Utilization Of Plant Resources Research Articles

Anti-Inflammatory Activity and Mechanism of Cryptochlorogenic Acid from Ageratina adenophora.

Ageratina adenophora is an invasive plant known for its toxicity to livestock. Current research on this plant has shifted from toxicity prevention to the beneficial utilization of plant resources. This study was performed to investigate the effects and mechanisms of cryptochlorogenic acid (CCGA) isolated from Ageratina adenophora on the inflammatory responses induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW264.7 cells. RAW264.7 cells were pretreated with CCGA (200, 100, and 50 μg/mL) and subsequently stimulated with LPS (1 μg/mL) for 16 h. The cytotoxicity of CCGA was tested using the Cell Counting Kit (CCK8). The mechanism of action of CCGA in attenuating inflammation was also identified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot. The results showed that CCGA had a maximal safe concentration of 200 mg/mL. Moreover, CCGA reduced the level of nitric oxide (NO) and iNOS in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells (p < 0.01). In addition, CCGA reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells at both the mRNA and protein levels (p < 0.01). CCGA prevented the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells via the inhibition of IKK and IκB phosphorylation and the degradation of IκB proteins (p < 0.01). This finding indicated that CCGA isolated from A. adenophora may be a potential candidate for the treatment of inflammation-related diseases.

Population and Conservation Status of the Flying Fox Pteropus dasymallus in Taiwan.

Pteropus dasymallus is widely distributed on islands throughout the western edge of the Pacific Ocean. The Formosan flying fox, P. d. formosus, is an endemic subspecies in Taiwan found mainly on Lyudao; it was previously thought to have been extirpated. Since 2005, intensive surveys have been conducted to investigate the residency, population size and plant resource utilization of P. dasymallus in Taiwan. Interviews were carried out to investigate its former abundance and the causes of population decline. In Taiwan, P. dasymallus is in a state of ongoing oceanic dispersal and colonization and has considerably expanded its geographic range. In addition to remaining in its historic habitat on Lyudao, P. dasymallus has also established colonies on Gueishan Island and in Hualien on Taiwan's main island in the past few decades. The total population size is estimated to be 240 individuals, and this number is on the rise. Approximately three-quarters of the entire population (73.64%) was found on Gueishan Island. The sex ratio was strongly skewed toward males. A total of 40 plant species were recorded as being used by the flying fox for food, roosts or perches. More agricultural and horticultural plant species were used by the flying fox in urban Hualien. According to the interviews, flying foxes were abundant on Lyudao, but their number dramatically declined from the 1970s to the mid-1980s, mainly due to commercial hunting. Maintaining a sufficient population size and genetic variability is fundamental to the long-term survival of the flying fox. Enforcing conservation laws, restoring habitats, controlling invasive species and improving public awareness are the main steps in the recovery and sustainability of the flying fox population.

Ancient Starch Remains Reveal the Vegetal Diet of the Neolithic Late Dawenkou Culture in Jiangsu, East China

The Liangwangcheng site, located in Pizhou County, Xuzhou City, northern Jiangsu Province, is one of the most important Neolithic Dawenkou Culture archeological sites in the Haidai area of China’s eastern seaboard. In recent years, archaeobotanical studies in the Haidai area, mainly focusing on Shandong Province, have yielded fruitful results, while relatively few such studies have been undertaken in northern Jiangsu Province. Here, we report the results of dental residue analysis conducted on 31 individual human skulls unearthed from the Late Dawenkou Culture Liangwangcheng site. The starch granules extracted from these residue samples indicate that foxtail and broomcorn millet, rice, roots and tubers, and legumes comprised the vegetal diet of Liangwangcheng’s occupants. Evidence suggests that mixed rice–millet agriculture played a definite role, with the coexistence of gathering as an economic element. According to archaeobotanical evidence from surrounding cotemporaneous sites, the Late Neolithic human groups that lived in the lower Huang-Huai River drainage shared similar subsistence patterns. Our results provide new evidence for a more comprehensive understanding of plant resource utilization and agricultural development in northern Jiangsu during the Dawenkou period.

Identification of alkaloidal compounds from leaves and roots of Stephania succifera by HPLC-QTOF-MS and prediction of potential bioactivity with PharmMapper.

The roots of Stephania succifera are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of several diseases. Research on this plant has mainly focused on bioactive alkaloids from the roots, and no previous work on compounds from the abundant leaves has yet been reported. To identify and compare alkaloidal compounds in S. succifera roots and leaves and to predict the potential bioactivity of some alkaloids. High-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) was employed to identify alkaloidal compounds from S. succifera. The potential targets and bioactivities of most alkaloids were predicted using the PharmMapper server. Fifty-six alkaloidal compounds, including protoberberine-, aporphine-, proaporphine-, benzylisoquinoline-, and lactam-type alkaloids, were identified or tentatively identified in S. succifera roots and leaves based on the HPLC-MS data. Forty-one compounds have not been previously reported in S. succifera and eight of them have not been previously reported in the literature. Twenty-four alkaloidal compounds were found in both roots and leaves. Twelve potential targets with different indications were predicted for some alkaloids. Comparison of chemical constituents and their potential bioactivities for S. succifera roots and leaves indicated that diverse bioactive alkaloids were present in the leaves as well as the roots. PharmMapper provided new directions for bioactivity screening. This study will be helpful for further understanding the medicinal components of S. succifera and the rational utilisation of plant resources.

The Characteristics and Geographical Features of Plant Populations in the Forest Region of Wanda Mountains

The study of species diversity and fauna characteristics in the Wandashan area is of great significance for the protection and utilization of plant resources in the future. The relevant characteristics and characteristics of species diversity in the Wandashan area are analyzed. The various species diversity indices of the Dashan area are calculated, reflecting the species richness, dominance, uniformity and the information volume and community complexity of the Wandashan area. Through Matlab, the location of each plot in the Wandashan area and the species diversity index of Joe, Irrigation, Grass and all species are represented in the form of graphs, reflecting the different species diversity indices in other areas of the mountainous region. Changes combining the results of the field survey with the existing literature, the floristic analysis is carried out to obtain the characteristics of the flora of the mountainous area, and reflec the information about the species diversity of the mountainous area. Through the similarity coefficient comparison and analysis of plant distribution, the relationship between the flora of Wandashan, Changbai Mountain and Xiaoxing’anling was determined. The results of flora analysis show that the flora of the Wandashan area belongs to the North Temperate Zone and has a general connection with other floras in the world. The flora of Northeast China mainly includes Xiaoxing’anling area, Wandashan area and Changbai Mountain. By comparing the similarity coefficients at the three levels of families, genera and species, it can be seen that the similarity coefficient between Xiaoxing’anling and Wandashan is higher than that between Changbai Mountain and Wandashan.

Antibacterial activity of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. red flower against antibiotic-resistant strains of Helicobacter pylori and identification of the flower constituents.

Utilization of plant resources for treatment of Helicobacter pylori infections is one of the appealing approaches as rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains is occurring throughout the world. Ethanol extract and its fractions from Hibiscus rosa-sinensis red flower were assessed for antibacterial and urease inhibitory activities towards forty-three clinical strains and two reference strains of H. pylori. The ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the most potent bacteriostatic activity with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.2-0.25 mg/mL and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of 1.25-1.5 mg/mL against all test strains, including forty-three strains resistant to one to four antibiotics, azithromycin (MICs, 8-256 µg/mL), erythromycin (MICs, 8-128 µg/mL), levofloxacin (MICs, 8-256 µg/mL), and/or metronidazole (MICs, 8-256 µg/mL). The fraction had similar antibacterial activities toward these test strains suggesting the preparation and the antibiotics do not have a common mechanism of anti-H. pylori activity. The fraction also had stronger effects on biofilm formation, morphological conversion, and urease activity of H. pylori than the other fractions and the ethanol extract. These flower preparations were non-toxic to three human cell lines, and nine compounds were also isolated and identified from the ethyl acetate fraction. In vivo research needs to be conducted to confirm the potential usefulness of H. rosa-sinensis flower and its constituents for effective prevention and treatment of H. pylori disease.

Flora of Seed Plants in Longquan Mountain, Wuhan

In recent years, in order to provide theoretical and scientific basis for the protection and rational utilization of plant resources in Lon longquan mountain gquan Mountain, the seed plants in Longquan Mountain were taken as the research object, and the field investigation was carried out by using the method of line plus typical sample plot, so as to further study the characteristics of investigated area were further studied. The results show: There are 231 species of 191 genus in 90 families, including 5 families, 9 genus and 11 species of gymnosperms, and 82 species of 182 genus and 85 species of angiosperms. The 14 distribution types of seed plants belong to the statistics: North temperate distribution There are 72 genus, accounting for 37.7% of the total genus of the area, reflecting the obvious north temperate nature of the flora. In addition, there are many ancient taxa and Cretaceous and Tertiary relict plants. There are 163 genus of single genus and genus genus, accounting for 85.3% of the total genus of the region, indicating that the plant origin is relatively old, there are 7 genus in China, which indicates that the unique phenomenon exists, but it is not obvious.

Utilization of plant resources among the Kankanaeys in Kibungan, Benguet Province, Philippines

Abstract. Bersamin AT, Tayaben JL, Balangcod KD, Balangcod AKD, Cendana AC, Dom-Ogen ET, Licnachan LOC, Siadto B, Wong FM, Balangcod TD. 2021. Utilization of plant resources among the Kankanaeys in Kibungan, Benguet Province, Philippines. Asian J Ethnobiol 4: 362-372. The use of plant resources for human basic need dates back to ancient times. Plants have been man’s recourse for natural healing, food, and for cultural practices. This study aimed to document the rich flora of Kibungan, Benguet that the Kankanaey tribe utilizes. Interviews and focused group discussions were used to gather data and it was supplemented with ocular inspection of the locality. Results revealed that there were various uses of plants that could be categorized into medicinal, food, house construction, and others. The leaves of medicinal plants are more frequently used to treat wounds, diarrhea, cough, and skin inflammation. Decoctions for natural remedies include gipas (Sarcandra glabra), gawed (Piper betle), and kutsay (Allium odorum). Plant foods such as fruits, root crops, and vegetables are either cultivated or gathered from the forest. Specifically, plants collected from the wild included pinit (Rubus fraxinifolius), amti (Solanum nigrum), bayabas (Psidium guajava), gatgattang (Sonchus arvensis), galyang (Alocasia macrorrhizos), and pako (Diplazium esculentum), while kamote (Ipomea batatas) and corn (Zea mays) are cultivated. The pine tree (Pinus kesiya) is the main raw material for house construction. Interestingly, dengaw (Acorus calamus) is regarded as an amulet, which is believed to ward off evil spirits.

Spatial Distribution of Local Forest Products at the End of the 19th Century: A Case Study of Former Villages in Iwate Prefecture

Recent research in Japan has investigated how local people historically utilized natural resources, using geographic information systems (GIS). These works have helped to clarify the role of forest provisioning services in the past, and have shown how modern landscapes were formed. The aim of this study was to elucidate the utilization of plant resources in forest landscapes of both fields and mountains, in the late 19th century in Iwate Prefecture, located in northeastern Japan. This study focused on a different area and a larger scale than previous studies, and included information from 642 villages. This study specifically focused on what kinds of forest products were historically used and shipped, which species were used, and how these uses were distributed around the prefecture. A combination of historical documents and GIS mapping, named MANDARA, was employed. The primary historical document was “The topography of Iwate Prefecture” that was published from 1876 to 1885, and recorded the products used in each village. A wide range of forest products were recorded, which contained both edible and inedible plants further split into 10 primary categories: edible wild plants, mushrooms, nuts and berries, medical herbs, timber, agricultural and construction materials, fuel, tree sap, bark, and others. Many villages also produced various secondary processed goods. Fifty-two species were specified as forest products, which included some estimation, and were composed of 19 herbaceous and 23 arboreal species. GIS mapping of each village indicated that firewood and charcoal were shipped to towns located in southern Iwate, from around Kesen County. People might trade these fuel woods on markets. On the other hand, chestnut (Castanea crenata S. et Z.) and acorn were produced in the low-density populated area all around Iwate.

Native useful vascular plants of China: A checklist and use patterns

Of all types of interactions between humans and plants, the utilization of plants by people is the most direct and influential. China has a long history of using native plants and a large body of recorded knowledge on uses. Here, we present an inventory of plant uses in China based on an extensive survey of the literature. Twelve categories of usage are recognized (medicinal, edible, etc.), these categories being chosen according to an integration of various current standards. A total of 50,521 use-citations were recorded, covering 10,808 species and infraspecies, representing 28% of the Chinese flora. Additional information is included in the dataset on taxonomy and endangerment status. Analysis of the data reveals that the eight plant families with the greatest numbers of species used in China, namely Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Rosaceae, Ranunculaceae, Poaceae, Lamiaceae, Orchidaceae, and Liliaceae, are also the top eight most species-rich Chinese plant families. However, there are some families that are over-represented or under-representation in certain use categories, compared with their relative abundance in the total flora. There are indications that rare and endangered species are being subject to some degree of over-exploitation. A disproportionately high number of used species are Chinese endemics (3552 species, representing over 33% of used species). A total of 20% of used species have been classified as threatened nationally or globally, according to at least one of the various threat assessments that have been made for the Chinese flora. This comprehensive inventory of the useful plants of China, with relevant ethnobotanical information included, provides a baseline for further studies of plant resources. It will be useful in follow-up research. The scientific dataset it contains will be useful for the protection and sustainable utilization of plant resources in China.

Solubility improvement of phytochemicals using (natural) deep eutectic solvents and their bioactivity evaluation

Plants serve as major sources of bioactive phytochemicals and provide an enormous space for drug discovery. Most of phytochemicals' utilizations are limited by the low water-solubility and thereby low bioavailability. The development of biocompatible solvents with high solvation is a simple and efficient method to improve the solubilities of phytochemicals. In this work, four water-insoluble phytochemicals were chosen as the models to systematically investigate the potential of (natural) deep eutectic solvents ((NA)DESs) as delivery vehicles. After preliminary screening, ten (NA)DESs from sixty prepared (NA)DESs were found to be low viscous and applied to safety evaluation. The cytotoxicity studies revealed that the ten (NA)DESs were safe enough to be used in pharmaceutical and food industry. The solubilities of four model phytochemicals in (NA)DESs were 252–4453 folds higher than those in water. Several solvatochromic parameters were correlated with the solubilities of phytochemicals to tentatively study the solvation between phytochemicals and (NA)DESs. The high solubility could be interpreted by the solute-solvent interactions between phytochemicals and (NA)DESs, such as dipole-dipole interactions and hydrogen bond interactions. The stabilities and bioactivities of phytochemicals dissolved in (NA)DESs were also investigated. It was indicated that not only the stabilities but also the bioactivities were improved by (NA)DESs. The findings of this study show bright application prospect of (NA)DESs as delivery vehicles, which will be of significance for improving the utilization of plant resources.

Relationship between species composition and growth environment in the arid zone of southwest Morocco

Wild plants growing in arid environments are attracting attention as they are a new pool of resources. However, there is a concern that the rate of desertification will increase due to excessive use of plant resources in arid environments. The aim of this study was to show the distribution of wild plants and examine the management and utilization of plant resources in southwest Morocco. The intention is to use the results of this study to devise a plant resource use plan that considers regional characteristics. According to the results, the plant species Argania spinosa and Artemisia herba-alba dominate in southwest Morocco, with one of these species dominating at low elevations and the other dominating at high elevations (above approximately 1000 m.a.s.l.). Since these plants are the dominant species in the region, the risk of losing these species due to resource utilization is relatively low. On the other hand, other plant species in the region are much less abundant, so it is important to consider the conservation—including the sustainability—of those species if they are to be used as resources.

Ali Hazrat TAXONOMIC STUDY OF ROSACEAE SPECIES OF DISTRICT DIR UPPER, KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN

A total of 30 plant species belonging to 14 genera of Rosaceae were collected from different localities of Dir upper. In which seven plant species were belonging to genus Prunus, five Rosa, three of Potentilla, two each of Cotoneaster, Rubus and Pyrus, one each of Crataegus, Eriobotrya, Fragaria, Malus, Sibbaldia, Sorbus, Sorbaria, Spiraea. It was concluded that members of the Rosaceae need attention not only for its cultivation but emphasis must be made on conservation for sustainable utilization of plant resources.

Impact of Garden Plant Resources Allocation on Ecological Landscape in Cold Cities

This paper analyzes the distribution of plant resources in the test plots, and aims to optimize the allocation of plants and improve the follow-up construction plan for the cold land ecological park. We provide basis and reference for plant species selection and diversification in the construction of cold land urban Greenland plant landscape, and further improve the urban environment. Taking Jiamusi City as an example, the plant species, ecological distribution and utilization of plant resources in Jiamusi City Park were investigated and investigated by sample method and field investigation method. The data were analyzed by the analytic hierarchy process, and the ornamental value of the regional plants was analyzed. According to the survey, there are 41 species of plants in the park in Jiamusi City, belonging to 15 families and 35 genera. Their use involves three aspects, such as edible medicinal, and has high application value. As a typical cold city, Jiamusi proposes to consider the concept of ecological balance and sustainable development while considering the ornamental nature of plant resources, to play a role in supporting the image of the city.

Spermatophyte Flora of Liangzi Lake Wetland Nature Reserve

Based on route and sample-plot survey, plant resources of Liangzi Lake Wetland Nature Reserve were investigated. The result showed that there were 503 species of spermatophyte belonging to 296 genera of 86 families. There were 5 species under national first and second level protection. The dominant families of spermatophyte contained 20 species and above. The dominant genera of spermatophyte contained 4 species and below. The 86 families of spermatophyte can be divided into 7 distribution types and 4 variants. Tropic distribution type was dominant, accounting for 70.83% in total (excluding cosmopolitans). The 296 genera of spermatophyte can be divided into 14 distribution types and 9 variants. Temperate elements were a little more than tropical elements, accounting for 50.84% and 49.16% in total (excluding cosmopolitans) respectively. Reserve had 3 Chinese endemic genera, reflecting certain ancient and relict. The purpose of the research is to provide background information and scientific basis for the protection, construction, management and rational utilization of plant resources in the reserve.

Chemical composition of essential oils from four Rhododendron species and their repellent activity against three stored-product insects.

The objective of this work was to analyze four essential oils (EOs) from Rhododendron species in China and evaluate their repellent activity against Tribolium castaneum, Lasioderma serricorne, and Liposcelis bostrychophila adults. These four EOs from Rhododendron species, including R. capitatum, R. przewalskii, R. mucronulatum, and R. micranthum, were obtained by hydrodistillation. Major components of four EOs were identified as sesquiterpenoids by GC-MS. The relatively high components included cedrene (22.20%), borneol (36.64%), 4-(2,3,4,6-tetramethylphenyl)-3-buten-2-one (27.74%), and germacrene D (27.60%). Repellent activity of EOs from Rhododendron species was investigated against T. castaneum, L. serricorne, and L. bostrychophila adults for the first time. In this study, EOs had demonstrated their repellent activities against three stored-product insects in 2- and 4-h exposure. The above results can not only provide comprehensive utilization of plant resources of Rhododendron genus but also establish a very good perspective of novel application to control stored-product insects.

Soy protein as a sustainable surfactant to functionalize boron nitride nanosheets and its application for preparing thermally conductive biobased composites

To enhance interfacial performance of thermal conductive polymer composites, low-cost and abundant plant-derived soy protein isolate (SPI) was used in this study to produce surface functionalized boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS), where SPI acts as a green surfactant to disperse and exfoliate BNNS during the process. Then, biobased tannic acid-coated cellulose nanofiber (TA@CNF) motifs were synthesized to serve as a template to anchor SPI-functionalized BNNS (SPI-BNNS), wherein the TA@CNF provided versatile active surfaces to induce the formation of the interconnected network structure. The TA@CNF assembly with SPI-BNNS could easily form high thermal conductive pathways in the composite films, and the resultant films containing only 1.0 wt% of SPI-BNNS showed significantly enhanced in-plane thermal conductivity (TC) of 6.88 W m−1 K−1, which was three times higher than that of pure TA@CNF film. Moreover, the composite films exhibited remarkable improvement in tensile strength and toughness. We attributed the simultaneously increased TC and mechanical properties to construction of the interconnected network and covalent/hydrogen bonds regulated between SPI-BNNS and TA@CNF. This research is of practical importance to value-added and high-efficiency utilization of plant resources in the future.

Ethnobotanical uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of Clerodendrum infortunatum L. (Lamiaceae): A review

Ethnobotany is the scientific study concerned with the study of relationship between plants and man, in particular, how people use their traditional knowledge with respect to utilization of plant resources for their wellbeing. Plants have been extensively used since time immemorial as an indispensible source such as food, fodder, medicine, dyes, flavoring agents and for construction purposes. The genus Clerodendrum is one of the largest plant genera, belongs to the family Lamiaceae and encompasses herbs, shrubs and trees distributed worldwide. Clerodendrum infortunatum L. (synonym Clerodendrum viscosum Vent.) is one among the important species of the genus Clerodendrum. In the present review, we discuss the traditional (ethnobotanical) uses and pharmacological activities displayed by C. infortunatum. An extensive literature survey revealed that various parts of C. infortunatum are used traditionally by various indigenous communities as green salad, as an ingredient in local wine and to treat ailments or disorders such as headache, toothache, rheumatism, swelling, skin diseases, fever, diabetes, malaria, burns, tumor and epilepsy. Literatures revealed various pharmacological properties exhibited by the plant such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic, wound healing, antivenom, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, anthelmintic, insecticidal, thrombolytic and cytotoxic activities. &#x0D; Keywords: Clerodendrum infortunatum L., Lamiaceae, Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, Pharmacological activities

Bertahan di Tengah Samudra: Pandangan Etnobotani terhadap Pulau Enggano, Alam, dan Manusianya

ABSTRACT The objective of study was to explore Enggano’s people live survival strategy ulilizing plant resources . To enable living in Enggano, local community utilize plant resources with diverse strategy. The main argument of their article is social and enviromental changes affect on the utilization of plant resources as the main strategy of survival. There strategies of data collection were applied to verify the local community survival strategy. Namely: FGD, questionair and interview. So we observed society change their live strategy on plant resources utilization in accordance with social change. New access on information, migration, to other island influence on society orientaton. From live survival strategy to economic benefit. Keywords: Enggano, plants, social change, survival, useful.

Statistics-based Yield Estimation Model for Designing Integrated Plant Resource Utilization System Considering Interannual Meteorological Variances: Implications from Case Studies on Combined Sugar-ethanol Production from Sugarcane

Statistics-based Yield Estimation Model for Designing Integrated Plant Resource Utilization System Considering Interannual Meteorological Variances: Implications from Case Studies on Combined Sugar-ethanol Production from Sugarcane