Valuable Medicinal Plant Research Articles

Trichoderma guizhouense NJAU4742 augments morphophysiological responses, nutrient availability and photosynthetic efficacy of ornamental Ilex verticillata.

Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata [L.] A. Gray), a deciduous shrub producing glossy bright red berries, is a valuable ornamental and medicinal plant with good market prospects. However, the growth and development of I. verticillata are significantly affected by various stresses, and environmentally hazardous agrochemicals are often used to mitigate them. Trichoderma spp., ubiquitous soil-borne eco-friendly plant growth-promoting fungi, are potent biostimulants and biofertilizers and viable alternatives to agrochemicals for healthy and sustainable agriculture. In this study, the temporal efficacy of different dosages of the filamentous fungus Trichoderma guizhouense NJAU4742 in promoting morphophysiological responses of I. verticillata and the physicochemical properties and enzymatic activities of the substrate were investigated. Different concentrations of the strain T. guizhouense NJAU4742 spore suspension (C [0%], T1 [5%, v/m], T2 [10%, v/m] and T3 [15%, v/m]) were injected in the substrate contained in a pot in which 1-year-old I. verticillata was planted for temporal treatment (15, 45 and 75 days) under open-air conditions. The beneficial effects of T2 and/or T3 treatment for a long duration (75 days) were evident on the different root, aerial and photosynthetic traits; total contents of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in different tissues and the physicochemical properties of the substrate and its enzymatic activities (urease and invertase). Overall, the study revealed the potency of strain T. guizhouense NJAU4742 as a sustainable solution to improve the growth and development and ornamental value of I. verticillata.

Therapeutic potential of Nankhawah/Ajwain (Tracyspermum ammi Linn): A comprehensive review article

Background: Trachyspermum ammi Linn., commonly known as ajwain, is a widely recognized spice and medicinal plant originating from Egypt but cultivated across regions such as Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. Belonging to the Apiaceae family, this species offers diverse pharmacological benefits due to its rich chemical constituents.
 Objectives: This review aims to summarize the traditional and contemporary applications of Trachyspermum ammi, focusing on its ethnobotanical description, chemical composition, and pharmacological aspects.
 Methodology: The literature search encompassed scientific databases and publications covering the historical usage, chemical profiling, and biological activities of Trachyspermum ammi.
 Results: Trachyspermum ammi exhibits a variety of pharmacological activities, including antifungal, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antinociceptive, antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic, aphrodisiac, and anthelmintic properties. Traditionally, it has been employed to treat conditions such as flatulence, atonic dyspepsia, diarrhea, abdominal tumors, abdominal pain, piles, bronchial issues, lack of appetite, galactogogue, asthma, and amenorrhea as it possesses properties of Muhallil, Mudirr-i-Bawl-o-Hayd, Dafa e Tafun, Jali, Habis etc. Modern research supports these claims while also revealing its potential in treating kidney stones, abortion, and aflatoxin detoxification.
 Conclusion: Trachyspermum ammi holds great promise as a natural resource for novel therapies, owing to its extensive array of bioactive components and established pharmacological effects. Further investigation into its mechanisms of action and optimization of extraction techniques could lead to more efficient utilization of this valuable medicinal plant.
 Keywords: Ajwain, Nankhawah, Trachyspermum Ammi Linn, Mudirr-i-Bawl-o-Hayd, Hazim, Thymol, Appetizer.

Improvement of Panax notoginseng saponin accumulation triggered by methyl jasmonate under arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

Panax notoginseng is a highly valued perennial medicinal herb plant in Yunnan Province, China, and the taproots are the main medicinal parts that are rich in active substances of P. notoginseng saponins. The main purpose of this study is to uncover the physiological and molecular mechanism of Panax notoginseng saponin accumulation triggered by methyl jasmonate (MeJA) under arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) by determining physiological indices, high-throughput sequencing and correlation analysis. Physiological results showed that the biomass and saponin contents of P. notoginseng, the concentrations of jasmonic acids (JAs) and the key enzyme activities involved in notoginsenoside biosynthesis significantly increased under AMF or MeJA, but the interactive treatment of AMF and MeJA weakened the effect of AMF, suggesting that a high concentration of endogenous JA have inhibitory effect. Transcriptome sequencing results indicated that differential expressed genes (DEGs) involved in notoginsenoside and JA biosynthesis were significantly enriched in response to AMF induction, e.g., upregulated genes of diphosphocytidyl-2-C-methyl-d-erythritol kinases (ISPEs), cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYP450s)_and glycosyltransferases (GTs), while treatments AMF-MeJA and salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM) decreased the abundance of these DEGs. Interestingly, a high correlation presented between any two of saponin contents, key enzyme activities and expression levels of DEGs. Taken together, the inoculation of AMF can improve the growth and saponin accumulation of P. notoginseng by strengthening the activities of key enzymes and the expression levels of encoding genes, in which the JA regulatory pathway is a key link. This study provides references for implementing ecological planting of P. notoginseng, improving saponin accumulation and illustrating the biosynthesis mechanism.

Cassia fistula L. bark fraction modulated GSK3β/ p53 expression for mitochondrial mediated apoptosis in HeLa cells

In Ayurveda, Cassia fistula L. commonly known as Aragvadha (disease killer) is highly valuable medicinal plant. In the present study, hexane fraction (CaMH), chloroform fraction (CaMC), ethyl acetate fraction (CaME) and methanol fraction (CaMM) isolated from C. fistula bark were explored for their cytotoxic potential against cervical carcinoma (HeLa), breast carcinoma (MCF-7) and osteosarcoma (MG-63) cell lines using MTT assay. Our results unveiled that C. fistula bark fractions were selectively cytotoxic to carcinoma cells and among the tested fractions CaMC fraction had highest selectivity index (SI) with a value of 9.77 in HeLa cells. CaMC fraction actuated apoptosis in HeLa cells, as evident from chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation, externalization of phosphatidylserine, altered mitochondrial membrane potential and ROS generation. Moreover, CaMC fraction upregulated the expression of GSK3β and p53 which modulated the Bax/ Bcl-2 ratio and initiated the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria. The expression of caspase 3/9 was also found to be upregulated which ultimately induced apoptosis. We also found that CaMC induced cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and significantly inhibited the migration in HeLa cells. GC–MS analysis showed Oleic Acid, Piperine, Isopiperine and Tris(2,4-di‑tert-butylphenyl) phosphate as major constituents which could be attributed to anticancer activity of CaMC. The present study affirms the potential of CaMC fraction in modulating the aberrant signaling pathway for the induction of apoptosis in HeLa cells.

Evaluating Growth and Physiological Responses of a Medicinal Plant Phyla nodiflora to Salinity

Phyla nodiflora is a valuable medicinal plant growing in coastal areas, hypothesizing its adaptability to salinity; however, it has not been investigated. This study, for the first time, elucidated responses in the growth of the shoots and its physiology to different soil salinity of 50–400 mM NaCl. The data showed that the shoot’s dry biomass was not affected by the salinity levels up to 100 mM, and it only decreased 33.50–56.33% compared to the control under 200–400 mM NaCl, indicating that P. nodiflora is a salt-tolerant plant that could survive under high salinity. In addition, the plant also had physiological responses which indicated its salt-induced injuries and adaptation to the salt stress. The chlorophyll a content was increased while the chlorophyll b remained unchanged under the salt stress. The proline and salt accumulation increased under the salinity, but the K+ and NO3− accumulation decreased. Moreover, increases in malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage were observed, indicating salt-induced membrane damages. These responses suggested that the plant might evolve adaptive mechanisms to salinity. Our findings are useful information for further research in order to elucidate the salt-tolerant mechanisms and develop this plant for saline agriculture.

Influencing factors of plant habitat, phenophase, and organ on the essential oil composition of Agastache rugosa

AbstractAgastache rugosa (Fisch. et Mey.) O. Ktze, also known as “Suhuoxiang” (SHX), has been cultivated for more than three hundred years as a valuable aromatic edible and medicinal plant in Jiangsu Province, China. The volatile compounds of SHX from various habitats were investigated by HS-SPME-GC-MS, detecting sixty-five chemical constituents with menthone, pulegone, and estragole being the major volatile compounds. Their relative contents showed various accumulation tendencies in different growth months by GC-MS, with the relative content of menthone gradually increasing, pulegone content decreasing, as well as estragole content climbing initially before declining. This tendency was supported by quantitative experiments using samples from various habitats, which also revealed that the full-bloom stages exhibited the highest total concentrations of menthone and pulegone. The volatile composition of SHX in various plant organs differed, with palmitic acid being the main volatile component of stems, while menthone and pulegone being the core volatile components of leaves and spikes, implying that leaves and spikes should be separated from the stem to obtain higher drug contents. The current findings provide new information for SHX cultivation and applications.

Exogenous betaine enhances salt tolerance of Glycyrrhiza uralensis through multiple pathways

BackgroundGlycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., a valuable medicinal plant, shows contrasting salt tolerance between seedlings and perennial individuals, and salt tolerance at seedling stage is very weak. Understanding this difference is crucial for optimizing cultivation practices and maximizing the plant’s economic potential. Salt stress resistance at the seedling stage is the key to the cultivation of the plant using salinized land. This study investigated the physiological mechanism of the application of glycine betaine (0, 10, 20, 40, 80 mM) to seedling stages of G. uralensis under salt stress (160 mM NaCl).ResultsG. uralensis seedlings’ growth was severely inhibited under NaCl stress conditions, but the addition of GB effectively mitigated its effects, with 20 mM GB had showing most significant alleviating effect. The application of 20 mM GB under NaCl stress conditions significantly increased total root length (80.38%), total root surface area (93.28%), and total root volume (175.61%), and significantly increased the GB content in its roots, stems, and leaves by 36.88%, 107.05%, and 21.63%, respectively. The activity of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (BADH2) was increased by 74.10%, 249.38%, and 150.60%, respectively. The 20 mM GB-addition treatment significantly increased content of osmoregulatory substances (the contents of soluble protein, soluble sugar and proline increased by 7.05%, 70.52% and 661.06% in roots, and also increased by 30.74%, 47.11% and 26.88% in leaves, respectively.). Furthermore, it markedly enhanced the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the content of antioxidants (SOD, CAT, POD, APX and activities and ASA contents were elevated by 59.55%, 413.07%, 225.91%, 300.00% and 73.33% in the root, and increased by 877.51%, 359.89%, 199.15%, 144.35%, and 108.11% in leaves, respectively.), and obviously promoted salt secretion capacity of the leaves, which especially promoted the secretion of Na+ (1.37 times).ConclusionsIn summary, the exogenous addition of GB significantly enhances the salt tolerance of G. uralensis seedlings, promoting osmoregulatory substances, antioxidant enzyme activities, excess salt discharge especially the significant promotion of the secretion of Na+Future studies should aim to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that operate when GB regulates saline stress tolerance.

Metabolomics reveals the importance of metabolites in Mussaenda pubescens for antioxidant properties and quality traits.

Mussaenda pubescens (Mp) is a valuable medicinal plant that has traditionally been used for medicinal purposes or as a tea substitute. However, there are few studies on the comprehensive and dynamic evaluation of Mp metabolites. This study used an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) approach and biochemical analysis to investigate substance changes in leaves at three different stages and elucidate the relationship between metabolites and antioxidant capacity. The findings showed that Mp leaves contained 957 metabolites, the majority of which were phenolic acids, lipids, and terpenoids. The metabolite profiling of Mp leaves was significantly influenced by their growth and development at different stages. A total of 317 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were screened, including 150 primary metabolites and 167 secondary metabolites, with 202 DAMs found in bud leaf vs. tender leaf, 54 DAMs in tender leaf vs. mature leaf, and 254 DAMs in bud leaf vs. mature leaf. Total phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanin concentrations decreased as Mp leaves grew and developed, whereas terpenoids increased significantly. The secondary metabolites also demonstrated a positive correlation with antioxidant activity. Phenolics, flavonoids, terpenoids, and anthocyanins were the primary factors influencing the antioxidant activity of leaves. These findings provide new insights into the metabolite formation mechanism, as well as the development and utilization of Mp tea.

First Report of Erysiphe astragali Causing Powdery Mildew on Astragalus mongholicus in China.

Astragalus mongholicus Bge. [A. membranaceus Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao] is a highly valuable perennial medicinal plant mainly distributed in China, whose dry roots are known as Huangqi in traditional Chinese medicine for reinforcing vital energy, strengthening superficial resistance, and promoting tissue regeneration (Lin et al. 2000). A. mongholicus roots of high quality are produced in Northwest and North China. Since July 2021, powdery mildew outbreaks happened annually on the leaves of A. mongholicus in a plantation (123° 56' 40'' E, 47° 22' 20'' N) in Qiqihar city, Heilongjiang Province, China. Disease incidence reached 100% by October (Fig. 1A-C), causing severe impairment of growth. Powdery mildew spots of circular or irregular shapes emerged on upper surface of leaf, resulting in plentiful lesion specks. Dense white hyphae appeared chaotically intertwined. Hyphae were hyaline and highly flexuous, 5.3 - 10.7 μm in diameter (n = 20). Chasmothecia were globose or slightly ovoid-shaped and turned dark brown when matured. Chasmothecia (diameter: 135.2 - 222.9 μm, n = 20) existed abundantly on the diseased leaves in the fields. Conidiophores were 89.0 - 129.9 μm in length (n = 20) and composed of one cylindrical, straight foot cell, followed by two cells and one to three conidia. Conidia were slim ellipsoid-shaped, occasionally ovoid-shaped, measuring 14.6 - 24.7 μm by 6.4 to10.4 μm, length/width ratio was 1.8 - 3.0 (n = 30). Hyphal appressoria were nipple-shaped and appeared in singular, occasionally in pairs. Unbranched germ tube emerged reaching out of the germinating conidia while forming an acute angle with the long axis. Comprehensively, the pathogen exhibited micro-morphology of the genus Erysiphe. For molecular identification, pathogen was carefully scraped off diseased leaves for DNA extraction. We used the DNA samples of three biological replicates for the sequencing of the ITS rDNA fragment (primers by (White et al. 1990). All the samples resulted in an identical ITS sequence (deposited in GenBank as OQ390098.1). It displayed 99.83% identity with OP806835.1 of an E. astragali voucher collected in Iran (Fig. 1D-M, O). Hence, our pathogen was identified as an E. astragali stain. Additionally, we amplified the Mcm7 sequence (using primers by (Ellingham et al. 2019), deposited as OQ397582.1). We propagated 40-day-old A. mongholicus plants via germinating seeds in pot soil and performed pathogenicity tests. Firstly, we incubated detached healthy leaves of propagated plants with severely symptomatic leaves collected from the fields in petri dishes under saturated moisture content and room temperature. Powdery mildew symptoms emerged on each healthy leaf (n = 5) after two weeks. Further, we infected healthy plants (n = 5) by gently pressing and rubbing symptomatic leaves on each healthy leaf, and kept them in a greenhouse (24 ℃, 80% humidity, 16/8-hour light/dark cycle). After a month, symptoms emerged on a number of leaves of each infected plant. We performed micromorphology observation (Fig. 1N-P) and ITS sequencing to confirm that the results fulfilled Koch's postulates. Powdery mildew caused by E. astragali on A. strictus in Tibet (Wang and Jiang 2023) and on A. scaberrimus in Inner Mongolia (Sun et al. 2023) have been reported. Here we report powdery mildew caused by E. astragali on Astragalus mongholicus for the first time. These Astragalus spp. are all acknowledged to have medicinal values in China but their usages are quite different.

Suspension cell cultures of Panax vietnamensis as a biotechnological source of ginsenosides: growth, cytology, and ginsenoside profile assessment.

Panax vietnamensis is a valuable medicinal plant and a source of a broad spectrum of biologically active ginsenosides of different structural groups. Overexploitation and low adaptability to planation cultivation have made this species vulnerable to human pressure and prompted the development of cell cultivation in vitro as a sustainable alternative to harvesting wild plants for their bioactive components. Despite high interest in biotechnological production, little is known about the main factors affecting cell growth and ginsenoside biosynthesis of this species under in vitro conditions. In this study, the potential of cell cultures of P. vietnamensis as a biotechnological source of ginsenosides was was assessed. Six suspension cell lines that were developed from different sections of a single rhizome through a multi-step culture optimization process and maintained for over 3 years on media with different mineral salt base and varying contents of auxins and cytokinins. These cell lines were evaluated for productivity parameters and cytological characteristics. Ginsenoside profiles were assessed using a combination of the reversed-phase ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-Orbitrap-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Orbitrap-MS/MS) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-time of flight-mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOF-MS). All lines demonstrated good growth with a specific growth rate of 0.1-0.2 day-1, economic coefficient of 0.31-0.70, productivity on dry weight (DW) of 0.30-0.83 gDW (L·day)-1, and maximum biomass accumulation varying from 10 to 22 gDW L-1. Ginsenosides of the protopanaxadiol (Rb1, Rb2/Rb3, malonyl-Rb1, and malonyl-Rb2/Rb3), oleanolic acid (R0 and chikusetsusaponin IV), and ocotillol (vinaginsenoside R1) groups and their isomers were identified in cell biomass extracts. Chikusetsusaponin IV was identified in P. vietnamensis cell culture for the first time. These results suggest that suspension cell cultures of Vietnamese ginseng have a high potential for the biotechnological production of biomass containing ginsenosides, particularly of the oleanolic acid and ocotillol groups.

Assessing the risks to valuable medicinal plants in Nepal from human activities and environmental factors

The demand for trade has led to unsustainable harvesting of medicinal plants, causing a decline in their population in natural habitats. This presents a notable problem, however, there is a lack of information regarding the severity of the threat to these resources. To address this, a study was conducted to identify high-value medicinal plants in the Annapurna Conservation Area in Nepal and evaluate their potential endangerment by using the Rapid Vulnerability Assessment method (RVA). The study also calculated the distribution of these plants in different habitats and their population size. Results showed that there were 19 threatened, high-value medicinal plants in the region frequently used by local communities and with high trade values. Rhizome/roots were the most commonly used plant parts (58%), followed by whole plants (37%). The wild population of these plants was found to be low, with varying abundance among different habitats. Overexploitation driven by high trade demand, low population density, and critical life forms were identified as the main threats to these plants. The study placed Dactylorhiza hatagirea and Neopicrorhiza scrophulariiflora in the highest threat category. Effective conservation and management measures, both in-situ and ex-situ, were suggested based on the population and threat status of these high-value medicinal plants.

The Different Composition of Coumarins and Antibacterial Activity of Phlojodicarpus sibiricus and Phlojodicarpus villosus Root Extracts.

Phlojodicarpus sibiricus, a valuable endangered medicinal plant, is a source of angular pyranocoumarins used in pharmacology. Due to limited resource availability, other pyranocoumarin sources are needed. In the present research, the chemical composition of a closely related species, Phlojodicarpus villosus, was studied, along with P. sibiricus. High-performance liquid chromatography and mass-spectrometric analyses, followed by antibacterial activity studies of root extracts from both species, were performed. P. sibiricus and P. villosus differed significantly in coumarin composition. Pyranocoumarins predominated in P. sibiricus, while furanocoumarins predominated in P. villosus. Osthenol, the precursor of angular pyrano- and furanocoumarins, was detected in both P. sibiricus and P. villosus. Angular forms of coumarins were detected in both species according to the mass-spectrometric behavior of the reference. Thus, P. villosus cannot be an additional source of pyranocoumarins because their content in the plant is critically low. At the same time, the plant contained large amounts of hydroxycoumarins and furanocoumarins. The extracts exhibited moderate antibacterial activity against five standard strains. The P. villosus extract additionally suppressed the growth of the Gram-negative bacterium E. coli. Thus, both Phlojodicarpus species are promising for further investigation in the field of pharmaceuticals as producers of different coumarins.

Study of timing of irrigation after foliar application of putrescine on phytochemical and physiological responses of sage

AbstractSalvia officinalis L. (sage) is a valuable medicinal plant with various secondary metabolites. These compounds are usually inducible by different stress conditions, for example, water‐deficit stress. Therefore, cost‐effective and eco‐friendly approaches for alleviating water‐deficit stress in medicinal plant crops are in high demand. Polyamines (PAs), such as putrescine, have a significant effect on improving crop yield under water‐deficit stress conditions. Therefore, a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design using two factors and three replications was conducted. Treatments included irrigation regime (IR) and timing of IR after foliar application of putrescine (TIRFP) as follows: irrigation after depletion of 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% available soil water (ASWD). TIRFP was performed at 0, 24, 48, and 72 h. The treatments affected morphological, physiological, molecular, and biochemical attributes. TIRFP of 72 h under IR of 80% ASWD improved the leaf area index, relative water content, antioxidant enzyme activities, and total radical scavenging capacity compared with the controlled treatment. The results of real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis showed the highest level of sabinene synthase (SS) and bornyl diphosphate synthase (BPPS), the highest contents of 1,8‐cineole, β‐thujone, and camphor appeared in plants after 72 h of TIRFP under IR of 80% ASWD. The findings of this study confirm the protective role of putrescine against water stress. In conclusion, putrescine foliar application allows for balanced water retention. It preserves antioxidant capacity resulting in efficient photosynthesis and the restricted risk of oxidative damage under water‐deficit stress. It improves sage plants’ physiological attributes and valuable monoterpenes components of essential oil.

A Cotyledon-based Virus-Induced Gene Silencing (Cotyledon-VIGS) approach to study specialized metabolism in medicinal plants

BackgroundVirus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is widely used in plant functional genomics. However, the efficiency of VIGS in young plantlets varies across plant species. Additionally, VIGS is not optimized for many plant species, especially medicinal plants that produce valuable specialized metabolites.ResultsWe evaluated the efficacy of five-day-old, etiolated seedlings of Catharanthus roseus (periwinkle) for VIGS. The seedlings were vacuum-infiltrated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens GV3101 cells carrying the tobacco rattle virus (TRV) vectors. The protoporphyrin IX magnesium chelatase subunit H (ChlH) gene, a key gene in chlorophyll biosynthesis, was used as the target for VIGS, and we observed yellow cotyledons 6 days after infiltration. As expected, the expression of CrChlH and the chlorophyll contents of the cotyledons were significantly decreased after VIGS. To validate the cotyledon based-VIGS method, we silenced the genes encoding several transcriptional regulators of the terpenoid indole alkaloid (TIA) biosynthesis in C. roseus, including two activators (CrGATA1 and CrMYC2) and two repressors (CrGBF1 and CrGBF2). Silencing CrGATA1 led to downregulation of the vindoline pathway genes (T3O, T3R, and DAT) and decreased vindoline contents in cotyledons. Silencing CrMYC2, followed by elicitation with methyl jasmonate (MeJA), resulted in the downregulation of ORCA2 and ORCA3. We also co-infiltrated C. roseus seedlings with TRV vectors that silence both CrGBF1 and CrGBF2 and overexpress CrMYC2, aiming to simultaneous silencing two repressors while overexpressing an activator. The simultaneous manipulation of repressors and activator resulted in significant upregulation of the TIA pathway genes. To demonstrate the broad application of the cotyledon-based VIGS method, we optimized the method for two other valuable medicinal plants, Glycyrrhiza inflata (licorice) and Artemisia annua (sweet wormwood). When TRV vectors carrying the fragments of the ChlH genes were infiltrated into the seedlings of these plants, we observed yellow cotyledons with decreased chlorophyll contents.ConclusionsThe widely applicable cotyledon-based VIGS method is faster, more efficient, and easily accessible to additional treatments than the traditional VIGS method. It can be combined with transient gene overexpression to achieve simultaneous up- and down-regulation of desired genes in non-model plants. This method provides a powerful tool for functional genomics of medicinal plants, facilitating the discovery and production of valuable therapeutic compounds.

Bioactive compounds of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi wild-growing populations from Bulgaria

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Sprengel (bearberry), Ericaceae is a valuable medicinal plant with diuretic and uroantiseptic action which is mainly due to arbutin. In Bulgaria the species is considered as rare. Content assessment of bioactive compounds of A. uva-ursi leaves from three natural populations from Bulgaria was the aim of the present study. Leaf samples were collected from Pirin, Vitosha, and Rhodope Mountains. Bioactive compounds in the methanolic extracts of the samples were analysed by GC/MS. Total phenolic content was determined using Folin–Ciocalteu reagent. Arbutin, quinic acid and gallic acid were detected in the highest amounts. Catechine, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, chlorogenic acid, triterpenes (α- and β-amyrin, uvaol and lupeol) and other primary and secondary metabolites were found, also. Differences in the content of individual compounds between samples of different origin were established. The highest total phenolic (182.98 mg GAE g-1) and arbutin (8.4%) content was found in the sample from Vitosha Mountain. The presented data characterizes the profile of bioactive compounds in the Bulgarian bearberry raw material for the first time.

Integrated Transcriptomics and Metabolomics Analysis Reveals the Effects of Cutting on the Synthesis of Flavonoids and Saponins in Chinese Herbal Medicine Astragalus mongholious.

Astragali Radix, derived from the roots of Astragalus mongholicus, is a traditional Chinese medicine containing flavonoids and saponins as its key ingredients. With a shortage in the wild sources of the herbal plant, it is especially important to explore a cultivation mode for A. mongholicus for medicinal purposes. Cutting, a physical environmental stress method, was used in this study with the objective of improving the quality of this herbal legume. We found that cutting of the top 1/3 of the aboveground part of A. mongholicus during the fruiting period resulted in a significant increase in the content of flavonoids and saponins, as well as in root growth, including length, diameter, and dry weight. Furthermore, the leaves were sampled and analyzed using a combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis approach at five different time points after the treatment. Sixteen differentially expressed unigenes (DEGs) involved in the biosynthesis of flavonoids were identified; these were found to stimulate the synthesis of flavonoids such as formononetin and calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside. Moreover, we identified 10 DEGs that were associated with the biosynthesis of saponins, including astragaloside IV and soyasaponin I, and found that they only regulated the mevalonic acid (MVA) pathway. These findings provide new insights into cultivating high-quality A. mongholicus, which could potentially alleviate the scarcity of this valuable medicinal plant.

Development of reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) for rapid detection of viruses infecting patchouli (Pogostemon cablin).

Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin), a highly valued medicinal plant, suffers significant economic losses following infection with Broad bean wilt virus 2 (BBWV-2) and Peanut stripe virus (PStV). In this study, a field-based isothermal technique called reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) was established for an early and specific detection of BBWV-2 and PStV. The oligo primers were designed to target the coat protein genes of PStV and BBWV-2. The reaction conditions, such as temperature and time duration, were optimized to 65°C for 60min. The LAMP amplicons positive for PStV and BBWV-2 revealed characteristic ladder-type bands following agarose gel electrophoresis. Further, a colorimetric assay using a metal ion-based indicator (Hydroxy-naphthol blue, HNB) was conducted to visualize the amplified products with the naked eye, thus facilitating accessibility to field practices. The assay developed in this study was found to be virus specific, and was 100 times more sensitive than RT-PCR. Thus, the RT-LAMP assay established in this study is quick, reliable, and cost-effective for the accurate identification of BBWV-2 and PStV. It will facilitate the screening of patchouli planting materials. Further, it may reduce the risk of virus spread and could be helpful in phytosanitary programs.

Antioxidant Potential and Identification of Elite Chemotype of Blumea Lacera (Burm.f.) Dc Germplasms Collected from Gangetic Plains, India

This research paper investigates the antioxidant potential and identification of elite chemotype within Blumea lacera (Burm.f.) DC germplasms collected from the Gangetic plains, India. Blumea lacera, a traditionally significant medicinal plant, is known for its diverse pharmacological properties. In this study, leaves from various germplasms were subjected to thorough phytochemical analysis, aiming to elucidate their antioxidant activity and identify chemotypes with elevated bioactive compound content. The antioxidant potential of Blumea lacera was evaluated through in vitro assays, including DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging activity and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power). Additionally, total phenolic and flavonoid contents were quantified spectrophotometrically. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLTC) was employed to identify and quantify specific antioxidant compounds. Results revealed substantial antioxidant activity across the germplasms, with notable variations in phenolic and flavonoid contents. HPLC analyses identified key antioxidants, shedding light on the chemotypic diversity within the species. Further, certain elite chemotypes exhibited significantly higher levels of specific bioactive compounds, signifying their potential for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. This study contributes to the understanding of Blumea lacera's antioxidant potential and the identification of chemotypes with enhanced bioactivity. The elucidation of distinct chemotypes serves as a foundation for future breeding and conservation programs, facilitating the sustainable utilization of this valuable medicinal plant in pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.

Discovery of plant chemical defence mediated by a two-component system involving β-glucosidase in Panax species

Plants usually produce defence metabolites in non-active forms to minimize the risk of harm to themselves and spatiotemporally activate these defence metabolites upon pathogen attack. This so-called two-component system plays a decisive role in the chemical defence of various plants. Here, we discovered that Panax notoginseng, a valuable medicinal plant, has evolved a two-component chemical defence system composed of a chloroplast-localized β-glucosidase, denominated PnGH1, and its substrates 20(S)-protopanaxadiol ginsenosides. The β-glucosidase and its substrates are spatially separated in cells under physiological conditions, and ginsenoside hydrolysis is therefore activated only upon chloroplast disruption, which is caused by the induced exoenzymes of pathogenic fungi upon exposure to plant leaves. This activation of PnGH1-mediated hydrolysis results in the production of a series of less-polar ginsenosides by selective hydrolysis of an outer glucose at the C-3 site, with a broader spectrum and more potent antifungal activity in vitro and in vivo than the precursor molecules. Furthermore, such β-glucosidase-mediated hydrolysis upon fungal infection was also found in the congeneric species P. quinquefolium and P. ginseng. Our findings reveal a two-component chemical defence system in Panax species and offer insights for developing botanical pesticides for disease management in Panax species.

Indian Medicinal Plants with Multiple Pharmacological Efficacies: A Comprehensive Review

Medicinal herbs have long been utilized by numerous countries, ethnic groups, and cultures across the globe to treat various diseases since ancient times. A variety of phytochemicals, including alkaloids, tannins, carotenoids, proteins, chlorophyll, phytosterols, glycosides, phenols, flavonoids, and diterpenes, as well as minerals, vitamins and other crucial nutrients are abundantly found in medicinal plants. Medicinal plants and herbs are very useful for developing new drugs due to their potent pharmacological properties. Traditional Indian system of medicines consists of a wealth of information on medicinal plants, which contributed to developing therapies for communicable and non-communicable diseases. The present review summarizes the pharmacological characteristics such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antidiabetic, anticancer, antiulcer, hepatoprotective and cardioprotective effects of some valuable medicinal plants and herbs.
 Keywords: Indian medicinal plants; Bioactive constituents; Pharmacological efficacies.