The genus Vincetoxicum belongs to the family Apocynaceae, known for its medicinal properties. This study focuses on fatty acid, amino acid, sterol, total phenolic, and total flavonoid contents; and antioxidant (by 2,-2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthioazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), Cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) tests), antimicrobial, and antibiofilm potential of Vincetoxicum hirundinaria seeds growing wild in Turkey. Chromatographic methods were used for chemical analyses. The most abundant fatty acids were linoleic, oleic, and palmitic acids (48.56%, 28.66%, and 10.15%, respectively). β-sitosterol was the major sterol (61.93%) and glutamic acid was the major amino acid (7463 mg/100 g) in seeds. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were 12.7 ± 0.28 mg GAE/g seed and 2.55 ± 0.12 mg QE/g seed, respectively. The DPPH radical scavenging activity (0.83 ± 0.02 mM AAE/g seed), ABTS assay (3.61 ± 0.001 mM TE/g seed), and CUPRAC assay (23.8 ± 0.002 mM AAE/g seed) results were evaluated. The MIC values of the tested extract were ranging from 125 to 62.5 µg/mL. The results of the biofilm prevention study were determined as 40% and 37% at the concentrations of MIC/2 and MIC/4, respectively. The results of the biofilm eradication study were determined as 38%, 47%, and 52% at the concentrations of MIC/2, MIC, and 2XMIC, respectively. This is the first study on the seeds’ chemical content and antioxidant potential. The seeds can be viewed as a promising bio-resource for food, pharmaceutical, and biomedical industries due to their chemical, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antibiofilm properties.

This article provides a regional survey of the syntaxa of shrub and tree-shrub vegetation of the class Crataego-Prunetea Tx. 1962 nom. conserv. propos., which represents scrub and mantle vegetation seral or marginal to broad-leaved forests in the nemoral zone and the submediterranean regions of Europe. Until recently, the study of this vegetation in Russia was very fragmentary, and data on the diversity of shrub communities in the country were practically not used in the European Checklist (Mucina et al., 2016). Some problematic issues in the study of the ecology and geography of shrub vegetation, in particular, their differentiation from shrub steppes, successional status, according to the authors, require detailed study. The data for the review was the database including 130 relevés done by the authors in 2005–2023 in the Southwest of Russia (Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, Lipetsk, Oryol, Rostov, and Tula Regions). 103 relevés are presented for the first time; although 38 of these were previously published, but after comparative analysis, their syntaxonomic position was changed. For higher units of shrub vegetation, regional diagnostic combinations are established, which included species with constancy of more than 20 % and statistical φ-coefficient of accuracy values more than 20 (p < 0.05). Based on the analysis, the following regional diagnostic combination was identified for the class Crataego-Prunetea: Agrimonia eupatoria s. l., Fragaria viridis, Phlomoides tuberosa, Poa angustifolia, Prunus fruticosa, P. spinosa s. l., P. tenella, Rhamnus cathartica, Rosa canina aggr. Its peculiarity is the absence of shrub species of genera Crataegus, Rubus and Rosa (with the exception of R. canina aggr.), which are traditionally diagnostic for the class in the Central and Southern Europe communities (Mucina et al., 2016). Attention is also drawn to the revealed fidelity of species of meadow steppes, steppe forest edges and meadows to this group of relevés: Agrimonia eupatoria s. l., Fragaria viridis, Phlomoides tuberosa, Poa angustifolia, which corresponds to the pattern of communities on the “forest–steppe” gradient in the Southwest of Russia. In the study area, the class is represented by the only order Prunetalia spinosae Tx. 1952, the diagnostic species of which are accepted within the scope of the class, and 3 alliances in its composition: Berberidion vulgaris Br.-Bl. ex Tx. 1952 nom. conserv. propos., Acerion tatarici Fitsailo 2007 nom. dub. propos., Prunion fruticosae Tx. 1952. It is recommended to change the verbal diagnosis of the alliance Berberidion vulgaris, which, according to as our study shows, unites thermophylous shrub and tree-shrub communities of the temperate and sub-Mediterranean parts of not only Southern and Central, but also Eastern Europe. Regional combination of diagnostic species of the alliance are Agrimonia eupatoria, Campanula rapunculoides, Prunus spinosa s. l., Rhamnus cathartica. The alliance Acerion tatarici unites tree-shrub thermophylous communities with the presence and dominance of Acer tataricum on the slopes of ravines and river valleys, edges of broad-leaved forests and outskirts of steppe areas in the forest-steppe and steppe zones in Eastern Europe. Diagnostic combination of the alliance are Acer tataricum, Alliaria petiolata, Aristolochia clematitis, Euphorbia stepposa, Scutellaria altissima, Ulmus minor. We pre-suggest rejecting the name of the alliance as doubtful (nom. dub. propos.) due to errors in its original establishment. A unit of similar content might be described with the accumulation of geobotanical data. The alliance Prunion fruticosae unites subcontinental and continental shrub communities of the forest-steppe and steppe zones of Central and Eastern Europe. Regional diagnostic combination of the alliance: Adonis vernalis, Chamaecytisus ruthenicus, Coronilla varia, Filipendula vulgaris, Galium verum s. l., Iris aphylla, Phlomoides tuberosa, Prunus fruticosa, Prunus tenella, Salvia nutans, Seseli annuum, Stachys recta, Stipa pennata, Thalictrum minus s. l., Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, Xanthoselinum alsaticum. This combination high constancy of meadow-steppe and steppe herbs reflects significant steppization process. Based on floristic comparison with syntaxa known in Europe, we believe that it is inappropriate to classify communities formed by Prunus spinosa s. l., P. tenella and P. fruticosa in the Southwest of Russia either as widely interpreted syntaxa of Central Europe or as shrub steppes of more easterner regions of Russia. Within the two alliances and one order of the class Crataego-Prunetea, four new associations (Poo angustifoliae–Prunetum spinosae ass. nov., Urtico dioicae–Prunetum spinosae ass. nov., Agrimonio eupatoriae–Prunetum tenellae ass. nov., Phlomoido tuberosae–Prunetum fruticosae ass. nov.) and three subassociations (Poo angustifoliae–Prunetum spinosae typicum subass. nov., P. a.–P. s. galietosum veri subass. nov., P. a.–P. s. festucetosum valesiacae) are established. Some types of shrub communities in the studied area are still known from small relevé set in few sites including phytocoenoses dominated by species common in the communities of the class Crataego-Prunetea, whose position in the syntaxonomic hierarchy is yet not clear. That is the reason of the so far non-rank status of the communities Cornus sanguinea, Rhamnus cathartica, and Lonicera tatarica within this class.

Plants and their uses in dermatological recipes of the Receptarium of Burkhard III von Hallwyl from 16th century Switzerland – Data mining a historical text and preliminary in vitro screening

The paper presents data on the feeding of three species of bugs of the Lygaeidae family: Tropidothorax leucopterus (Goeze, 1778), Lygaeus equestris (Linnaeus, 1758) and L. simulans (Deckert, 1985) on common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L.) in the conditions of Kaniv nature reserve, located in the forest-steppe zone in the central part of Ukraine. Common milkweed is a dangerous invasive species, a transformer of ecosystems, which poses a threat to local plant and animal communities. There is a problem in finding methods of limiting the spread of populations of this species. Among the factors that contribute to its limitation may be the consumption of common milkweed by animals, in particular by phytophagous insects. The study was conducted during the growing seasons of 2022 and 2023 on the grassland area overgrown with tree and shrub vegetation on the hills on the right bank of the Dnipro River. Tropidothorax leucopterus were feeding on sap from the vegetative body of common milkweed plants, being, for the most part, on the lower surface of the leaves. They formed dense groups, and the number of bugs on one plant could reach up to 100 individuals. Both the nymphs (from June to September) and the adults (from August to October) of this species were noted. During the study, it was also observed feeding of this species on the white swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum hirundinaria Medik.), which is a traditional food object for this insect. But only single individuals of these bugs were found on the white swallow-wort. The representatives of the other two species, Lygaeus equestris and L. simulans, fed on the content of the common milkweed seeds during the fruit opening period. Separate individuals or small groups (up to 20 individuals) were observed, adults and single nymphs were noted. The transition of native phytophagous species to feeding on the common milkweed can facilitate its inclusion in food chains in local ecosystems and limit the spread of this aggressive introduced plant species

The present text is a small commentary on a classic case of cultural conflict that occurred in Wallachia in 1835 under the Organic Regulations regime. Starting from the discovery of some unknown documents in the archives of Romanați county, relating to the public proclamation of the non-existence of the plant iarba fiarelor (white swallowwort), which was made use of by treasure hunters at the time, we have tried to establish what was at stake in this conflict. Popular culture suddenly became a threat to the authorities of a modern state that was operating a real process of socio-cultural dressage in that period, a move that inevitably brought it into a precisely datable conflict with those who still remained faithful to a folklore culture. One of those happy cases in which history comes to the aid of ethnology.

Conservation strategy, phytochemical diversity, and genetic consistency assessment of in vitro propagated perennial herb Vincetoxicum hirundinaria Medik

Both plant nectar production and insect activity are highly dependent on abiotic environmental conditions. Furthermore, the foraging behaviour of insect pollinators can be affected by nectar properties. In the context of climate change, it is important to understand how plant-pollinator interactions respond to temperature and other abiotic factors. We investigated the effect of natural variation in temperature and solar radiation on nectar quantity (nectar volume) and quality (sucrose concentration and sucrose mass) and on flower visitation rates in four herbaceous plant species (Dictamnus albus, Lamium album, Salvia officinalis, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria) in the Botanical Garden Halle (Germany). Temperature affected nectar properties in all four species. Solar radiation affected nectar quantity and quality in two species, most likely by affecting flower temperature. The number of flower visits was unimodally related to temperature for two species and positively related to solar radiation in another. The variable responses across plant species in the effects of abiotic factors on nectar properties and flower visitation patterns may be due to differences in flower shape and colour, to differences in the composition of flower visitors, or due to other unmeasured extrinsic factors that vary across patches where these species occur. Our study highlights the importance of considering direct and indirect effects of climate factors on pollinator visitation in multiple plant species.

Species that exhibit very peculiar ecological traits combined with limited dispersal ability pose a challenge to our understanding of ecological and evolutionary mechanisms. This is especially true when they have managed to spread over long distances, overcome physical barriers, and colonize large areas. Climate and landscape changes, trophic web relations, as well as life history all interact to shape migration routes and present‐day species distributions and their population genetic structures. Here we analyzed the post‐glacial colonization of northern Europe by the gall midge Contarinia vincetoxici, which is a monophagous parasite on the perennial herb White swallowwort (Vincetoxicum hirundinaria). This insect not only has a narrow feeding niche but also limited dispersal ability and an exceptionally long dormancy. Gall midge larvae (n = 329) were collected from 16 sites along its distribution range in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. Using microsatellite loci and knowledge of the species and the regions' history, we investigated the role of landscape change, host plant distribution, insect population dynamics, and life history in shaping the population genetic structure of the insect. We devoted particular interest to the role of the insect's presumed poor dispersal capacity in combination with its exceptionally extended diapause. We found significant levels of local inbreeding (95% highest posterior density interval = 0.42–0.47), low‐level within‐population heterozygosity (mean HE = 0.45, range 0.20–0.61) with private alleles in all populations except two. We also found significant (p < .001) regional isolation‐by‐distance patterns, suggesting regularly recurring mainly short‐distance dispersal. According to approximate Bayesian computations, C. vincetoxici appears to have colonized the study area via wind‐aided flights from remote areas approximately 4600–700 years before present when the land has gradually risen above the sea level. Extremely long dormancy periods have allowed the species to “disperse in time”, thereby aiding population persistence despite generally low census population sizes.

The flora of three small islets located in the Korčula Archipelago was investigated on several occasions during 2020. In all, 105 plant taxa were recorded, of which 101 are angiosperms, 3 gymnosperms and with 1 fern. The total flora of the islets is distributed in 48 families. The families with the highest number of taxa are Poaceae (12.38%) and Asteraceae (10.48%), followed by Lamiaceae (7.62%) and Fabaceae (5.71%). The most common life forms are therophytes (31.43%), hemicryptophytes (27.62%) and phanerophytes (19.05%). The largest number of plant taxa is accounted for by the Mediterranean floral element (60.95%), followed by the South European (20.00%) In all, three endemic, four endangered and seven strictly protected taxa were recorded. Endemics are Carduus micropterus (Borbás) Teyber ssp. micropterus, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria Medik. ssp. adriaticum (Beck) Markgr and Limonium dictyophorum (Tausch) Degen. All recorded endemic taxa belong to the group Illyrian-Adriatic endemic plants. Endangered taxa are Desmazeria marina (L.) Druce, Elymus pycnathus (Godr.) Melderis and Narcissus tazetta L. Strictly protected taxa include Chenopodium murale L. and Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile. The invasive species Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist and Euphorbia prostrata Aiton have been recorded in the flora of the islet of Majsan.

In this study, it was aimed to determine the antimicrobial, antibiofilm activities and synergistic effects of ethanol extracts obtained from above-ground, root, seed and seed coat of Vincetoxicum hirundinaria Medic. Antimicrobial activity was performed against 7 bacterial and 3 fungal standard strains by microdilution method and minimum inhibition concentrations (MIC) were determined. The crystal violet method was applied to determine the prevention of biofilm formation and inhibition of preformed biofilm activities on P. aeruginosa biofilm. In addition, the synergistic effects of aerial part and seed extracts against both E. coli and E. faecalis were examined by the microdilution checkerboard method. According to the antimicrobial test results tested extracts had moderate to low efficacy against studied bacterial and yeast strains. The synergy test showed that the aerial and seed extracts had additive effect against both E. coli and E. faecalis. The extracts also showed the potential to inhibit biofilm formation and inhibit preformed biofilms. Root and seed pod extracts showed the strongest antibiofilm activity, while the aerial part extract was the weakest. In conclusion, our results prove that the tested extracts, especially obtained from root and seed pods and used in the treatment of many diseases, have potential in terms of antibiofilm activity. The literature search indicated that the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of V. hirundinaria was evaluated for the first time in the current study, therefore; our findings provide important preliminary data to the literature in terms of antibiofilm activity of V. hirundinaria

This paper presents the chromosome numbers (2n) for 13 alien species (from the families Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Polygonaceae, Solanaceae) in the Novosibirsk Region. For Vincetoxicum hirundinaria Medik. (2n = 22) and Sisymbrium altissimum L. (2n = 14), chromosome numbers were determined for the first time on the material from Russia; for Betonica officinalis L. (2n = 16) – from Asian Russia; for Stachys annua (L.) L. (2n = 34) – from West Siberia. Chromosome numbers on the material from the Novosibirsk Region were revealed for the first time for Cosmos bipinnatus Cav. (2n = 24), Inula helenium L. (2n = 20), Sonchus oleraceus L. (2n = 18), Medicago sativa subsp. varia(Martyn) Arcang. (2n = 32), Rumex obtusifolius L. (2n = 20) and Solanum nigrum L. (2n = 48). For all the species studied, brief notes on their general distribution and dispersal in the Novosibirsk Region are provided, along with literature data on chromosome numbers from other regions of Russia.

Fragmented landscapes may have implications for the genetic structure of populations and for the microevolution of plant species. In particular, landscape fragmentation and/or population isolation might affect the evolution of plant mating systems. Here, we study the consequences of landscape fragmentation on the genetic structure of populations of a perennial herb, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria with a mixed mating system. Our study area, the south‐western Finnish archipelago, was formed after the glacial ice sheet started to retreat 12 000 years ago. Due to the isostatic land uplift following the glacial retreat, suitable habitats have been formed gradually, and as a consequence, populations of V. hirundinaria differ in age, size and their degree of isolation in the area. We hypothesized that a mixed‐mating system has been selected for in these populations due to the advantage of self‐fertilization in newly colonized areas and the advantage of outcrossing in adaptation to heterogeneous environments. To test this hypothesis, we collected seeds of open‐pollinated flowers from 13 V. hirundinaria populations differing in size, age and isolation, and used 15 microsatellite markers to perform progeny‐array analysis to estimate population‐level outcrossing rates, population genetic indices and population structure. We found that V. hirundinaria is almost completely outcrossing in the study area with no signs of past self‐fertilization and/or mating among relatives. The overall low inbreeding coefficients indicate that even in small populations mating among relatives is rare. High allelic richness of both maternal and offspring genotypes as well as limited genetic differentiation among the studied populations indicate strong gene flow among them. Our findings suggest that V. hirundinaria has successful seed and pollen dispersal among populations that has allowed colonization of new habitats in this fragmented landscape and led to a genetically well‐mixed group of populations at the scale of the study.

Host specialization is considered a primary driver of the enormous diversity of herbivorous insects. Trade-offs in host use are hypothesized to promote this specialization, but they have mostly been studied in generalist herbivores. We conducted a multi-generation selection experiment to examine the adaptation of the specialist seed-feeding bug, Lygaeus equestris, to three novel host plants (Helianthus annuus, Verbascum thapsus and Centaurea phrygia) and to test whether trade-offs promote specialization. During the selection experiment, body size of L. equestris increased more on the novel host plant H. annuus compared to the primary host plant, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, but this effect was not observed in other fitness related traits. In addition to selection, genetic drift caused variation among the experimental herbivore populations in their ability to exploit the host plants. Microsatellite data indicated that the level of within-population genetic variation decreased and population differentiation increased more in the selection line feeding on H. annuus compared to V. hirundinaria. We found a negative correlation between genetic differentiation and heterozygosity at the end of the experiment, suggesting that differentiation was significantly affected by genetic drift. We did not find fitness trade-offs between L. equestris feeding on the four hosts. Thus, trade-offs do not seem to promote specialization in L. equestris. Our results suggest that this insect herbivore is not likely to adapt to a novel host species in a time-scale of 20 generations despite sufficient genetic variation and that genetic drift disrupted the response to selection.

BackgroundRespiratory viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or rhinovirus are one of the major causes for respiratory tract infections causing common cold disease. Respiratory viral infections range from mild symptoms in adults to serious illness especially in the very young or elderly as well as patients suffering from lung diseases or being immunocompromised due to other reasons. Engystol (EGY-2) is a multicomponent, multitarget preparation consisting of Vincetoxicum hirundinaria and Sulfur in various dilutions. The study objective was to test the effect of EGY-2 on the innate immune response during the early onset of respiratory viral infection in vivo as exemplified in a mouse model of RSV-induced respiratory inflammation.MethodsNaïve BALB/c mice were infected with 1x106 infectious units RSV A2 intranasally to cause a mild respiratory infection. EGY-2 was administered daily per oral gavage starting seven days prior to RSV infection at doses of 0.4 to 5.1 tablets/kg. Control groups received placebo treatment. Animals were sacrificed 1 to 3 days post infection (p.i.) to analyse the infection and induced immune response in the lung. Viral load in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung homogenate was determined by TCID50 assay as well as immunofluorescence staining of BALF cells using anti-RSV antibody and microscopic analysis. The RSV induced immune response was assessed by evaluation of BALF differential cell count, BALF cytokine secretion and analysis of the phagocytic capacity of alveolar macrophages.ResultsEGY-2 significantly reduced the RSV induced neutrophil and early lymphocyte influx on day 1 p.i. in BALF. EGY-2 treatment significantly diminished the RSV induced secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, KC and TNF-α at day 1. EGY-2 treatment was not protective for RSV infection per se, as no alteration in the viral load in lung and BALF was detected. Enhanced numbers of phagocytic-active macrophages were observed in EGY-2 treated animals on day 1 and this macrophage population showed strongly enhanced phagocytic activity on day 1 and day 3.ConclusionThe data suggest a beneficial immunomodulatory effect of EGY-2 during early onset of respiratory viral infection in vivo, mediated by stimulation of macrophage phagocytosis, resulting in a reduced innate inflammatory response in terms of neutrophil and early lymphocyte infiltration as well as reduced inflammatory cytokine secretion.

According to the goals and objectives of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation for 2011–2020 studying and monitoring the rare component of regional floras is highly relevant. This article presents the results of a nature conservation study of the flora of the Desna Plateau (Кrolevets’ and Hlukhiv geobotanic region), situated in the northeast part of Ukraine at the border line of two geomorphological regions (the Central Russian Upland and the Polesia-Dnipro lowland) and of two physical-geographical zones (Novhorod-Sivers`ke Polesia and the Sums`ky forest-steppe. In the orographic aspect, the territory is made up of the western spurs of the Central Russian Upland with the dissectioned forms of the relief. The studied area consists of about 4000 km2. Field route studies aimed at compiling floral lists, geobotanical description and herbarizing were conducted in the period 2002–2016. Separate sites of nature conservation interest were re-examined in different seasonal periods. The basis of the annotated summary of the rare species of vascular plant flora is made up by the materials of original research, as well as herbarium (KW) and literary reviews. The complex floristic analysis of the rare component of the regional flora was carried out in cameral conditions, which made it possible to identify the systematic, geographical, ecological, phytocenological and nature conservation structures of the rare species of vascular plant flora in the investigated area. According to the data received, the total number of species of vascular plants endangered by anthropogenic impact is composed of 85 species belonging to 32 families, 54 genera. Among the families, the following predominate: Orchidaceae (14 genera), Asteraceae, Ranunculaceae (8 genera in each), Iridaceae (5), Aspidiaceae, Cyperaceae (4 genera in each). Among the genera, the following predominate – Carex (4 species); Dryopteris, Orchis, Iris, Jurinea – 3 species in each. It was concluded that among the rare species there are plant species of different physical and geographical zones and this corresponds to the ecotone location of the region. Among species at the edge of their range, 14 are on the extreme northern border of their typical range (Linum flavum L., Carex rhizina Blytt ex Lindb., Centaurea ruthenica Lam., Trinia multicaulis Schishk, Aster amellus L., Galatella linosyris (L.) Rchb. f., Stipa tirsa Steven), 7 species are found on the southern border of their range (Cypripedium calceolus L., Pedicularis sceptrum-carolinum L., Parnassia palustris L., Lycopodium annotinum L., 4 species (Anemone nemorosa L., Salix myrsinifolia Salisb., Galanthus nivalis L., Gladiolus imbricatus L. are found on the eastern border of their distribution. The nature conservation structure includes 4 species from the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Dracocephalum ruyschiana L., Pulsatilla patens (L.) Mill s.l., Salvinia natans L., Ostericum palustre (Bess) Bess); 3 species from the supplement to the CITES Convention (Adonis vernalis L., Cypripedium calceolus L., Orchis militaris L.), 27 species from the Red Book of Ukraine (Lilium martagon L., Allium ursinum L., Neottia nidus-avis (L.) Rich, Stipa pennata L.), 49 species from Sumy region rare species list (Clematis recta L., Pulsatilla patens (L.) Mill., Eremogone saxatilis (L.) Ikonn., Drosera rotundifolia L., Pedicularis kaufmannii Pinzg., Carex limosa L., C. umbrosa Host.). In addition, we suggest including into this list Sanquisorba officinalis L., Briza media L., Beckmania eruciformis (L.) Host., Melica nutans L., Coronilla varia L., Salvia nutans L., Scilla siberica Haw., Corydalis solida (L.) Clairv., Valeriana officinalis L., Vincetoxicum hirundinaria Medic., Menyanthes trifoliata L., Hesperis matronalis L., Naumburgia thyrsiflora (L.) Rchb., Thalictrum aquilegifolium L., T. minus L., Verbascum nigrum L., Polygonatum multiflorum (L.) All. It was found that among the rare species of the region mesophytes predominate and they are confined to meadow and forest habitats. To a lesser extent, xeromesophytes and xerophytes of meadow-steppe, as well as hygrophytes and hydrophytes of shoreline and water habitats are represented. The nature reserve fund of the region was analyzed according to the methodology of assessing the nature reserves by botanical value priority criteria. To optimize the region's nature reserve fund, a rationale for creating a landscape reserve of local significance “Zvenyhorods'ky” with a total area of 2,000 hectares was compiled, giving it the status of a regional biodiversity centre.

The study documents plant species used by the residents of Kugti an interior Himalayan village, through observations and interviews. Forty four plant species belonging to 32 families were being used as edible, medicine, dye, magico-religious, socio-cultural, and starter purposes. Use of Plectranthus rugosus, Wikstroemia canescens, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria and Angelica glauca are unique to the area.

SummarySusceptibility of 18 alternate host species to Cronartium flaccidum or C. ribicola was tested. Alive test plants were inoculated in the greenhouse and the formation of Cronartium uredinia and telia was followed on the plants for 8 weeks. Cronartium flaccidum formed uredinia and telia on Bartsia alpina and Euphrasia stricta (Orobanchaceae), Nasa triphylla and N. urens (Loasaceae), Nemesia floribunda (Scrophulariaceae), Tropaeolum majus (Tropaeolaceae), Veronica daurica (Plantaginaceae) and Vincetoxicum hirundinaria (Apocynaceae). Single uredinia or telia developed also on N. urens and E. stricta inoculated with C. ribicola. For the first time, Cronartium are reported to sporulate on members of Loasaceae and Scrophulariaceae, N. urens and N. floribunda.

Local adaptation of interacting species to one another indicates geographically variable reciprocal selection. This process of adaptation is central in the organization and maintenance of genetic variation across populations. Given that the strength of selection and responses to it often vary in time and space, the strength of local adaptation should in theory vary between generations and among populations. However, such spatiotemporal variation has rarely been explicitly demonstrated in nature and local adaptation is commonly considered to be relatively static. We report persistent local adaptation of the short-lived herbivore Abrostola asclepiadis to its long-lived host plant Vincetoxicum hirundinaria over three successive generations in two studied populations and considerable temporal variation in local adaptation in six populations supporting the geographic mosaic theory. The observed variation in local adaptation among populations was best explained by geographic distance and population isolation, suggesting that gene flow reduces local adaptation. Changes in herbivore population size did not conclusively explain temporal variation in local adaptation. Our results also imply that short-term studies are likely to capture only a part of the existing variation in local adaptation.

Inbreeding can profoundly affect the interactions of plants with herbivores as well as with the natural enemies of the herbivores. We studied how plant inbreeding affects herbivore oviposition preference, and whether inbreeding of both plants and herbivores alters the probability of predation or parasitism of herbivore eggs. In a laboratory preference test with the specialist herbivore moth Abrostola asclepiadis and inbred and outbred Vincetoxicum hirundinaria plants, we discovered that herbivores preferred to oviposit on outbred plants. A field experiment with inbred and outbred plants that bore inbred or outbred herbivore eggs revealed that the eggs of the outbred herbivores were more likely to be lost by predation, parasitism or plant hypersensitive responses than inbred eggs. This difference did not lead to differences in the realized fecundity as the number of hatched larvae did not differ between inbred and outbred herbivores. Thus, the strength of inbreeding depression in herbivores decreases when their natural enemies are involved. Plant inbreeding did not alter the attraction of natural enemies of the eggs. We conclude that inbreeding can significantly alter the interactions of plants and herbivores at different life-history stages, and that some of these alterations are mediated by the natural enemies of the herbivores.

Scientists have brought an interesting trend in pharmaceutical development since the beginning of 21 century: return to nature as a source of potential drugs. However, in spite of the advances in the comprehension of benefits of natural products in medicinal applications, only little therapeutic progress was recorded for cancer disease. New strategies related to natural medicines are developing with focus on their possible role in chemoprevention and chemosensitization. This issue has been the focus of the Congress on Natural Products in Cancer Prevention and Therapy, 2 Edition. This meeting hosted by the University of Naples Federico II on behalf of the Phytochemical Society of Europe was held in Naples, Italy from 25th to 28th of June 2013. The aim of this congress was the presentation of recent results, discussion of trends, and exchange of ideas related to the medicinal chemistry aspects of natural products in cancer prevention and therapy. This special issue based on selected contributions of speakers presenting lectures at the symposium will focus on the natural compounds from plants, foods and other natural sources used in cancer therapy and chemoprevention. Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality in the industrialized world, second to lung cancer. Navarra and co-workers reported that the Citrus bergamia juice extract inhibited the proliferation in human colon cancer HT-29 cells. High dose of Citrus bergamia juice extract (2.5 mg/ml) enhanced ROS production, which lead to loss in mitochondrial membrane potential and oxidative DNA damage in HT-29 cells. However, low dose of Citrus bergamia juice extract (1 mg/ml) was found to inhibit ERK and p38 phosphorylation and altering apoptosis-related proteins (p21, Bax, Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL), which in turn reduced cell proliferation by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Lorenzetti and coworkers investigated the effects of several plant bioactive polyphenols, such as apigenin, genistein, luteolin, naringenin, quercetin and resveratrol, on inhibiting DHT-induced prostate-specific antigen secretion on human metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma LNCaP cells. It was found that selected flavonoids could inhibit the secretion of prostate-specific antigen in a wide range of concentrations from 1pM to 100mM. Bour et al. investigated the anti-cancer activities of antofine N-oxide isolated from the the medicinal plant Cynanchum vincetoxicum. Antofine N-oxide showed a significant cytotoxic effect on several solid tumor cell lines (glioblastoma, breast carcinoma and lung carcinoma) and T-cell leukemia. It was interesting to find that a number of genes in TNFα signaling pathway were up-regulated in these three solid tumor cell lines. Natural polyphenols exhibit benefits in a wide variety of pathophysiological settings. Biasutto et al. summarized the development of effective prodrugs of polyphenols. Biomedical applications of polyphenols are severely hindered by their low bioavailability, rapid metabolism, and generally low water solubility. Polyphenols derivatives are under development with the aim of improving their bioavailability and/or bioefficacy. Thus, the drugs are modified by chemical reaction of the hydroxyl groups to not hinder permeation of epithelia, to prevent conjugative modifications during absorption and first-pass through the liver; and to be eliminated with opportune kinetics to regenerate the parent compound.