Valuable Medicinal Plant Research Articles

Collection of Hairy Roots as a Basis for Fundamental and Applied Research.

Due to population growth, instability of climatic conditions, and reduction of the areas of natural ecosystems, it becomes necessary to involve modern biotechnological approaches to obtain highly productive plant material. This statement applies both to the creation of plant varieties and the production of new pharmaceutical raw materials. Genetic transformation of valuable medicinal plants using Agrobacterium rhizogenes ensures the production of stable and rapidly growing hairy roots cultures that have a number of advantages compared with cell culture and, above all, can synthesize root-specific substances at the level of the roots of the intact plant. In this regard, special attention should be paid to the collection of hairy roots of the Institute of Plant Physiology RAS, Russian Academy of Sciences, the founder of which was Dr. Kuzovkina I.N. Currently, the collection contains 38 hairy roots lines of valuable medicinal and forage plants. The review discusses the prospects of creating a hairy roots collection as a basis for fundamental research and commercial purposes.

The Establishment of an Ex Situ Collection of Primula veris in Bulgaria.

Primula veris is a valuable medicinal plant species with declining populations, protected in Bulgaria by the Biodiversity Act. The present study aimed to increase its extremely low seed germination rate, starting with seeds originating from two Bulgarian populations, and to set up an ex situ field collection. The stimulation effect of three factors was tested in in vivo and in vitro experiments: seeds treated with gibberellic acid (in different concentrations and exposure time), light quality (white, infrared, red, and blue or dark), and cold stratification. The combination of factors resulted in 36 treatment variants in vivo and 8 treatment variants in vitro. No germination was observed in control treatment variants. The highest germinating rate (95%) was noticed in vivo under blue monochromatic light after seed soaking into 0.2% GA3 for 10 h; however, the best results (55% of well-developed seedlings) were observed with a combination of blue light and 0.3% GA3 for 5 h. Seedlings were successfully strengthened in vermiculite in a phytotron, potted in soil and grown in a greenhouse, and then 75 plants were transferred to the field plot, where most of them bloomed at the first vegetation season. These results are intended to serve as a basis for establishing a pilot agriculture of the species.

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

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

Insights into phyto pharmaceutical studies of the under-utilized mangrove species of Lumnitzera racemosa wild: A review

The traditional medical system has made extensive use of plants and naturally occurring compounds derived from plants. The plant has been discovered to be phyto chemically abundant in tannins, terpenes, terpenoids, phenolic compounds, phytosterols, and a variety of new metabolites that have displayed notable pharmacological effects. Lumnitzera racemosa wild is a non-viviparous evergreen shrub or small tree, an Indo-West Pacific mangrove. It is extensively used therapeutically and is becoming more well-known as a valuable medicinal plant. Its morphology, chemical components, and biological activity in connection to extracts and extracted secondary metabolites have all been extensively studied in several examinations of this medicinal plant. This plant is used as anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant, anti-hypertensive, anti-bacterial, and Cytotoxic, Hepatoprotective and anti-leishmanial activity. This review summarises the present level of knowledge about morphology, important bioactive components, their chemistry, purported medicinal properties, pharmacological activity, and traditional applications.

Influence of elicitors on the enhancement of camptothecin accumulation and antioxidant potential in callus cultures of Chonemorpha fragrans

• Effect of elicitors on production of biomass and synthesis of secondary metabolites in Chonemorpha fragrans were explored • Antioxidant activity was found to be enhanced in elicitor treated callus • Higher content of secondary metabolites was noticed in chitosan and salicylic acid elicited callus extract. • Camptothecin content was maximum in yeast extract and glycine elicited callus extract Chonemorpha fragrans (Moon) Alston is a valuable medicinal plant with various applications in pharmaceuticals for various diseases. The current study was designed to examine the role of elicitors on biomass, camptothecin production and the antioxidant capacity of callus culture. The different elicitors such as chitosan, salicylic acid, yeast extract, and glycine were employed in this study. The phytoconstituents were characterized and quantified by GC-MS and LC-MS analysis. Antioxidant capacity was assessed by DPPH, ABTS, reducing power, and phosphmolybdenum assay. Maximum biomass was achieved in 100 mg/L Gl elicited callus on Gamborg's medium augmented with 0.5 mg/L of 2, 4-D, and BAP. The higher antioxidant and secondary metabolites were higher in the Ct elicited callus. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of phytoconstituents like β – sitosterol, stigmasterol, and squalene. Higher Camptothecin (CPT) content was noticed in Ye supplemented callus. Therefore, our results are demonstrated that the elicitor supplements have the potential to enhance biomass and phytoconstituents in leaf-derived callus cultures of C. fragrans.

Micropropagation of Andrographis producta through axillary and adventitious shoot regeneration

BackgroundAndrographis producta (C. B. Clarke) Gamble is a valuable medicinal plant that yields several therapeutic compounds. In addition, this species is endemic to the Western Ghats regions of South India. Natural populations of Andrographis producta have dwindled due to the overexploitation of this species. The objective of the present study was to develop a reliable In vitro propagation protocol for this plant species. ResultsIn vitro plant regeneration protocol has been developed in Andrographis producta using nodal and shoot tip explants. The highest axillary shoots (14.60) were regenerated from nodal explants on MS medium amended with 10 μM 2-iP. Similarly, on MS media amended with 5 μM BAP, 17.50 shoots were regenerated from shoot tip explants. Optimal of 27.66 adventitious shoots were regenerated from the cut end of shoot tip explants on MS medium amended with 10 μM 2-iP. Medium amended with 10 μM 2-iP was optimum for regeneration of multiple axillary shoots from nodal explants and for the adventitious shoots regeneration from shoot tip explants. Shoot tips were ideal explants for the micropropagation of A. producta. Qarter sthrength MS media supplemented with 10 μM IBA has resulted in maximum rooting of the shoots. ConclusionsA reliable In vitro micropropagation method was developed in Andrographis producta through direct organogenesis, and this method is helpful for the multiplication, conservation, and utilization of this plant.

High‑frequency plant regeneration and genetic fidelity assessment of regenerants by molecular and biochemical markers in Woodland Sage (Salvia nemorosa L.)

Salvia nemorosa L. is a valuable medicinal and ornamental plant from Lamiaceae . A high-frequency protocol for in vitro regeneration from S. nemorosa leaf explants was developed based on our results. Various plant growth regulators were evaluated for their effects on direct and indirect organogenesis , callogenesis, shoot multiplication, and rooting of explants at different concentrations. The maximum percentage of direct shoot regeneration (97.5%) and the number of shoots per explant (8.6) were obtained on MS medium supplement with 8 µM TDZ plus 8 µM NAA . The result revealed that media amended by 16 µM 2, 4-D with 8 or 16 µM BA was the best treatment for callus induction. Media containing the combination of 8 µM TDZ plus 2 µM NAA provided the highest rate of shoot induction (84%) and the highest number of shoots (5.4) from calli. Regenerated shoots were multiplied efficiently with an average of 7.4 shoots and 32.4 leaves per explant on media containing 12 µM TDZ. In the present study, TDZ and BA treatments led to the highest proliferation rate; however, adenine sulfate was preferred for proliferation because it did not produce hyperhydric plants. The genetic fidelity of 19 plantlets (one donor plant, nine direct and nine indirect regenerants) was appraised by 10 ISSR markers. The molecular analysis revealed that direct organogenesis produced true-to-type plantlets and could be employed for clonal multiplication of Woodland Sage. Indirect regenerants showed polymorphic bands (12.5–33.33%), confirming the somaclonal variation occurrence during indirect organogenesis. Also, HPLC analysis of regenerants showed that two indirect regenerants accumulated higher rosmarinic acid content than mother plants, while three of them accumulated lower rosmarinic acid content. As part of this study, molecular and biochemical markers have been employed to investigate somaclonal variation in in vitro regeneration of the Salvia genus for the first time, which could be utilized to develop reliable methods for multiplying elite lines and achieving high-yield lines. • A high-frequency protocol for S. nemorosa in vitro regeneration was developed. • TDZ and NAA combination produced plantlets with high genetic and biochemical fidelity. • Adenine Sulphate prevents the Hyperhydricity in regenerated plantlets. • The indirect regeneration affected PAL activity, rosmarinic acid, and genetic content.

Changes in cytotoxic capacity, phenolic profile, total phenols and flavonoids of Nigella damascena L. seed extracts under different liquid fertilization

Nigella damascena L. is an annual herbaceous valuable medicinal and aromatic plant in the Ranunculaceae family. For the first time with this study, the effects of different fertilizer treatments on the total phenolic-flavonoid content and phenolic compound profile in N. damascena seeds were investigated. Also, cytotoxic activities of n-hexane and methanol extracts (0–300 μg/mL) from fertilized seeds against breast (MCF-7) and pancreatic (MIA PaCa-2) cancer and embryonic kidney (HEK 293) cell lines were determined. The highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents in the methanol extract of seeds were obtained from chemical-3 L/da (0.196 ± 0.03 mg GAE/g) and organic- 1200 mL/da (3.85 ± 0.04 mg QE/g) fertilizer treatments, respectively. Phenolic compounds identified qualitatively by HPLC-PDA in the seeds were epicatechin, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, rutin hydrate, apigenin and naringenin. Fertilized seed n-hexane extracts caused greater cell inhibition compared to control and showed remarkable selective cytotoxicity against the two cancer cell lines investigated in vitro. However, even at the highest concentration (300 μg/mL) of all seed methanol extracts, 50% cell inhibition did not occur in both cancer and healthy cell lines. Results show that N. damascena seed extracts can be studied further in terms of having an anticancer agent potential.

Chemical analysis of Iranian Rosa damascena essential oil, concrete, and absolute oil under different bio-climatic conditions

Rosa damascena Mill., the unique species of Rosaceae , is one of the valuable medicinal and ornamental aromatic plants cultivated in different parts of Iran. Climatic conditions impact the productivity and yield of rose products. This work was designed to study the chemical composition of the essential oil, concrete, and absolute oil of Rosa damascena Mill. (same genotype) collected from three different bio-climatic areas belonging to semi-arid, cold (Qamsar and Niyasar in Isfahan province), semi-arid, very warm and dusty (Maymand in Fars province), and arid, cold and windy (Lalezar in Kerman province) regions (as important rose growing centers) of Iran for the first time. All R. damascena samples were investigated using GC-FID, and GC-MS methods, to evaluate phytochemical constitutions. The sample yields were in the range of 0.03–0.04 % for essential oil, 0.29–0.40 % for concrete, and 0.07–0.19 % for absolute. The citronellol/geraniol ratio (C/G), the main quality determining factor of essential oil, was found to vary from 3.3 % to 6.9 % in essential oil. It was observed that R. damascena growing at semi-arid, cold such as Qamsar had a higher C/G factor, while those growing at the same bio-climatic zone with low altitude, Niyasar, had a lower C/G ratio. Phenyl ethyl alcohol prevailed in Co with 44.5 %, 47.2 %, 45.2 %, and 45.1 % for Qamsar, Niyasar, Meymand, and Lalezar, respectively. On the other hand, GC-MS analysis of absolute oil showed that phenyl ethyl alcohol, citronellol , and phenolic terpenoids are three major components that take more than 60 % of total rose absolute in four areas. Essential oil, concrete, and absolute oil of the Qamsar region were considered to have a high quality in terms of richness in C/G ratio and phenyl ethyl alcohol monoterpenes. The concrete and absolute composition of the residual waste petals (prepared from one of the rose water companies in Qamsar) were also studied, and the results showed that the amount of concrete in the waste petals was relatively significant and could be considered as an important by-product. According to findings, it can be concluded that quantitative and qualitative properties of R. damascena productions are affected by bio-climatic conditions and environmental factors that are useful for optimum production. Some factors and alternative methods affecting in C/G ratio and phenyl ethyl alcohol increasing recommended. • Composition of the essential oil, concrete, and absolute of Iranian R. damascena from different areas was investigated. • The citronellol/geraniol ratio, as the main quality determining factor of essential oil, was found to vary from 3.3 to 6.9 %. • The Qamsar region was considered to have a high quality in terms of richness in C/G ratio and phenyl ethyl alcohol. • Quantitative and qualitative properties of R. damascena productions are affected by bio-climatic conditions.

Сравнительный анализ количественных признаков сортов клюквы (Oxycoccus) в условиях Москвы

Cranberry is a valuable food and medicinal plant. For industrial purposes, two types of cranberries are used - large-fruited cranberries (Oxycoccus macrocarpus (Aiton) Pursh.) and marsh cranberries (Oxycoccus palustris Pers.). Based on these species, new varieties with improved qualities are obtained. At the moment, there are more than 100 varieties of large-fruited cranberries and marsh cranberries. They have economically valuable qualities: large-fruitedness, early maturity, dark color of berries, a large number of upright shoots per unit area, uniformity of berries, and a tendency to form more than one flower bud per shoot. Changing climatic conditions, for example, with the introduction of North American varieties, may lead to additional variability in traits. In this regard, it is necessary to compare popular varieties of cranberries in Moscow. The aim of the study is to compare varieties of cranberries according to the quantitative characteristics of fruits and leaves. Cranberry varieties were chosen as objects of study: ‘Ben Leer’, ‘Early Black’, ‘Mac Farlen’, ‘Piligrim’, ‘Stivens’ and ‘Beauty of the North’. Accounting and observations were carried out in the laboratory of cultivated plants GBS RAS. N.V. Tsitsina in 2021 and 2022 according to the morphological characteristics of fruits and leaves. The analysis of the experimental data was carried out by the methods of analysis of variance and confidence intervals. Comparative analysis showed that ‘Ben Leer’ and ‘Krasa Severa’ fruits have the maximum values of parameters with a low number of seeds. According to the features of the leaves, it was determined that the length, width and length of the petiole in the variety ‘Ben Leer’ turned out to be minimal. ‘Stivens’ has the largest leaves with long petioles. Keywords: MARSH CRANBERRY, LARGE-FRUITED CRANBERRY, FRUIT, LEAF, MORPHOLOGICAL SIGNS, 'BEN LEER', 'EARLY BLACK', 'MAC FARLEN', 'PILIGRIM', 'STIVENS', 'BEAUTY OF THE NORTH'

Genome Assembly of the Medicinal Plant Voacanga thouarsii.

The Apocynaceae tree Voacanga thouarsii, native to southern Africa and Madagascar, produces monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIA), which are specialized metabolites with a wide range of bioactive properties. Voacanga species mainly accumulates tabersonine in seeds making these species valuable medicinal plants currently used for industrial MIA production. Despite their importance, the MIA biosynthesis in Voacanga species remains poorly studied. Here, we report the first genome assembly and annotation of a Voacanga species. The combined assembly of Oxford Nanopore Technologies long-reads and Illumina short-reads resulted in 3,406 scaffolds with a total length of 1,354.26 Mb and an N50 of 3.04 Mb. A total of 33,300 protein-coding genes were predicted and functionally annotated. These genes were then used to establish gene families and to investigate gene family expansion and contraction across the phylogenetic tree. A transposable element (TE) analysis showed the highest proportion of TE in Voacanga thouarsii compared with all other MIA-producing plants. In a nutshell, this first reference genome of V. thouarsii will thus contribute to strengthen future comparative and evolutionary studies in MIA-producing plants leading to a better understanding of MIA pathway evolution. This will also allow the potential identification of new MIA biosynthetic genes for metabolic engineering purposes.

Phylogenetic Analysis Based on DNA Barcoding and Genetic Diversity Assessment of Morinda officinalis How in Vietnam Inferred by Microsatellites.

Morinda officinalis How is well-known as a valuable medicinal plant found in some regions of Vietnam. This species is mainly used for treating male impotence, irregular menstruation, and rheumatoid arthritis. This study aimed to identify the species of and genetic diversity in three M. officinalis populations: one each in Quang Binh (QB), Thua Thien Hue (TTH), and Quang Nam (QN). In this study, four DNA barcoding markers (ITS1, ITS2, matK, and rbcL) were used to identify the species and 22 microsatellite markers were applied for population structure and diversity analyses. The results showed that the sequences of gene regions studied in M. officinalis had a high similarity (>95%) to the ITS1, ITS2, matK, and rbcL sequences of M. officinalis on BLAST. Of the four DNA barcoding markers used, ITS1 and ITS2 showed higher efficiency in DNA amplification of M. officinalis. From this study, 27 GenBank codes were published on BLAST. The results also revealed high levels of genetic diversity in populations. The average observed and expected heterozygosity values were HO = 0.513 and HE = 0.612, respectively. The average FST value was 0.206. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed 70% variation within populations and 30% among populations. The population structure of M. officinalis inferred in STRUCTURE revealed that the optimum number of genetic groups for the admixture model was K = 2. These findings provided vital background information for future studies in the conservation of M. officinalis in both ex situ and in situ plans.

Study of Medicinal Plants Found in Yamkeshwar Block District Pauri, and their Therapeutic Uses, Uttarakhand, India with reference to Bhavaprakash Nighantu: A Review

The prolific plant diversity of Uttarakhand hills has provided an initial lead to the local people to look for various plant species for the purpose of food, medicine, spices and perfumes. Medicinal plants found in Pauri district at Yamkeshwar block Uttarakhand, India have resulted in the documentation of medicinal, aromatic and spice plant species. These species were distributed over various life forms, like tree, shrub and herbaceous forms. The plants species were collected and arranged in their botanical name family, Sanskrit name, local name and their habit pattern. The leaves root, stem bark and whole plants were the mostly used. The traditional knowledge of medicinal plants gathered from local healers at Yamkeshwar block transmitted orally one generation to another generation but not documented. Now new generation is not interested in traditional knowledge of medicinal plants due to modernization, so there is an urgent need to document ethnomedicinal plants before the knowledge become extinct. Conservation and sustainable utilization of these valuable medicinal plant species is essential to protect the traditional knowledge regarding plants and plant based healing practices. In this article made an effort to document such information, especially the plants found in that region and use of plants for medicine, and made an effort to enlist the medicinal plants mentioned in Bhavaprakash Nighantu.

Therapeutic Role of Lallemantia royleana (Balangu Seeds) and Its Pharmacological Properties: An Overview

Balangu (Lallemantia royleana) is a member of the Lamiaceae or Labiateae family. In Pakistan commonly called Tukhmalanga. This valuable medicinal plant is indigenous to tropical Asia, including India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The chemical analysis of Lallemantia royleana seed showed that the seeds contained: protein 25.60%, fat 18.27%, fiber 1.29%, alkaloids, anthraquinones, flavonoids, glycosides, pholobtannin tannins, volatile oils, mixed fatty acids and terpenoids. It exerted many pharmacological effects included antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidepressant, anxiolytic, sedative, antiemetic, hypolipidemic, protective and many other pharmacological effects. The current review discussed the Lallemantia royleana as a beneficial medicinal plant. It can be a good remedy for skin disease. Further screening for phytochemicals should be carried out in search of novel therapeutic compounds.

Establishment of an Efficient In Vitro Propagation of Cnidium officinale Makino and Selection of Superior Clones through Flow Cytometric Assessment of DNA Content.

Cnidium officinale is a valuable medicinal plant cultivated in Asia for its rhizomes. This study reports the in vitro regeneration of Cnidium officinale plants and the induction of rhizomes from microshoots. The rhizomatous buds of Cnidium officinale induced multiple shoots on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 0.5 mg L−1 BA, which led to the regeneration of plants within four weeks of culture. After four weeks of culture, the plants were assessed for fresh weight, the number of leaves, the number of roots, and the length of roots to compare the performance of the different clones. The clones with good growth characteristics were selected with the aid of a flow cytometric analysis of 2C nuclear DNA content. The plants bearing high DNA values showed better growth characteristics. Various factors, namely, sucrose concentration (30, 50, 70, and 90 g L−1), ABA (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg L−1), the synergistic effects of BA (1.0 mg L−1) + NAA (0.5 mg L−1) and BA (1.0 mg L−1) + NAA (0.5 mg L−1) + ABA (1.0 mg L−1) with or without activated charcoal (1 g L−1), and light and dark incubation were tested on rhizome formation from microshoots. The results of the above experiments suggest that MS medium supplemented with 50 g L−1 sucrose, 1.0 mg L−1 ABA, and 1 g L−1 AC is good for the induction of rhizomes from the shoots of Cnidium officinale. Plantlets with rhizomes were successfully transferred to pots, and they showed 100% survival.

Ethnopharmacological study of medicinal plants from the province of Cuanza Norte (Angola)

Studies on African medicinal plants have been limited to some geographically areas, and even though more than 5400 medicinal plants are recognized and documented, other valuable medicinal plant species have not been studied. Ethnopharmacological studies are important for documenting traditional knowledge associated with the medical use of biodiversity. This study aims to document the use of medicinal plants from the Province of Cuanza Norte (Angola). The field work was conducted from December 2018 to January 2019 and the ethnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Informants were selected in accordance with their residence and community recognition as healers. Recorded plants are listed along with their popular name, traditional use, part used, and method of preparation. A total of 131 species of medicinal plants were cited. Mukumbi (Lannea welwitschii), Santa Maria (Chenopodium ambrosioides) and Ditumbata (Boerhavia difusa) were the most cited species. Out of the total plant parts, leaves were the most frequently material used. Regarding the mode of preparation for the medicinal materials, the major form of preparation is maceration, followed by infusion and decoction. The main categories of use were infectious and parasitic diseases (e.g., Malaria); undefined pains and illness; diseases of the digestive system; and endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases (e.g., Diabetes). This study revealed the importance of preserving the ethnobotanical knowledge in order to protect the biodiversity and to discover new therapeutic molecules. A comparison of the results with other studies showed that some of the traditional indications are supported by data from scientific literature.

Antiproliferative effects of dried Moringa oleifera leaf extract on human Wharton's Jelly mesenchymal stem cells.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have seen an elevated use in clinical works like regenerative medicine. Its potential therapeutic properties increases when used in tandem with complementary agents like bio-based materials. Therefore, the present study is the first to investigate the cytotoxicity of a highly valued medicinal plant, Moringa oleifera, on human Wharton’s Jelly mesenchymal stem cells (hWJMSCs) and its effects on the cells’ gene expression when used as a pre-treatment agent in vitro. M. oleifera leaves (MOL) were dried and subjected to UHPLC-QTOF/MS analysis, revealing several major compounds like apigenin, kaempferol, and quercetin in the MOL, with various biological activities like antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. We then treated the hWJMSCs with MOL and noticed a dose-dependant inhibition on the cells’ proliferation. RNA-sequencing was performed to explain the possible mechanism of action and revealed genes like PPP1R1C, SULT2B1, CDKN1A, mir-154 and CCNB1, whose expression patterns were closely associated with the negative cell cycle regulation and cell cycle arrest process. This is also evident from gene set enrichment analysis where the GO and KEGG terms for down-regulated pathways were closely related to the cell cycle regulation. The Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) software further predicted the significant activation of (p < 0.05, z-score > 2) of the G2/M DNA damage checkpoint regulation pathway. The present study suggests that MOL exhibits an antiproliferative effect on hWJMSCs via cell cycle arrest and apoptotic pathways. We believe that this study provides an important baseline reference for future works involving MOL’s potential to accompany MSCs for clinical works. Future works can take advantage of the cell’s strong anti-cancer gene expression found in this study, and evaluate our MOL treatment on various cancer cell lines.

In vitro&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt; direct regeneration and &lt;em&gt;Agrobacterium tumefaciens&lt;/em&gt; mediated &lt;em&gt;in planta&lt;/em&gt; transformation of &lt;em&gt;Ocimum sanctum L.

An in vitro regeneration system for propagation has been successfully developed for a valuable medicinal and aromatic plant ‘ Ocimum sanctum L’. In the present study, petiole explants, from in-vitro grown cultures of O. sanctum, was used for direct regeneration. The developed protocol employed 98% of regeneration frequency in addition to 9.6 shoots per explant when cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium fortified with 3 mg/L benzylamino purine (BAP) and 1 mg/L Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). Furthermore, Agrobacterium tumefaciens Mediated genetic Transformation (ATMT) protocol (transient and stable) was also developed using LBA4404 strain harboring pBI121 with uid-A and neomycin phosphotransferase genes. The regenerated transformants were shifted on MS with kanamycin (50 mg/L) and afterwards placed on the half-strength MS medium. The validation was done through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with neomycin phosphotransferase-II ( npt-II) &amp; β-glucoronidase ( uid-A) gene primers. The maximum stable transformation frequency of 70% ± 0.35 was achieved. Hence, it is apparent that the established protocols i.e. in vitro direct regeneration and ATMT are appropriate for integrating novel enzymes/genes through high throughput techniques such as gene tagging, and targeted gene replacement to modulate the primary as well as secondary metabolic flux towards desired agronomic product or trait in planta.

Ameliorative effect of Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) extract with spectific reference to phytochemical properties

Objective of the present study was to carry out the phytochemical standardization of Ocimum sanctum leaves to develop the standard phytochemical parameters of this valuable medicinal plant. Many standardization parameters of Ocimum sanctum were analyzed and Standard method was adopted for the preliminary phytochemicals screening. Analysis of pesticides residues, aflatoxin &amp; heavy metals were also performed. The sections of Ocimum sanctum leaves were prepared for quantitative microscopic parameters. The air dried powdered plant material was subjected for determination of physicochemical standardizations like ash value, Extractive value and fluorescence nature of the powder drug using light of short and long wavelength of 254nm and 366nm respectively. Phytochemical screening was performed for the identification of phytoconstituents in the plant which was helpful in the development of analytical profile. Preliminary phytochemical screening showed the presence of carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, alkaloids, proteins, saponins and lipids in the drug extract and flourescence nature of drug was confirmed by fluorescence analysis in different solvent. Concentrations of heavy metals,ash value and extractive value were determined and found within acceptable Pharmacopoeial limits. Pesticides residues and aflatoxins were also determined but not detected in the tested samples. The physicochemical and phytochemical standards which are outcome of this research may be utilized as substantial data for identification and standardization of Ocimum sanctum leaves.

Prediction of Potential Habitats of Zanthoxylum armatum DC. and Their Changes under Climate Change

Climate change poses a severe threat to biodiversity. Greenhouse gas emissions have accelerated climate warming and significantly impacted species distribution and population dynamics. Zanthoxylum armatum DC. is an ecologically, medicinally, and economically important plant; it is cultivated as an economic crop at large scales in China, and is a valuable medicinal plant in India, Nepal, etc. A precise prediction of the potential distribution areas of Z. armatum will contribute to its protection and determination of its planting areas. In this paper, based on 433 distribution points and 19 climate factors, the MaxEnt model was used to analyze the spatial distribution pattern of Z. armatum between 1970 and 2000, predict its spatial distribution pattern in 2040–2060 (the 2050s) and 2081–2100 (the 2090s), and comprehensively assess the critical climate factors limiting its geographical distribution. The findings are as follows: (1) in the 1970–2000 scenario, the potential suitable distribution areas of Z. armatum include the subtropical monsoon climate regions of Japan, the Korean Peninsula, the south of the Qinling–Huaihe Line of China, and the regions along the southern foot of the Himalayas (India, Bhutan, Nepal, etc.), with an area of 330.54 × 104 km2; (2) the critical climate factors affecting the potential distribution of Z. armatum include temperature (mean diurnal temperature range, mean temperature of the coldest quarter, and temperature seasonality) and annual precipitation; (3) the distribution areas of Z. armatum will shift to higher latitudes and shrink under the three climate change scenarios in the 2050s and 2090s. In the 2090s–SSP585 scenario, the total area of suitable habitat will decrease most markedly, and the decrease rate of the highly suitable areas will reach up to 97.61%; only the region near Delong Town, Nanshan District, Chongqing City, will remain a highly suitable habitat, covering an area of merely 0.08 × 104 km2. These findings suggest that Z. armatum is susceptible to climate change. The border area between Guizhou Province and Chongqing City and the southwest district of Leshan City, Sichuan Province, will be a stable and moderately high potential suitable habitat for Z. armatum in the future. The above regions are recommended to be managed as key protected areas.