Wedelia Trilobata Research Articles

Diterpenoid WT-29 isolated from Wedelia exerted anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activities

Ethnopharmacological relevanceWedelia (Sphagneticola trilobata) is a traditional anti-inflammatory herb native to tropical America. It is commonly used to treat some inflammatory related diseases clinically, such as pertussis, pharyngitis, etc. However, its specific anti-inflammatory mechanism is still unclear. Aim of the studyWT-29 (3α-angeloyloxy-9β-hydroxyent-kaura-16-en-19-oic acid) is a main bioactive diterpenoid isolated and purified from Wedelia. This study aims to explore the potential anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties of WT-29 on RAW264.7 cells stimulated with LPS and P815 cells induced by C48/80, as well as investigating their underlying molecular mechanisms. MethodsThe anti-inflammatory mechanism of WT-29 was analyzed and predicted using network pharmacology, and then verified through experiments. The Griess reagent assay was employed to evaluate the impact of WT-29 on the generation of nitric oxide (NO) in RAW264.7 cells induced by LPS, the expression of various inflammatory cytokines and the release of histamine in cells were measured through qRT-PCR and ELISA techniques. The impact of WT-29 on the translocation of the NF-κB p65 protein to the nucleus was assessed through immunofluorescence staining. Western blot technique was utilized to investigate protein expression in inflammation, allergy, and autophagy pathways. ResultsThe study found that WT-29 can reduce the secretion of inflammatory factors (NO, iNOS, COX-2, IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α), inhibit NF-κB activation and MAPK family phosphorylation, and induce autophagy in RAW264.7 cells stimulated with LPS. In addition, it demonstrated that WT-29 could inhibit histamine release and degranulation, as well as inhibit the MAPK family in C48/80-induced P815 cells. ConclusionWT-29 isolated from Wedelia exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects mainly through NF-κB, Nrf2/Keap-1, MAPK pathways and regulating of autophagy, suggesting that it might be a potential anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic agent and could be used as medicine or health benefit product.

Herbaceous angiosperms, pteridophytes and shrubs cocktail for rapid ground cover for soil and water bioengineering in the Caribbean

Among the Nature-based Solutions currently spreading worldwide, soil and water bioengineering techniques, are used to stabilize hill slopes, earth embankment, and riverbanks. They consist in the use of living plants, sometimes coupled with dead materials, to control erosion and restore ecosystems.These approaches remain to be adapted to Neotropics and particularly to the Caribbean Islands biodiversity hotspot. The success of soil and water bioengineering designs depends on the selection of suitable native plant species and considering the hydrodynamic and geotechnical processes. In the Caribbean, data are available concerning woody species but are still lacking for the other constitutive components of riparian plant communities. The objective of this study was to identify the riparian forest understory species best suited for use in SWBE at their establishment phase. In a three-month ex situ experiment, we measured the survival rate, biomass production and root growth of propagules (cuttings and bulbils) of eleven native Caribbean species (5 herbs, 4 pteridophytes, 2 shrubs) occurring naturally in a variety of riparian environments. All the herb and shrub species studied displayed growth vigour adequate for a successful inclusion in soil and water bioengineering techniques. Among herbs, Commelina diffusa, Hymenachne amplexicaulis and Sphagneticola trilobata performed the best. Gynerium sagittatum and Dieffenbachia seguine, despite their slower growth and root development, remain suitable. Regarding the two shrubs, Ludwigia octovalvis gave better results than Clidemia hirta. Among the pteridophytes, Adiantum latifolium, Thelypteris reticulata and particularly Lycopodium cernuum appeared poorly suited to soil and water bioengineering. Acrostichum danaeifolium was the best-performing pteridophyte. These first experimental results focusing on the propagation and establishment of native herbs, pteridophytes and shrubs, allowed to identify a diversity of species of interest as cuttings for soil and water bioengineering and practical clues for their use in the Neotropics.

Biochar derived from invasive plants improved the pH, macronutrient availability and biological properties better than liming for acid rain-affected soil

Rapid development in industrialization and urbanization causes serious environmental issues, of which acid rain is one of the quintessential hazards, negatively affecting soil ecology. Liming has been investigated for a long time as the most effective amendment to alter the adverse effects of soil acidity resulting from acid rain. Herein, this study tested the biochar produced from invasive plants as an alternative amendment and hypothesized that biochar can maintain better availability of macronutrients under acid rain than liming by improving soil chemical and biological properties. Therefore, a pot experiment was conducted to compare the effects of lime and biochar at two rates (1% and 3%) on soil available nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) under simulated acid rain of two pH levels (4.5: pH4.5 and 2.5: pH2.5) as compared with tap water (pH7.1) as a control treatment. Biochar was produced using different invasive plants, including Blackjack (Biden Pilosa), Wedelia (Wedelia trilobata) and Bitter Vine (Mikania micrantha Kunth). Liming decreased the availability of soil N, P, and K by 36.3% as compared with the control due to the great increment in soil pH and exchangeable calcium (Ca2+) by 59% and 16-fold, respectively. Moreover, liming reduced the alpha diversity of soil bacteria and fungi by 27% and 11%, respectively. In contrast, biochar at different types and rates resulted in a fourfold increment in the available N, P, and K as an average under acid rain (pH4.5 and pH2.5) owing to maintaining a neutral pH (6.5–7), which is the most favorable level for soil microbial and enzymatic activites, and the bioavailability of soil nutrients. Furthermore, biochar caused balanced increments in Ca2+ by threefold, cation exchange capacity by 45%, urease activity by 16%, and fungal diversity by 10%, while having a slight reduction in bacterial diversity by 2.5%. Based on the path, correlation, and principal component analyses, the exchangeable aluminum was a moderator for the reductions in macronutrients’ availability under acid rain, which decreased by 40% and 35% under liming and biochar, respectively. This study strongly recommended the use of biochar from invasive plants instead of lime for sustainable improvements in soil properties under acid rain.Graphical

The Effect of Conventional and Nanoformulation Herbicide on Sphagneticola Trilobata

The conventional herbicide 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) provide substantial risk to the environment such as contamination of soil and groundwater. The overuse application of conventional herbicide can leave harmful residues in soil and be washed off as runoff, thus causes toxic effect to nontarget organism. For instance, MCPA can cause toxicity to the freshwater organisms such as Daphnia magna and alga Selenastrum capricornutum. Zinc oxide as nanomaterials that are intercalated with 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (ZMCPA) herbicide may be useful to resolve the problems associated with MCPA. Nanoherbicide are known to provide a better penetration of active substances hence reduces the amount of herbicide to be applied. The nanostructured herbicide such as ZMCPA could substantially replace the conventional herbicide MCPA if it able to kill the targeted weeds efficiently and have a low risk to the environment. Therefore, it is important to compare the differences of herbicidal activity of MCPA and ZMCPA. The objective of this research is to determine the effects of MCPA and ZMCPA on growth and pigment content of Sphagneticola trilobata. The 2nd objective of this research is to measure the physiological effect and effectiveness of herbicidal activity between the conventional and nanoformulation against Sphagneticola trilobata. The preliminary study was conducted to determine a minimal concentration for MCPA to exert its effect on Sphagneticola trilobata. Then, in the main research, Sphagneticola trilobata was exposed to different concentrations of MCPA and ZMCPA in low, medium and high concentrations. The effect of MCPA and ZMCPA on growth and pigment content of Sphagneticola trilobata was observed at 7, 14 and 21 days, respectively. The results indicated there were no obvious differences in plant growth and pigment content observed between treatment of MCPA and ZMCPA at the same exposure concentration at 7, 14 and 21 days, respectively. MCPA showed higher herbicide efficacy than ZMCPA. HIGHLIGHTS Nanoherbicide Development: The intercalation of zinc layered hydroxide (ZLH) with MCPA resulted in ZMCPA, a nanoherbicide with improved delivery and penetration capabilities compared to conventional herbicides. Potential Replacement for Conventional Herbicides: Nanostructured herbicides like ZMCPA have the potential to replace conventional herbicides like MCPA due to their numerous benefits in addressing issues associated with traditional herbicides. Comparable Herbicidal Effectiveness: The study evaluated the herbicidal activity of MCPA and ZMCPA on Sphagneticola trilobata and found that both formulations inhibited the growth of the weed to a similar extent after 7, 14, and 21 days, indicating comparable efficacy between the conventional and nanoformulation herbicides. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Bioretention System as a Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs): A Case Study in Malaysia

Bioretention systems, such as rain gardens, are landscaped depressions that treat on-site stormwater discharge from impervious surfaces such as roofs, driveways, sidewalks, parking lots and compacted lawns. They are used to collect stormwater and filter it through a mixture of soil, sand and/or gravel. In this study, a pilot-scale bioretention system has been constructed in Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang. This bioretention system will be used as a stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) to solve water quality issues in tropical climates, particularly Malaysia. This study consists of two bioretention pilot sites, a vegetated site with tropical plants, such as Red Hot Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), Amaryllis (Hippeastrum), Singapore Daisy (Sphagneticola trilobata), Lobster claw (Heliconia rostrata), Alternanthera (Alternanthera cultivar) and a non-vegetated control site. The study investigated the pollutant removal efficiency between two pilot sites in treating polluted runoff. The site uptake from the polluted runoff will be observed by testing the effluent with TSS, TN and TP test for three weeks at 30 mins, 2 hours, 4 hours and 8 hours after the runoff being released. The results showed pollutant removal efficiency for TSS (76 %), TN (78 %), and TP (71 %) for the vegetated site, which is slightly better compared to control site (TSS (75 %), TN (76 %) and TP (54 %)). This study concluded that the vegetated site has slightly better performance on nutrient removal efficiency.

Dose dependent effect of nitrogen on the phyto extractability of Cd in metal contaminated soil using Wedelia trilobata

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the toxic heavy metal that negatively affect plant growth and compromise food safety for human consumption. Nitrogen (N) is an essential macronutrient for plant growth and development. It may enhance Cd tolerance of invasive plant species by maintaining biochemical and physiological characteristics during phytoextraction of Cd. A comparative study was conducted to evaluate the phenotypical and physiological responses of invasive W. trilobata and native W. chinensis under low Cd (10 µM) and high Cd (80 µM) stress, along with different N levels (i.e., normal 91.05 mg kg-1 and low 0.9105 mg kg-1). Under low-N and Cd stress, the growth of leaves, stem and roots in W. trilobata was significantly increased by 35–23%, 25–28%, and 35–35%, respectively, compared to W. chinensis. Wedelia trilobata exhibited heightened antioxidant activities of catalase and peroxidase were significantly increased under Cd stress to alleviate oxidative stress. Similarly, flavonoid content was significantly increased by 40–50% in W. trilobata to promote Cd tolerance via activation of the secondary metabolites. An adverse effect of Cd in the leaves of W. chinensis was further verified by a novel hyperspectral imaging technology in the form of normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) and photochemical reflectance index (PRI) compared to W. trilobata. Additionally, W. trilobata increased the Cd tolerance by regulating Cd accumulation in the shoots and roots, bolstering its potential for phytoextraction potential. This study demonstrated that W. trilobata positively responds to Cd with enhanced growth and antioxidant capabilities, providing a new platform for phytoremediation in agricultural lands to protect the environment from heavy metals pollution.

Invasive Wedelia trilobata Performs Better Than Its Native Congener in Various Forms of Phosphorous in Different Growth Stages.

At present, many hypotheses have been proposed to explain the mechanism of alien plants' successful invasion; the resource fluctuations hypothesis indicates that nutrient availability is a main abiotic factor driving the invasion of alien plants. Higher phosphorus utilization and absorption efficiency might be one of the important reasons for alien plants successful invasion. Wedelia trilobata, one of the notorious invasive weeds in China, possesses a strong ability to continue their development under infertile habitats. In this study, firstly, W. trilobata and its native congener, W. chinensis, were grown in various phosphorus forms to test their absorption efficiency of phosphorus. Secondly, the different responses of W. trilobata and W. chinensis to the insoluble phosphorus in three growth stages (at 30, 60, and 150 days cultivation) were also tested. The results showed that the growth rate, root morphology, and phosphorus absorption efficiency of W. trilobata under various insoluble, organic, or low phosphorus conditions were significantly higher than that of W. chinensis. During the short-term cultivation period (30 d), the growth of W. trilobata under insoluble and low phosphorus treatments had no significant difference, and the growth of W. trilobata in insoluble phosphorus treatment also had no significant effect in long-term cultivation (60 and 150 d). However, the growth of W. chinensis in each period under the conditions of insoluble and low phosphorus was significantly inhibited throughout these three growth stages. Therefore, invasive W. trilobata had a higher phosphorus utilization efficiency than its native congener. This study could explain how invasive W. trilobata performs under nutrient-poor habitats, while also providing favorable evidence for the resource fluctuations hypothesis.

Allelopathic effects of the invasive plant Wedelia (Sphagneticola trilobata L.) aqueous extract on common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Sphagneticola trilobata (L.) Pruski is an alien invasive weed with aggressive growth habits, environmental stress tolerance, and the ability to synthesize allelochemicals. However, in many parts of the world, this plant is still recommended for use in composting, phytoremediation, and as an ornamental ground cover in gardens. The present study investigated the allelopathic effect of S. trilobata on the seed germination, growth and yield of Phaseolus vulgaris L. To analyze the allelopathic effects of S. trilobata on P. vulgaris seed germination, hundred seeds of P. vulgaris were exposed to different concentrations of the aqueous extracts of fresh and dry S. trilobata (2.5×102, 5.0×102 and 7.5×102 g/L) in Petri dishes for five days. The impact of S. trilobata aqueous extract on the growth and yield of P. vulgaris was also studied with seedlings planted in a compost soil mixture. Results of the study suggested negative impacts of S. trilobata extracts on P. vulgaris seed germination, growth and yield. P. vulgaris seed germination was significantly lower in the treatments than in the control (p<0.05). Further, P. vulgaris plants treated with fresh plant extracts at 5.0×102 and 7.5×102 g/L concentrations had significantly lower shoot height, growth rate, leaf area, fresh shoot weight, dry shoot weight, root length, pod length and yield (p<0.05) than controls. From the results of the study, it can be concluded that S. trilobata aqueous extracts have a dose-dependent allelopathic effect on P. vulgaris seed germination, growth, and yield and among the dry and fresh plant extracts, fresh plant aqueous extracts have a more significant allelopathic impact. As S. trilobata contains water-soluble allelochemical, it should not be used in biofertilizer production, phytoremediation, or as live mulch.

Inventarisasi Dan Identifikasi Jenis Tumbuhan Famili Asteraceae Di Kawasan Jawa Barat

The introduction of the Asteraceae family is actually known for its many types. There is a family of Asteraceae which has spread widely to reach 125 to 300 genera and has around 20,000 to 25,000 species that have spread all over the world. This research was conducted in May-June 2023. The purpose of conducting this research was to determine the inventory and identification of plant species in the Asteraceae family in the Province of West Java. As well as to determine the morphology, characteristics, and habitus of the Asteraceae family in the Province of West Java. The method used in this study was a direct survey, and a review of literature studies to obtain other data sources. Based on the results of the research conducted, there are seven plant species in the Asteraceae family in the Province of West Java. The seven species are Asterai, Tithonia diversifolia, Sphagneticola trilobata, Chrysanthemum indicum, Chrysanthemum grandiflorum, Chrysanthemum himbeerrot, Chrysanthemum. These existing species describe distinct morphologies. Each type of plant has different benefits. The conclusion obtained from this study is that the Asteraceae family has many existing species, so it is expected to be able to find various species that are also able to conduct an inventory and identify plant species of the Asteraceae family in the West Java Province area in an objective and relevant manner.

Comparative genetic and epigenetic of the Sphagneticola trilobata (L.) Pruski from different regions in China

BackgroundSphagneticola trilobata (L.) Pruski is a prevalent and widely distributed invasive plant in South China. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying its rapid adaptation, we employed DNA methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) analysis to study 60 S. trilobata individuals collected from Fuzhou (FZ), Haikou (HK), Jinghong (JH) and Guangzhou (GZ).ResultsIn this study, we computed the Shannon diversity index (I) of SSR and MSAP as 0.354 and 0.303, respectively. The UPGMA phylogenetic tree and PCoA analyses showed that MSAP had a better discriminatory power to distinguish populations from different regions. Notably, the GZ population was found to be the most distinct from the other three populations. Moreover, Mantel analysis revealed a significantly higher correlation between epigenetic distance and geographic distance as compared to genetic distance and geographic distance. Consequently, the correlation between epigenetic distance and geographic distance observed to be markedly stronger than that between genetic distance and geographical distance on Mantel analysis.ConclusionsThe S. trilobata populations in various regions displayed a high of complementary genetic and epigenetic diversity, which was a key feature contributing to their rapid invasion. Interestingly, the correlation between epigenetics and geographical distance was significantly stronger than that observed for genetics and geographical distance. These findings indicated that the epigenetic mechanism of S. trilobar exhibited high plasticity, leading to significant differences in methylation pattern across different populations.

EFFICACY OF HERBICIDES AND SHADING METHODS TO CONTROL INVASIVE SPHAGNETICOLA TRILOBATA (L.) PRUSKI

Sphagneticola trilobata (L.) Pruski is one of the most noxious invasive plant species, posing a serious threat to native biodiversity. This species has been invading large areas of Bangladesh for the last two decades. The study investigated the efficacy of herbicides and shading treatments during winter and monsoon to find an effective control method for S. trilobata. Both surface-inhabiting (Glyphosate) and root-inhabiting (Paraquat) herbicides were applied for six months in five different combinations (100% Glyphosate, 75% Glyphosate + 25% Paraquat, 50% Glyphosate + 50% Paraquat, 25% Glyphosate + 75% Paraquat, and 100% Paraquat) and the percentage coverage was measured for each experimental plot. Results from the study showed that all shading and chemical combinations of Glyphosate and Paraquat significantly reduced the percentage coverage of S. trilobata in each experimental plot (p < 0.05). However, the shading and Paraquat-dominated combinations reduced the coverage slowly compared to the Glyphosate-dominated ones. Among five different combinations, Paraquat-dominated herbicides were less effective in controlling the species. On the other hand, the Glyphosate-dominated combinations completely eradicated the species within a week but increased thereafter. Meanwhile, the seasonal variation was found to be highly significant (p < 0.0001) among treatments, and a significant reduction was observed in winter compared to the monsoon. The results of this study highlighted that the Glyphosate-dominated combinations were the fastest, while the Paraquat-dominated combinations and shading were slower control methods.

Dry Weight Prediction of Wedelia trilobata and Wedelia chinensis by Using Artificial Neural Network and MultipleLinear Regression Models

In China, Wedelia trilobata (WT) is among the top most invasive plant species. The prediction of its growth, using different efficient methods under different environmental conditions, is the optimal objective of ecological research. For this purpose, Wedelia trilobata and its native plant species Wedelia chinensis (WC) were grown in mixed cultures under different levels of submergence and eutrophication. The multiple linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) models were constructed, with different morphological traits as the input in order to predict dry weight as the output for both plant species. Correlation and stepwise regression analysis (SWR) were used to find the best input variables for the ANN and MLR models. Plant height, number of nodes, chlorophyll content, leaf nitrogen, number of leaves, photosynthesis, and stomatal conductance were the input variables for WC. The same variables were used for WT, with the addition of root length. A network with the Levenberg–Marquart learning algorithm, back propagation training algorithm, Sigmoid Axon transfer function, and one hidden layer, with four and six neurons for WC and WT, respectively, was created. The best ANN model for WC (7-4-1) has a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.98, root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.003, and mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.001. On the other hand, the ANN model for WT (8-6-1) has R2 0.98, RMSE 0.018, and MAE 0.004. According to errors and coefficient of determination values, the ANN model was more accurate than the MLR one. According to the sensitivity analysis, plant height and number of nodes are the most important variables that support WT and WC growth under submergence and eutrophication conditions. This study provides us with a new method to control invasive plant species’ spread in different habitats.

Penetapan Kadar Fenolik Total Ekstrak Daun Jotang (Sphagneticola Trilobata) Dengan Spektrofotometri UV-Vis

Phenolic compounds are the largest group of compounds that act as natural antioxidants in plants. One of the plants that has the potential as a natural antioxidant is Jotang (Sphagneticola trilobata). This study aims to determine whether jotang leaf extract (Sphagneticola trilobata) has phenolic content and to determine the total phenolic content in jotang leaf extract (Sphagneticola trilobata). Jotang leaves were extracted by maceration method using methanol solvent. The method of determining total phenolic content was carried out using Folin-ciocaltaeu reagent because phenolic compounds can react with Folin-Ciocalteu to form a solution that can be measured absorbance. As a standard solution, gallic acid is used which is reacted with Folin-Ciocalteau reagent to produce a yellow color indicating that it contains phenolics, after which it is added with Na₂CO₃ solution as a base atmosphere giver. The phytochemical screening of jotang leaf extract showed positive results containing flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, phenolic compounds, and triterpenoids. Determination of the wavelength of gallic acid obtained maximum 653 nm. The results showed that jotang leaf extract (Sphagneticola trilobata) has phenolic content and obtained total phenolic content of jotang leaf extract of 0.909 mg /g.

Evaluation of various natural weeds and reaction conditions for reductive degradation of 1,3-dinitrobenzene

1,3-Dinitrobenzene (1,3-DNB) is listed by the USEPA as a priority pollutant. 1,3-DNB has two nitro functional groups (-NO2) bound to the benzene ring, with a +III nitrogen oxidation states, and strong electronegativity, and therefore can be reductively degraded by gaining electrons. Weeds that contain a high proportion of polyphenols can supply electrons and act as natural reducing agents. This study investigated the potential of various weeds to reductively remove 1,3-DNB from aqueous phase. The Taguchi L9 Orthogonal experimental design method was used to explore the optimum operational parameters. According to the analyzed characteristics of weeds, including total phenol content, antioxidant capacity, metal chelating capacity, reducing capacity, and environmental adaptability, the weed Sphagneticola trilobata, containing 11.93 mg of gallic acid equivalent per gram of weed (mg-GAE/g-weed), was selected for 1,3-DNB degradation experiments. The results showed that the optimum reaction conditions for the degradation of 1,3-DNB in the aqueous phase using Sphagneticola trilobata were: pH 3, a weed dose of 10 g/L, reaction time of 14 day, and initial 1,3-DNB concentration of 0.5 mM. According to ANOVA analysis, the weed dose was the most significant factor in the experiment, and each 1 mg of 1,3-DNB degraded required 120 mg of dry weeds.

Controlled-Release Wedelia trilobata L. Flower Extract Loaded Fibroin Microparticles as Potential Anti-Aging Preparations for Cosmetic Trade Commercialization.

Wedelia trilobata L. (WT), a common herbal plant in Vietnam, is popularly used as a strong antioxidant in Vietnamese folk medicine. However, limited studies have reported the application of WT flower in cosmeceutical area. This study explored the potentials of WT loaded fibroin microparticles (FMPs-WT) as a novel anti-aging cosmeceutical product. The WT flower was firstly extracted by maceration with methanol, ethanol 60%, and ethanol 96%, and its chemical compositions and total polyphenol content were investigated. Then, the FMPs-WT were developed by desolvation method and physicochemically characterized. Finally, the product antioxidant activities were in-vitro determined using DPPH assay. The optimal WT extract was the ethanol 60% extract, which contains polyphenols, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, and organic acids; with a total polyphenol content of 46.47 ± 2.32 mg GAE/g plant powder. The FMPs-WT were successfully formulated, with a distinct silk-II polymorph; varied sizes of 0.592 to 9.820 µm, depending on the fibroin concentrations and the WT extraction solvent; high entrapment efficiencies of >65%; and sustained-release patterns of polyphenol in pH 7.4 for >6 h. Regarding the antioxidant activity, the pure WT flower extracts possessed high scavenging actions with IC50 of 7.98 ± 0.40 µg/mL, comparable with the standard ascorbic acid (IC50 = 4.23 ± 0.21 µg/mL). Moreover, the FMPs-WT could retain the extract antioxidant capacity, and exert the effects in a timely manner, corresponding to its release profile. The FMPs-WT could be further investigated to become a potential anti-aging cosmeceutical product in the market.

Anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory eudesmanolides from the flowers of Sphagneticola trilobata (L.) Pruski

Twenty-six eudesmanolides including six undescribed compounds were isolated from the flowers of Sphagneticola trilobata (L.) Pruski. Their structures were elucidated based on the interpretation of spectroscopic techniques, NMR calculation, and DP4+ analysis. The stereochemistry of (1S,4S,5R,6S,7R,8S,9R,10S,11S)-1,4,8- trihydroxy-6-isobutyryloxy-11-methyleudesman-9,12-olide (1) was demonstrated by single crystal X-ray diffraction. All eudesmanolides were evaluated for their anti-proliferative activities against four human tumor cell lines (HepG2, HeLa, SGC-7901, and MCF-7). 1α,4β-Dihydroxy-6α-methacryloxy-8β-isobutyryloxyeudesman-9,12-olide (3) and wedelolide B (8) showed pronounced cytotoxic effects against AGS cell line with IC50 values of 1.31 and 0.89 μM, respectively. Their anti-proliferative activities against AGS cells were exerted through a dose-dependent apoptosis pathway, as verified by cell and nucleus morphological assessment, clone formation assay, and Western blot analysis. Furthermore, 1α,4β,8β-trihydroxy-6β-methacryloxyeudesman-9,12-olide (2) and 1α,4β,9β-trihydroxy-6α-isobutyryloxy- 11α-13-methacryloxyprostatolide (7) performed significant inhibitory effects on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 macrophages with IC50 values of 11.82 and 11.05 μM, respectively. Moreover, compounds 2 and 7 could block the nuclear translocation of NF-κB and reduce the expression of iNOS, COX-2, IL-1β, and IL-6 to exert anti-inflammatory effects. This study provides evidence for the utilization of the eudesmanolides from S. trilobata as lead compounds for further research due to their cytotoxic potential.

Results of Survey and Evaluation of Invasive Plants in Ba Vi National Park, Vietnam

The biodiversity of Ba Vi National Park has been faced with some passive impacts, one of them is alien species, that habitats for the native species is narrowed by increasing of invasive population expanding, it is necessary to conducted a research on the impacts of the invasive plants there and then giving the basis for better management of the national park. After field surveys in recently years (2018-2022), 47 alliance species recorded at the National Park were evaluated according to guidance and data provided by Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) and Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) developed Invasive Species Compendium (ISC) and also Circular 35/2018/TT-BTNMT. Result showed that 29 species were invaders and especially 11 species of them are detailly evaluated in 10 habitats. 2 species as Mexican sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia) and Lantana (Lantana camara) are evaluated as High risk for both areas while 3 other ones are evaluated as High risk for buffer zone only, including Giant sensitive tree), Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) and Giant sensitive plant (Mimosa diplotricha). The other ones have been evaluated as Medium risk (at buffer zone) to Low risk (at core area) are Blackjack (Bidens pilosa), Siam weed (Chromolaena odorata), Bay Biscayne creeping-oxeye (Sphagneticola trilobata), Jamaica cherry (Muntingia calabura), Jamaica vervain (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) and Coast morning glory (Ipomoea cairica). By this evaluation, Mexican sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia), Blackjack (Bidens pilosa), Jamaica cherry (Muntingia calabura), Jamaica vervain (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) and Coast morning glory (Ipomoea cairica) are suggested to include to the list of invasive organisms of the nation. Besides that, it is necessary to strengthen control of Mexican sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia) inside the core area of the NP in particular and in Ba Vi district in general, especially at the tourist place where the festival of Mexican sunflower has been yearly organized.
 
 

E‐commerce: A Novel Introduction Pathway for Cultivated Alien Plants with High Invasion Potential in China

Photo 1. Over 13,718 alien plants have already been introduced in China for cultivation, and 987 of them are traded via online plant nurseries on 1688.com. The photograph shows a typical cultivated alien plant native to Central America, Monstera deliciosa Liebm., which has now been sold in at least 67 online nurseries on 1688.com. Photo credit: Ran Dong. Photo 2. Cactaceae and Crassulaceae are two of the most popular families of cultivated alien plants that are available on 1688.com. There are 183 taxa from these two families (the information was accessed 29 July – 15 August 2019). However, only 19.3% of them are naturalized and/or invasive, because most of them have only a short introduction history (34 years on average) and lack climatic suitability (2.4% on average). Photo credit: Ran Dong. Photo 3. Sphagneticola trilobata (L.) Pruski is one of the 46 invasive cultivated plants that are available on 1688.com. Due to its fast growth and reproduction capabilities, as well as its adaptation to the local environment, this species is considered one of the most invasive in China. Even so, it is still being traded and used for urban greening. Photo credit: Zhi-Cong Dai. These photographs illustrate the article “Cultivated alien plants with high invasion potential are more likely to be traded online in China” by Ran Dong, Bi-Cheng Dong, Qiu-Yue Fu, Qiang Yang, Zhi-Cong Dai, Fang-Li Luo, Jun-Qin Gao, Fei-Hai Yu, and Mark van Kleunen published in Ecological Applications. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2811.

Kaurenoic Acid Reduces Ongoing Chronic Constriction Injury-Induced Neuropathic Pain: Nitric Oxide Silencing of Dorsal Root Ganglia Neurons

Kaurenoic acid (KA) is a diterpene extracted from Sphagneticola trilobata (L.) Pruski. KA presents analgesic properties. However, the analgesic activity and mechanisms of action of KA in neuropathic pain have not been investigated so far; thus, we addressed these points in the present study. A mouse model of neuropathic pain was induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. Acute (at the 7th-day post-CCI surgery) and prolonged (from 7-14th days post-CCI surgery) KA post-treatment inhibited CCI-induced mechanical hyperalgesia at all evaluated time points, as per the electronic version of von Frey filaments. The underlying mechanism of KA was dependent on activating the NO/cGMP/PKG/ATP-sensitive potassium channel signaling pathway since L-NAME, ODQ, KT5823, and glibenclamide abolished KA analgesia. KA reduced the activation of primary afferent sensory neurons, as observed by a reduction in CCI-triggered colocalization of pNF-κB and NeuN in DRG neurons. KA treatment also increased the expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) at the protein level as well as the intracellular levels of NO in DRG neurons. Therefore, our results provide evidence that KA inhibits CCI neuropathic pain by activating a neuronal analgesic mechanism that depends on nNOS production of NO to silence the nociceptive signaling that generates analgesia.

Employing newly developed copper oxide nanoparticles for antibacterial capability from discarded Wedelia trilobata flowers

Employing newly developed copper oxide nanoparticles for antibacterial capability from discarded Wedelia trilobata flowers