obtained with the application of modified biochar at 1% rate, which might be the main reason for the lower Cd concentration in lettuce shoot and root parts. Furthermore, structural analysis showed that Cd was fixed on the modified biochar, in a passivated state, by larger specific surface area, more active sites and more stable covalent binding complexes leading to a strong decrease of the available Cd in the soil. Moreover, it was concluded that the increment of the enzyme activities in the soil was up to 2.51 times significantly following the application of modified water hyacinth biochar with 3% amount. Lastly, 16sRNA sequencing showed that biochar addition may lead to changes of microbial structure and abundance in soil.

Bioinformatics analyses of rice calmodulin-lysine N-methyltransferases gene (OsCaM KMT) and characterization of its promoter from Oryza sativa L. sub sp. indica through transgenic approach

• Cloning of OsCaM KMT gene and promoter region from “Swarna”, an indica rice variety. • Presence of OsCAM KMT transcript in meristematic zone of rice plants, with higher expression in root tips suggesting they might be involved in auxin responsiveness. • Promoter analysis of OsCaM KMT::GUS construct depicted strong expression of GUS reporter gene in root tip, lateral roots and young leaf tip region. • Sequencing result indicated single nucleotide difference between the OsCAM KMT CDS from indica and japonica rice variety, resulting in silent mutation. Calmodulin-lysine N-methyltransferases (CaM KMT) belong to a family of protein lysine methyltransferases that catalyzes methylation of non-histone proteins. Lysine present at 116 position in the protein sequence of calmodulin is apparently methylated by CaM KMT in most species, however not characterized in rice. In the present study rice calmodulin-lysine N-methyltransferase ( OsCaM KMT ) gene has been isolated from an indica rice variety ‘Swarna’. Derived amino acid sequences of CaM KMT gene from rice and other plants were used in constructing a phylogenetic tree to show the evolutionary relationship among those species. Motif analysis along with comparative protein modeling was done to find out structural relationships among rice, Arabidopsis, and human CaM KMT. Gene expression analysis revealed differential tissue specific expression of OsCaM KMT . The highest transcript expression was revealed in the root tip followed by flower and new leaf, while, the least expression was found in the old leaf. In silico analysis was performed considering the 2 kilobases (kb) upstream promoter region of OsCaM KMT gene to find out various transcription factor binding sites. Analyses of the putative cis-regulatory elements revealed their involvement in tissue specific and stress dependent responses. For further characterization, the promoter region (2 kb) of OsCaM KMT gene was isolated, cloned, and sequenced. Histochemical GUS detection of transgenic rice depicted strong OsCaM KMT promoter expression in midribs, stomata, and tip of leaf tissues, central cylinder as well as tip parts of the primary root and lateral roots, along with significant expression in pollen grains, ovary, and vascular bundles. OsCaM KMT gene expression was corroborated by the histological GUS detection in OsCaM KMT promoter:: GUS fusion construct. Although several putative microRNAs (miRNAs) has been identified targeting OsCaM KMT coding DNA sequence (CDS) and UTR region, further studies are required to elucidate their tissue-specific regulation.

Comparative Analysis of Coumarin Profiles in Different Parts of Peucedanum japonicum and Their Aldo-Keto Reductase Inhibitory Activities.

Peucedanum japonicum (Umbelliferae) is widely distributed throughout Southeast Asian countries. The root of this plant is used in traditional medicine to treat colds and pain, whereas the young leaves are considered an edible vegetable. In this study, the differences in coumarin profiles for different parts of P. japonicum including the flowers, roots, leaves, and stems were compared using ultra-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Twenty-eight compounds were tentatively identified, including three compounds found in the genus Peucedanum for the first time. Principal component analysis using the data set of the measured mass values and intensities of the compounds exhibited distinct clustering of the flower, leaf, stem, and root samples. In addition, their anticancer activities were screened using an Aldo-keto reductase (AKR)1C1 assay on A549 human non-small-cell lung cancer cells and the flower extract inhibited AKR1C1 activity. Based on these results, seven compounds were selected as potential markers to distinguish between the flower part versus the root, stem, and leaf parts using an orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis. This study is the first to provide information on the comparison of coumarin profiles from different parts of P. japonicum as well as their AKR1C1 inhibitory activities. Taken together, the flowers of P. japonicum offer a new use related to the efficacy of overcoming anticancer drug resistance, and may be a promising source for the isolation of active lead compounds.

Development of information support for simulation of the process of deformation of root polymer plate in book blocks sewed with threads

The object of this study is the processes of deformation of the root polymer plate reinforced with stitches of threads with preliminary tension in book blocks sewn with threads. The analytical and experimental studies reported here are based on the application of the methodology for developing a simulation model of the process of deforming the adhesive polymer plate. The basic assumption of the study is that the use of information support for simulation modeling will contribute to the improvement of the structural and technological parameters of the root part of the book blocks sewn with threads. This cannot be achieved without analyzing and decomposition of the technical system of the book block, classifying subsystems and describing them in the form of a finite set of classes and the connections between them. A procedure for determining the mechanism of interaction of elements of the root part of book blocks sewn with threads is proposed. It is shown that the residual cyclic deformation of the adhesive plate and the stitches of the implanted threads depends on the strength of the bonds between the elements of the joined structure of the materials. It also depends on the number of cycles of discrete loads heterogeneous in terms of dimensional indicators and the place of their application. This is due to the fact that stitches of threads are only partially implanted into the structure of the adhesive plate, the other part that fastens the folds of notebooks is outside the adhesive plate. The influence of cyclic loads applied at different angles relative to the stitches of the threads was revealed. The angular discrepancy fluctuates, in the case of using PVAD D51C glue, in the range of 0.735–0.907, and, for Technomelt GE3636 thermal glue, 0.913–0.940. The developed simulation model of the processes of deformation of the root polymer plate makes it possible to determine the mechanism of interaction of the elements of the root part of the book blocks and predict the durability of the product

Comparative Cytotoxic Evaluation of Zygophyllum album Root and Aerial Parts of Different Extracts and Their Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles on Lung A549 and Prostate PC-3 Cancer Cell Lines.

The current work demonstrates a comparative study between aerial and root parts of Zygophyllum album L. The total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid content (TFC), in addition to the antioxidant activity, of the crude extracts were investigated, where the aerial parts revealed a higher value overall. By means of UV-VIS and HPLC, rutin and caffeic acid were detected and then quantified as 5.91 and 0.97 mg/g of the plant extract, respectively. Moreover, the biosynthesis of AgNPs utilizing the crude extract of the arial parts and root of Z. album L. and the phenolic extracts was achieved in an attempt to enhance the cytotoxicity of the different plant extracts. The prepared AgNPs formulations were characterized by TEM and zeta potential measurements, which revealed that all of the formulated AgNPs were of a small particle diameter and were highly stable. The mean hydrodynamic particle size ranged from 67.11 to 80.04 nm, while the zeta potential ranged from 29.1 to 38.6 mV. Upon biosynthesis of the AgNPs using the extracts, the cytotoxicity of the tested samples was improved, so the polyphenolics AgNPs of the aerial parts exhibited a potent cytotoxicity against lung A549 and prostate PC-3 cancer cells with IC50 values of 6.1 and 4.36 µg/mL, respectively, compared with Doxorubicin (IC50 values of 6.19 and 5.13 µg/mL, respectively). Regarding the apoptotic activity, polyphenolics AgNPs of the aerial parts induced apoptotic cell death by 4.2-fold in PC-3 and 4.7-fold in A549 cells compared with the untreated control. The mechanism of apoptosis in both cancerous cells appeared to be via the upregulation proapoptotic genes; p53, Bax, caspase 3, 8, and 9, and the downregulation of antiapoptotic gene, Bcl-2. Hence, this formula may serve as a good source for anticancer agents against PC-3 and A549 cells.

Study of the allelopathic effects of Medicago sativa on the germination characteristics of Secale montanum


 This study investigated the allelopathic effects of Medicago sativa L. on the germination characteristics of weed rye (Secale montanum L.) Guss. In order to study the allelopathic effects of different concentrations of aqueous extract (0, 10, 20 and 30%) of different M. sativa parts (root, leaves, stem and aerial parts of the plant including (stems, leaves and flowers) on initial growth of rye (S. montanum) seedlings a factorial experiment arranged in RCB design was carried out with three replications in the greenhouse of Agricultural College, Mahabad Islamic Azad University in 2017. The greenhouse data showed that the plant height, root and biomass dry weight of the weed decreased so that the declining trend had a significant effect (p≤0.05) on all traits of rye studied in the present experiment. Among the aqueous extracts of M. sativa that of the root had the greatest allelopathic potential. 

Exploration of anti-inflammatory activity of extract and isolated compounds obtained from the aerial root of Ficus benghalensis Linn.

Ficus benghalensis L. is a traditional heritage tree available in Indian subcontinent and used traditionally for ailment of several diseases. Present study designed to purify and characterize the bioactive moiety (s) from the aerial root part of the plant, and assessment of the role of extract as well as purified molecules in the prevention of inflammation. Aerial root portion of the plant was first extracted using methanol as solvent, and further fractionated with n-hexane and ethyl acetate. α amyrin acetate (S1) was purified from the n-hexane and ethyl acetate fraction, and stigmasterol (S2), first time purified from the plant using from the ethyl acetate fraction using column chromatography. Extract, purified α-amyrin acetate and stigmasterol were checked for their anti-inflammatory property using Carrageenan induced paw oedema model on rat. Extract at a dose 400 mg/kg, α-amyrin acetate and stigmasterol both at 100 mg /kg dose significantly reduce the inflammation near to normal. After 3 hrs the paw volume was inhibited 25%, 47.5%, 42.5%, 45%, 62.5% by EA extract of 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg, stigmasterol 100mg/kg, α- amyrin acetate 100 mg/kg and standard Indomethacin, respectively. The finding of present study revealed the prospective anti-inflammatory property of α-amyrin acetate, stigmasterol and extract of aerial root of Ficus benghalensis L.

Chemical composition, Biological Activities and In Silico Evaluation of Essential Oils from the aerial, and root parts of Nepeta hindostana (B. Heyne ex Roth)-Haines Grown in North India

Nepeta hindostana, commonly known as the North Indian Catmint, is an important Indian aromatic and medicinal plant of family Lamiaceae. Its leaves are extensively used as cardiac tonic and gargle to cure sore throat in the form of extract or decoction. However, there are few reports on the chemical composition and biological activities of leaf essential oil, while the root essential oil has not yet been explored. In this context, the present study is aimed to characterize the chemical composition and to evaluate different biological activities of the essential oil (EO) from aerial and root part of the plant. Thus, the EOs were hydro-distilled from aerial parts (stem, leaf, flower) and roots of the plant and analyzed by GC-MS. Twenty-four and thirty-four compounds, contributing 95.5% and 90.7% of the total oil composition, were identified in aerial and root EOs, respectively. Both the oils appeared to be antioxidant via in-vitro methods. Aerial and root EOs showed albumin denaturation activity with relative IC50 values of 20.46 ± 0.21 μg/mL and 31.79 ± 0.28 μg/mL. Root EO exhibited higher α-amylase inhibition activity (IC50 = 10.86 ± 0.45 μg/mL) than aerial part EO (IC50 = 25.33 ± 0.24 μg/mL). Both the EOs exerted a prominent antifeedant activity against Spilosoma obliqua. The bioactivity of the main identified compounds in the EOs were predicted using PASS (prediction of activity spectra for substances) tools. Furthermore, molecular docking studies highlighted that β-sitosterol had the most efficient binding affinity with NADPH oxidase and alpha-amylase receptors.

Usage of celery root exosome as an immune suppressant; Lipidomic characterization of apium graveolens originated exosomes and its suppressive effect on PMA/ionomycin mediated CD4+ T lymphocyte activation.

Diseases such as autoimmune, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases or obesity have a serious impact on the lives of patients all rise from a common point; the immune system. Various in vitro and in vivo studies on regulating the immune system have been made to correct these diseases. As one of the key effector cells of the immune system, T lymphocytes are the focus of many of these studies. In this study, exosomes isolated from a known anti-inflammatory plant, celery, were used to suppress the inflammatory response of T lymphocytes. Celery-derived exosomes (C-Exo) were isolated using an aqueous two-phase isolation method. The size distribution, morphology, particle concentration, and GC-FAME-based lipidomic analysis were determined for the isolated C-Exo. T lymphocytes were stimulated using Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)/ionomycin, and treated with various doses of C-Exo. T lymphocyte responses were measured using qPCR and capillary Western blots. According to the results, C-Exo suppressed T lymphocytes in a dose-dependent manner in in vitro conditions. These findings show the potential of C-Exo as a therapeutic agent for immune disorders. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Excessive immune response in the body adversely affects the treatment mechanism and process of many diseases such as autoimmune disorders, neurodegenerative diseases and GDHV. In this preliminary study, the role of extracellular vesicles obtained from celery roots in suppressing this high immune response was investigated. The suppressive effect of celery exosome was observed by creating an immune response in T cells and PBMC cells, which play a leading role in the immune response. The role of these vesicles in immune suppression, obtained from the root part of the celery plant and characterized, was determined by measuring both mRNA, intracellular protein and extracellular cytokine levels. Celery exosome suppressed activated T lymphocyte cells and PBMC cells in a dose-dependent manner. These vesicles, which can be used as an edible, can be used in many areas as immunosuppressants.

Polyphenols in Different Plant Parts of Inula grandiflora Collected from Two Habitats of Uttarakhand Himalayas

ABSTRACT The phytoconstituent analyses have been undertaken for the first time from the different plant parts of Inula grandiflora Willd. collected from two habitats (open dry slopes and moist places) of Govind Pashu Vihar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarakhand, India. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity have been estimated from the methanolic extracts. Ten phenols and five flavonoids were quantified in the different parts using High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Photodiode Array Detection (HPLC-PDA) method. Among the plant parts, the trend of accumulation of total phenols and flavonoids was as follows: roots > flowers > stems > leaves in both populations. It has been observed that Kalkati Dhar germplasm has the highest phenolic content in the roots (16.42 ± 0.12 mg g−1 DW), while accession collected from Renugaad has the highest flavonoid content in the flowers (4.34 ± 0.024 mg g−1 DW). Eight bioactive compounds (caffeic acid, resorcinol, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, veratric acid, myristicin, coumarin, and quercetin) were found dominant in the Kalkati Dhar germplasm (3200 m asl, high altitude). Significantly, seven compounds, viz; vanillic acid, vanillin, cinnamic acid, epicatechin, catechol, luteolin, and rutin, were found predominate in the Renugaad germplasm (2750 m asl, low altitude). Overall, root part accumulates most of the bioactive polyphenolic compounds as compared to the aerial parts; therefore, it has the highest antioxidant potential.

Impact of nano-glass (NG) particles on seed germination and it’s accumulation in plant parts of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Micro/nano-contaminants have been the focal pollutants in environmental science, which includes several nanomaterials, nanocomposites, fibers, glass, plastics etc. Micro/nano size pollutants are more harmful than macro pollutants due to their size. Therefore, there is an urgent need for research on the possible fate of glass particles in the environment, especially in plant and soil systems. Here, the synthesized nano-glass (NG) from the waste windshield and analyzed its uptake and effect on the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plant system in a hydroponic solution. The findings provided direct evidence that NG reduced the germination % with increasing NG concentrations as 100, 96, 92, and 92% for 10, 20, 30, and 40 mg L−1. The lowest root and shoot height (15.40 and 22.42 cm) was achieved in the 40 mg L−1 NG treatment. Decrement in fresh and dry wt. with a maximum reduction of chlorophyll a, b and total content (6.19, 4.98, and 11.17 mg g−1 fresh wt.) was obtained at 40 mg L−1 at 21 days. Rhodamine B was used for fluorescence imaging in seedlings to detect NG movement, Results showed that NG moves via xylem tissues of root part to other parts of the plant. Based on the currently limited or no data and uncertainty regarding the actual impact of NG on soil and plant systems, suggested considerations to address key knowledge gaps are delineated. Further studies are required as a flora build-up of NG can have both environmental influence and consequences on agronomic sustainability and food safety.

Radish (Raphanus Sativus): Potential antioxidant role of bioactive compounds extracted from radish leaves - A review

Radish (Raphanus Sativus) used against many toxicants as a natural drug, is a worldwide grown cruciferous root crop with root part the main edible organ and leave part, which in dried form are effective as functional foods. Radish (Raphanus Sativus) that exhibits variety of colors has rich content of vitamins, phenolic compounds, dietary fiber and Phyto-anthocyanin. Based on physico-chemical, nutritional, antioxidant and microbiological properties radish leaves are more nutritionally rich than roots. Leaves are premier source of phenol, flavonoid and have free radical hunting ability. The antioxidant biomarker compound Rutin has been identified only in radish leaves. Therefore the inclusion of Radish leaves in the human diet could have higher bioactive compounds especially flavonoid availability than roots. Conclusion: Consumption of radish leaves mostly discarded may present nutritional and medicinal value to human health especially due to their Antioxidant Activity. Moreover to develop novel functional products more exploration is required to approximate other bioactive compounds from the radish leaves. Keywords: Radish (Raphanus Sativus), bioactive compounds Antioxidants and Skin

Scions impact biomass allocation and root enzymatic activity of rootstocks in grafted melon and watermelon plants.

Vegetable grafting is increasingly recognized as an effective and sustainable plant production alternative. Grafted plants usually show increased uptake of water and minerals compared with self-rooted plants, mostly thought a consequence of the vigorous rootstocks selected. However, while studies frequently addressed the effects of rootstocks on the performance of scions, knowledge on the influences of scions on biomass allocation, morphology, and metabolic activity of roots is rare. In particular, the plasticity of root traits affecting resource acquisition and its efficiency remains poorly understood. Two different rootstock species, Cucurbita maxima × Cucurbita moschata and Lagenaria siceraria, were grafted in combination with melon (Cucumis melo) and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). Self-grafted rootstocks were used as control. Plant biomass and root traits were determined after destructive harvesting 30 and/or 60 days after grafting. Traits included biomass allocation, leaf and root morphology, potential activities of four extracellular enzymes on root tips and basal root segments, and root respiration. Successfully grafted scions increase the ratio of root to whole plant dry matter (RMF), and increased ratios of root length to whole plant dry matter (RLR) and to plant leaf area (RL : LA). In contrast, morphological root traits such as diameter, tissue density, and specific root length remain surprisingly stable, and thus scion-induced changes of those traits may only play a minor role for the beneficial effects of grafting in Cucurbitaceae. Incompatibility in melon/L. siceraria grafts, however, was likely responsible for the reduced root growth in combination with clear changes in root morphological traits. Reduced root respiration rates seem to be the effects of a non-compatible rootstock–scion combination rather than an active, C-efficiency increasing acclimation. In contrast, heterografts with melon and watermelon frequently resulted in root-stock-specific, often enhanced potential enzymatic activities of acid phosphatase, β-glucosidase, leucine-amino-peptidase, and N-acetyl-glucosaminidase both at root tips and basal parts of lateral roots—presenting a potential and complementary mechanism of grafted plants to enhance nutrient foraging. The studied melon and watermelon scions may thus increase the nutrient foraging capacity of grafted plants by fostering the relative allocation of C to the root system, and enhancing the extracellular enzymatic activities governed by roots or their rhizobiome.

Changes in secondary metabolites in soybean (Glycine max L.) roots by salicylic acid treatment and their anti-LDL oxidation effects.

Abundance of metabolites in plant is a critical factor toward being functional food stuff. Salicylic acid (SA) treatment led significant changes in levels of the secondary metabolites in soybean roots. Notably, the exposure of 3 mM of SA aqueous solution to soybean plants for 24 h resulted in distinctive increases in the levels of coumestrol (16-fold, 0.3–4.8 mg/g DW) and daidzein (7-fold, 1.2–8.9 mg/g DW) in roots part. These changes were systematically investigated by LC-ESI-TOF/MS analysis to afford a clear difference of PLS-DA score, heatmap, and box plots. Quantitative analysis showed that SA treatment played to stimulate biosynthesis of coumestrol as well as hydrolysis of its glycosides (coumestrin and malonylcoumestrin). The highly improved anti-LDL oxidation effect was observed in the SA treated soybean roots in the three different assay systems. It might be rationalized by the increased levels of coumestrol and daidzein.

Phytochemical Composition and Biological Activities of Arctium minus (Hill) Bernh.: A Potential Candidate as Antioxidant, Enzyme Inhibitor, and Cytotoxic Agent

Arctium minus (Hill) Bernh. (Asteraceae), which has a wide distribution area in Turkey, is a medicinally important plant. Eighty percent methanol extracts of the leaf, flower head, and root parts of A. minus were prepared and their sub-fractions were obtained. Spectrophotometric and chromatographic (high-performance liquid chromatography) techniques were used to assess the phytochemical composition. The extracts were evaluated for antioxidant activity by diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil radical (DPPH●), 2,2′-Azino-bis 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS●+) radical scavenging, and β-carotene linoleic acid bleaching assays. Furthermore, the extracts were subjected to α-amylase, α-glucosidase, lipoxygenase, and tyrosinase enzyme inhibition tests. The cytotoxic effects of extracts were investigated on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. The richest extract in terms of phenolic compounds was identified as the ethyl acetate sub-fraction of the root extract (364.37 ± 7.18 mgGAE/gextact). Furthermore, chlorogenic acid (8.855 ± 0.175%) and rutin (8.359 ± 0.125%) were identified as the primary components in the leaves’ ethyl acetate sub-fraction. According to all methods, it was observed that the extracts with the highest antioxidant activity were the flower and leaf ethyl acetate fractions. Additionally, ABTS radical scavenging activity of roots’ ethyl acetate sub-fraction (2.51 ± 0.09 mmol/L Trolox) was observed to be as effective as that of flower and leaf ethyl acetate fractions at 0.5 mg/mL. In the β-carotene linoleic acid bleaching assay, leaves’ methanol extract showed the highest antioxidant capacity (1422.47 ± 76.85) at 30 min. The enzyme activity data showed that α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition of leaf dichloromethane extract was moderately high, with an 87.12 ± 8.06% inhibition value. Lipoxygenase enzyme inhibition was weakly detected in all sub-fractions. Leaf methanol extract, leaf butanol, and root ethyl acetate sub-fractions showed 99% tyrosinase enzyme inhibition. Finally, it was discovered that dichloromethane extracts of leaves, roots, and flowers had high cytotoxic effects on the MDA-MB-231 cell line, with IC50 values of 21.39 ± 2.43, 13.41 ± 2.37, and 10.80 ± 1.26 µg/mL, respectively. The evaluation of the plant extracts in terms of several bioactivity tests revealed extremely positive outcomes. The data of this study, in which all parts of the plant were investigated in detail for the first time, offer promising results for future research.

A cularine-type isoquinoline alkaloid from the root part of Cissampelos pareira

One cularine-type alkaloid (1) was isolated along with two known compounds (2 and 3) from the roots of Cissampelos pareira. The isolated compound’s chemical structures were elucidated by 1 D and 2 D NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry analysis. This is the first report on the cularine-type alkaloid from the genus Cissampelos. Compound (2) was reported for the first time from C. pareira. In silico molecular docking analysis showed various interactions of compounds with the active site residue of GABAA receptor, which could help to understand their putative mode of action in neurodevelopmental malfunctions and in anaesthesia.

A comprehensive phytochemical, biological, and toxicological studies of roots and aerial parts of Crotalaria burhia Buch.-Ham: An important medicinal plant.

This study was designed to seek the phytochemical analysis, antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, and toxicity potentials of methanol and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of aerial and root parts of Crotalaria burhia. Total bioactive content, high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA) polyphenolic quantification, and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) analysis were utilized to evaluate the phytochemical composition. Antioxidant [including 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH)], 2,2′-azino-bis[3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP), cupric reducing antioxidant capacity CUPRAC, phosphomolybdenum, and metal chelation assays] and enzyme inhibition [against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and tyrosinase] assays were carried out for biological evaluation. The cytotoxicity was tested against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cell lines. The root-methanol extract contained the highest levels of phenolics (37.69 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract) and flavonoids (83.0 mg quercetin equivalent/g extract) contents, and was also the most active for DPPH (50.04 mg Trolox equivalent/g extract) and CUPRAC (139.96 mg Trolox equivalent /g extract) antioxidant assays. Likewise, the aerial-methanol extract exhibited maximum activity for ABTS (94.05 mg Trolox equivalent/g extract) and FRAP (64.23 mg Trolox equivalent/g extract) assays. The aerial-DCM extract was noted to be a convincing cholinesterase (AChE; 4.01 and BChE; 4.28 mg galantamine equivalent/g extract), and α-glucosidase inhibitor (1.92 mmol acarbose equivalent/g extract). All of the extracts exhibited weak to modest toxicity against the tested cell lines. A considerable quantities of gallic acid, catechin, 4-OH benzoic acid, syringic acid, vanillic acid, 3-OH-4-MeO benzaldehyde, epicatechin, p-coumaric acid, rutin, naringenin, and carvacrol were quantified via HPLC-PDA analysis. UHPLC-MS analysis of methanolic extracts from roots and aerial parts revealed the tentative identification of important phytoconstituents such as polyphenols, saponins, flavonoids, and glycoside derivatives. To conclude, this plant could be considered a promising source of origin for bioactive compounds with several therapeutic uses.