Ethylene Is Crucial in Abscisic Acid-Mediated Modulation of Seed Vigor, Growth, and Photosynthesis of Salt-Treated Mustard.

The current study explored the differential interaction between ethylene (ET) and abscisic acid (ABA) in relation to salt stress in mustard (Brassica juncea L.) plants. Significant reductions in seed germination, growth, and photosynthesis were observed with 100 mmol NaCl. Among the cultivars tested, the Pusa Vijay cultivar was noted as ET-sensitive. Pusa Vijay responded maximally to an application of 2.0 mmol ethephon (Eth; 2-chloethyl phosphonic acid-ethylene source), and exhibited the greatest growth, photosynthesis, activity of 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase (ACS), and ET evolution. Notably, Eth (2.0 mmol) more significantly improved the seed germination percentage, germination and vigor index, amylase activity, and reduced H2O2 content under salt stress, while ABA (25 µmol) had negative effects. Moreover, the individual application of Eth and ABA on Pusa Vijay under both optimal and salt-stressed conditions increased the growth and photosynthetic attributes, nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) assimilation, and antioxidant defense machinery. The addition of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (0.01 µmol AVG, ET biosynthesis inhibitor) to ABA + NaCl-treated plants further added to the effects of ABA on parameters related to seed germination and resulted in less effectiveness of growth and photosynthesis. In contrast, the effects of Eth were seen with the addition of fluoridone (25 µmol Flu, ABA biosynthesis inhibitor) to Eth + NaCl. Thus, it can be suggested that ET is crucial for alleviating salt-induced inhibition in seed germination, growth, and photosynthesis, while ABA collaborated with ET to offer protection by regulating nutrient assimilation and enhancing antioxidant metabolism. These findings provide insight into the complex regulatory processes involved in ET-ABA interaction, enhancing our understanding of plant growth and development and the mitigation of salt stress in mustard. It opens pathways for developing hormonal-based strategies to improve crop productivity and resilience, ultimately benefiting agricultural practices amidst a challenging environment.

Effect of Green Synthesized ZnO-NPs on Growth, Antioxidant System Response and Bioactive Compound Accumulation in Echinops macrochaetus, a Potential Medicinal Plant, and Assessment of Genome Size (2C DNA Content).

Echinops macrochaetus is a medicinal plant that can be used to cure various diseases. In the present study, plant-mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were synthesized using an aqueous leaf extract of the medicinal plant Heliotropium bacciferum and characterized using various techniques. E. macrochaetus was collected from the wild and identified using the internal transcribed spacer sequence of nrDNA (ITS-nrDNA), which showed the closeness to its related genus in a phylogenetic tree. The effect of synthesized biogenic ZnO-NPs was studied on E. macrochaetus in a growth chamber for growth, bioactive compound enhancement and antioxidant system response. The irrigation of plants at a low concentration of ZnO-NPs (T1 = 10 mg/L) induced more growth in terms of biomass, chlorophyll content (273.11 µg/g FW) and carotenoid content (135.61 µg/g FW) than the control and other treatments (T2-20 mg/L and T3-40 mg/L). However, the application of a high concentration of ZnO-NPs (20 and 40 mg/L) increased the level of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, APX and GR), total crude and soluble protein, proline and TBARS contents. The accumulations of the compounds quercetin-3-ß-D-glucoside, luteolin 7-rutinoside and p-coumaric acid were greater in the leaf compared to the shoot and root. A minor variation was observed in genome size in treated plants as compared to the control group. Overall, this study revealed the stimulatory effect of phytomediated ZnO-NPs, which act as bio-stimulants/nano-fertilizers as revealed by more biomass and the higher production of phytochemical compounds in different parts of the E. macrochaetus.

Protective effect of jasmonic acid and potassium against cadmium stress in peas (Pisum sativum L.).

A combination of mineral nutrients and plant growth regulators should be assessed to improve crop performance under various abiotic stresses. There is a need to include plant growth regulators in fertilization regime of various crops along with essential mineral nutrients, especially when they are irrigated with polluted water with higher levels of heavy metals. The performance of pea was evaluated under cadmium (Cd) stress coupled with potassium (K) and jasmonic acid (JA) supplementation. The Cd stress (50 µM) was applied to soil (sandy loam) grown pea plants as basal dose after a month of sowing. The control and stressed plants were then supplemented with K (5 M), JA (0.5 mM) and their collective application along with control as distilled water. Cd stress showed a marked reduction in growth pattern, however, the collective supplementation sufficiently improved the growth pattern of stressed peas plants as evidenced by improvement in shoot length (cm), root length (cm), number of leaves per plant, leaf area (cm2), plant fresh and dry weight (gm). Potassium application under Cd stress significantly enhanced internodal distance (cm) while the number of seeds per pod and relative water contents remained nonsignificant. The applied treatment (JA + K) under Cd stress prominently improved enzymatic activities, which were measured as nitrate reductase activity (NRA), nitrite reductase activity (NiRA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT). Cd stress impacted the biochemical profile by enhancing antioxidant capacity (AC), antioxidant activity (AA), total phenols (TP), while reducing total soluble protein (TSP), chlorophyll 'a', chlorophyll 'b' and carotenoids. The combined application of JA and K under Cd stress enhanced AC, AA, TP, Chl a and b, TSP and carotenoids. The results indicate that foliar application of JA and K efficiently negated the harmful effects of Cd stress on peas.

Variation of the Chemical Composition of Essential Oils and Total Phenols Content in Natural Populations of Marrubium vulgare L.

Marrubium vulgare is a valuable source of natural bioactive molecules with high preventive and therapeutic effectiveness. Therefore, this study aimed to study the chemical polymorphism of natural populations of M. vulgare in Tunisia by quantitative chemical markers and the estimation of divergence between populations. Phytochemical analyses of the eight natural populations of Tunisian Marrubium vulgare prospected in different bioclimatic stages, revealed 42 compounds of essential oils representing 96.08% to 100% of the total oil. Hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes were the main fraction of all the populations studied and ß-bisabolene was the major compound (from 30.11% to 71.35% of the total oil). The phytochemical investigation of the M. vulgare plant indicated the presence of essential oil with significant percentages of phenolic compounds. A significant quantitative and qualitative variation in the essential oils is detected for both major and minor compounds. The principal components analysis (PCA) performed in the single and combined traits provides a good distinction among populations, not according to their geographical and/or bioclimatic origins. Moreover, the phytochemical analysis of the leaves showed that the Tunisian populations, i.e., the populations of Kasserine, Kef, and Beja, were very rich in phenolic compounds (from 20.8 to 44.65 mg GAE/g DW). Flavonoids compounds were also the main class of total polyphenols present in all the tested populations (from 8.91 to 37.48 mg RE/g DW). The quantitative genetic diversity estimated by the population's structure, based on PCA analysis, was an adaptation to the changes in the environmental conditions. Overall, our study indicated that natural populations of M. vulgare had different chemotypes of essential oils and they were rich in phenolic compounds, particularly flavonoids, which opens a new prospect for industrial use and differential exploitation of this species.

Foliar application of zinc improves morpho-physiological and antioxidant defense mechanisms, and agronomic grain biofortification of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under water stress.

Agronomic biofortification with zinc (Zn) may be engaged to improve the nutritious value of food crops along-with tolerance to water deficit conditions. The Zn may increase plant resistance to water stress by boosting physiological and enzymatic antioxidants defense mechanisms. Major objective of this study was to investigate the effect of foliar applied Zn on grain zin biofortification and drought tolerance in wheat. Treatments include application of Zinc at terminal growth phases (BBCH growth stage 49 and BBCH growth stage 65) with five levels: 0 (control-ck), water spray, 5, 10 and 15 mM under two levels of water regimes; well-watered (where 80% water holding capacity (WHC) was maintained in the soil) and water stress, (where 40% WHC was maintained in the soil). Results revealed that water stress significantly reduced relative water contents, gas exchange attributes, plant height, yield and yield related attributes of wheat. In contrast, hydrogen peroxide, free proline levels, activities of malondialdehyde, and concentration of soluble protein were markedly increased under water stress condition. Application of various levels of Zn significantly improved the CAT, SOD, POD and ASP activities at 40% WHC compared with control treatment. Foliarly applied 10 and 15 mM Zn predominantly reduced the damaging impact of water stress by improving the plant status in the form of plant height, RWC and gas exchange attributes. Likewise, wheat plant treated with 10 mM Zn under water stress condition increased the grain yield by improving number of grains per spike, 100 grain weight and biological yield compared with control. Moreover, increasing Zn levels also increased Zn concentration in grains and leaves. Overall, this study suggests that optimum level of Zn (10 mM) might be promising for alleviating the adverse impacts of water stress and enhance the grain biofortification in wheat.

Polarity Directed Appraisal of Pharmacological Potential and HPLC-DAD Based Phytochemical Profiling of Polygonum glabrum Willd.

The present study was designed to evaluate polarity-dependent extraction efficiency and pharmacological profiling of Polygonum glabrum Willd. Crude extracts of leaves, roots, stems, and seeds, prepared from solvents of varying polarities, were subjected to phytochemical, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetic, and cytotoxicity assays. Maximum extraction yield (20.0% w/w) was observed in the case of an acetone:methanol (AC:M) root extract. Distilled water:methanol (W:M) leaves extract showed maximum phenolic contents. Maximum flavonoid content and free radical scavenging potential were found in methanolic (M) seed extract. HPLC-DAD quantification displayed the manifestation of substantial quantities of quercetin, rutin, gallic acid, quercetin, catechin, and kaempferol in various extracts. The highest ascorbic acid equivalent total antioxidant capacity and reducing power potential was found in distilled water roots and W:M leaf extracts, respectively. Chloroform (C) seeds extract produced a maximum zone of inhibition against Salmonella typhimurium. Promising protein kinase inhibition and antifungal activity against Mucor sp. were demonstrated by C leaf extract. AC:M leaves extract exhibited significant cytotoxic capability against brine shrimp larvae and α-amylase inhibition. Present results suggest that the nature of pharmacological responses depends upon the polarity of extraction solvents and parts of the plant used. P. glabrum can be considered as a potential candidate for the isolation of bioactive compounds with profound therapeutic importance.

Profiling of Antifungal Activities and In Silico Studies of Natural Polyphenols from Some Plants.

A worldwide increase in the incidence of fungal infections, emergence of new fungal strains, and antifungal resistance to commercially available antibiotics indicate the need to investigate new treatment options for fungal diseases. Therefore, the interest in exploring the antifungal activity of medicinal plants has now been increased to discover phyto-therapeutics in replacement to conventional antifungal drugs. The study was conducted to explore and identify the mechanism of action of antifungal agents of edible plants, including Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Cinnamomum tamala, Amomum subulatum, Trigonella foenumgraecum, Mentha piperita, Coriandrum sativum, Lactuca sativa, and Brassica oleraceae var. italica. The antifungal potential was assessed via the disc diffusion method and, subsequently, the extracts were assessed for phytochemicals and total antioxidant activity. Potent polyphenols were detected using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and antifungal mechanism of action was evaluated in silico. Cinnamomum zeylanicum exhibited antifungal activity against all the tested strains while all plant extracts showed antifungal activity against Fusarium solani. Rutin, kaempferol, and quercetin were identified as common polyphenols. In silico studies showed that rutin displayed the greatest affinity with binding pocket of fungal 14-alpha demethylase and nucleoside diphosphokinase with the binding affinity (Kd, -9.4 and -8.9, respectively), as compared to terbinafine. Results indicated that Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Cinnamomum tamala exert their antifungal effect possibly due to kaempferol and rutin, respectively, or possibly by inhibition of nucleoside diphosphokinase (NDK) and 14-alpha demethylase (CYP51), while Amomum subulatum and Trigonella foenum graecum might exhibit antifungal potential due to quercetin. Overall, the study demonstrates that plant-derived products have a high potential to control fungal infections.

Application of Zinc and Iron-Based Fertilizers Improves the Growth Attributes, Productivity, and Grain Quality of Two Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Cultivars.

Field-based experiments were conducted during wheat cultivation seasons of 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 to minimize the impact of hidden hunger (micronutrient deficiencies) through agronomic biofortification of two wheat cultivars with zinc and iron. Two spring-planted bread wheat cultivars: Zincol-16 (Zn-efficient) and Anaj-17 (Zn-inefficient with high-yield potential) were treated with either zinc (10 kg/ha), iron (12 kg/ha), or their combination to study their effect on some growth attributes (plant height, tillers, and spike length, etc.,), productivity, and quality. No application of zinc and iron or their combinations served as the control. Maximum Zn and Fe contents of grains were improved by sole application of Zn and Fe, respectively. A higher concentration of Ca in grains was observed by the combined application of Zn and Fe. Starch contents were found maximum by sole application of Fe. Sole or combined application of Zn and Fe reduced wet gluten contents. Maximum proteins were recorded in Anaj-17 under control treatments. Zincol-16 produced maximum ionic concentration, starch contents, and wet gluten as compared to Anaj-17. Yield and growth attributes were also significantly (p < 0.05) improved by combined application as compared to the sole application of Zn or Fe. The combined application also produced the highest biological and grain yield with a maximum harvest index. Cultivar Anaj-17 was found more responsive regarding growth and yield attributes comparatively. The findings of the present study showed that the combined application of Zn and Fe produced good quality grains (more Zn, Fe, Ca, starch, and less gluten concentrations) with a maximum productivity of bread wheat cultivars.

Optimization Method for Phenolic Compounds Extraction from Medicinal Plant (Juniperus procera) and Phytochemicals Screening.

Juniperus procera is a natural source of bioactive compounds with the potential of antitumor, antimicrobial, insecticidal, antifungal, and antioxidant activities. An optimization method was developed for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and total tannin content (TTC) in leaf and seed extract of Juniperus procera. Organic solvents (methanol (99.8%), ethanol (99%), and acetone (99.5%)), and deionized water (DI) were used for extraction. The estimation of TPC, TFC, and TTC in plant materials was carried out using UV-spectrophotometer and HPLC with the standards gallic acid, quercetin, and tannic acid. Recovery of TPC in leaf extract ranged from 2.9 to 9.7 mg GAE/g DW, TFC from 0.9 to 5.9 mg QE/g DW, and TTC ranged from 1.5 to 4.3 mg TA/g DW while the TPC value in the seed extract ranged from 0.53 to 2.6 mg GAE/g DW, TFC from 0.5 to 1.6 mg QE/g DW, and TTC ranged from 0.5 to 1.4 mg TA/g DW. This result revealed that methanol is the best solvent for recovery of the TPC value (9.7 mg) from leaf extract in comparison to other solvents. Ethanol recorded the highest result of TFC (5.9 mg) in leaf extract among the solvents whereas acetone was the best for TTC yield recovery from leaf extract (4.3 mg). In the case of the seed extract, ethanol was the best solvent for both TPC (2.6 mg), and TFC (1.6 mg) recovery in comparison to other solvents. Total tannin content in methanol resulted in significant recovery from seed extract (1.4 mg). Separation and quantification of gallic acid, quercetin, and tannic acid in plant materials were undertaken using HPLC. Gallic acid in leaf and seed of J. procera ranged from 6.6 to 9.2, 6.5 to 7.2 µg/g DW, quercetin from 6.3 to 18.2, 0.9 to 4.2 µg/g DW, and tannic acid from 16.2 to 29.3, 6.6 to 9.3 µg/g DW, respectively. Solvents have shown a significant effect in the extraction of phenolic compounds. Moreover, phytochemicals in plant materials were identified using GC-MS and resulted in very important bioactive compounds, which include anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antitumor agents such as ferruginol, phenanthrene, and n-hexadecanoic acid. In conclusion, the optimal solvent for extraction depends on the part of the plant material and the compounds that are to be isolated.

Withaferin A: From Ancient Remedy to Potential Drug Candidate.

Withaferin A (WA) is a pivotal withanolide that has conquered a conspicuous place in research, owning to its multidimensional biological properties. It is an abundant constituent in Withania somnifera Dunal. (Ashwagandha, WS) that is one of the prehistoric pivotal remedies in Ayurveda. This article reviews the literature about the pharmacological profile of WA with special emphasis on its anticancer aspect. We reviewed research publications concerning WA through four databases and provided a descriptive analysis of literature without statistical or qualitative analysis. WA has been found as an effective remedy with multifaceted mechanisms and a broad spectrum of pharmacological profiles. It has anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiherpetic, antifibrotic, antiplatelet, profibrinolytic, immunosuppressive, antipigmentation, antileishmanial, and healing potentials. Evidence for wide pharmacological actions of WA has been established by both in vivo and in vitro studies. Further, the scientific literature accentuates the role of WA harboring a variable therapeutic spectrum for integrative cancer chemoprevention and cure. WA is a modern drug from traditional medicine that is necessary to be advanced to clinical trials for advocating its utility as a commercial drug.

Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Daturaolone from Datura innoxia Mill.: In Silico, In Vitro and In Vivo Studies.

Exploration of leads with therapeutic potential in inflammatory disorders is worth pursuing. In line with this, the isolated natural compound daturaolone from Datura innoxia Mill. was evaluated for its anti-inflammatory potential using in silico, in vitro and in vivo models. Daturaolone follows Lipinski's drug-likeliness rule with a score of 0.33. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity prediction show strong plasma protein binding; gastrointestinal absorption (Caco-2 cells permeability = 34.6 nm/s); no blood-brain barrier penetration; CYP1A2, CYP2C19 and CYP3A4 metabolism; a major metabolic reaction, being aliphatic hydroxylation; no hERG inhibition; and non-carcinogenicity. Predicted molecular targets were mainly inflammatory mediators. Molecular docking depicted H-bonding interaction with nuclear factor kappa beta subunit (NF-κB), cyclooxygenase-2, 5-lipoxygenase, phospholipase A2, serotonin transporter, dopamine receptor D1 and 5-hydroxy tryptamine. Its cytotoxicity (IC50) value in normal lymphocytes was >20 µg/mL as compared to cancer cells (Huh7.5; 17.32 ± 1.43 µg/mL). Daturaolone significantly inhibited NF-κB and nitric oxide production with IC50 values of 1.2 ± 0.8 and 4.51 ± 0.92 µg/mL, respectively. It significantly reduced inflammatory paw edema (81.73 ± 3.16%), heat-induced pain (89.47 ± 9.01% antinociception) and stress-induced depression (68 ± 9.22 s immobility time in tail suspension test). This work suggests a possible anti-inflammatory role of daturaolone; however, detailed mechanistic studies are still necessary to corroborate and extrapolate the findings.

Impact of Sprouting under Potassium Nitrate Priming on Nitrogen Assimilation and Bioactivity of Three Medicago Species.

Edible sprouts are rich in flavonoids and other polyphenols, as well as proteins, minerals, and vitamins. Increasing sprout consumption necessitates improving their quality, palatability, and bioactivity. The purpose of this study was to test how KNO3 priming affects the sprouting process species on three Medicago species (Medicago indicus, Medicago interexta, and Medicago polymorpha) and their nutritional values. Targeted species of Medicago were primed with KNO3, and the levels of different primary and secondary metabolites were determined. KNO3 induced biomass accumulation in the sprouts of the three species, accompanied by an increased content of total mineral nutrients, pigments, vitamins, and essential amino acids. Besides, our results showed that KNO3 enhanced the activity of nitrate reductase (NR), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), and glutamine synthetase (GS) enzymes, which are involved in the nitrogen metabolism and GOGAT cycle, which, in turn, increase the nitrogen and protein production. KNO3 treatment improved the bioactive compound activities of Medicago sprouts by increasing total phenolic and flavonoid contents and enhancing the antioxidant and antidiabetic activities. Furthermore, species-specific responses toward KNO3 priming were noticeable, where Medicago interexta showed the highest antioxidant and antidiabetic activities, followed by Medicago polymorpha. Overall, this study sheds the light on the physiological and biochemical bases of growth, metabolism, and tissue quality improvement impact of KNO3 on Medicago sprouts.

HPLC-DAD Based Polyphenolic Profiling and Evaluation of Pharmacological Attributes of Putranjiva roxburghii Wall.

The current study was intended to explore the phytochemical profiling and therapeutic activities of Putranjiva roxburghii Wall. Crude extracts of different plant parts were subjected to the determination of antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, cytotoxic, and protein kinase inhibitory potential by using solvents of varying polarity ranges. Maximum phenolic content was notified in distilled water extracts of the stem (DW-S) and leaf (DW-L) while the highest flavonoid content was obtained in ethyl acetate leaf (EA-L) extract. HPLC-DAD analysis confirmed the presence of various polyphenols, quantified in the range of 0.02 ± 0.36 to 2.05 ± 0.18 µg/mg extract. Maximum DPPH scavenging activity was expressed by methanolic extract of the stem (MeOH-S). The highest antioxidant capacity and reducing power was shown by MeOH-S and leaf methanolic extract (MeOH-L), respectively. Proficient antibacterial activity was shown by EA-L extract against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. Remarkable α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition potential was expressed by ethyl acetate fruit (EA-F) and n-Hexane leaf (nH-L) extracts, respectively. In case of brine shrimp lethality assay, 41.67% of the extracts (LC50 < 50 µg/mL) were considered as extremely cytotoxic. The test extracts also showed mild antifungal and protein kinase inhibition activities. The present study explores the therapeutic potential of P. roxburghii and calls for subsequent studies to isolate new bioactive leads through bioactivity-guided isolation.