Non-proteinogenic amino acids mitigate oxidative stress and enhance the resistance of common bean plants against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

White mold, caused by the necrotrophic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, is a challenging disease to common bean cultivation worldwide. In the current study, two non-proteinogenic amino acids (NPAAs), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and ß-alanine, were suggested as innovative environmentally acceptable alternatives for more sustainable management of white mold disease. In vitro, GABA and ß-alanine individually demonstrated potent dose-dependent fungistatic activity and effectively impeded the radial growth and development of S. sclerotiorum mycelium. Moreover, the application of GABA or ß-alanine as a seed treatment followed by three root drench applications efficiently decreased the disease severity, stimulated plant growth, and boosted the content of photosynthetic pigments of treated S. sclerotiorum-infected plants. Furthermore, although higher levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide anion (O2 •-), and malondialdehyde (MDA) indicated that S. sclerotiorum infection had markedly triggered oxidative stress in infected bean plants, the exogenous application of both NPAAs significantly reduced the levels of the three studied oxidative stress indicators. Additionally, the application of GABA and ß-alanine increased the levels of both non-enzymatic (total soluble phenolics and flavonoids), as well as enzymatic (catalase [CAT], peroxidases [POX], and polyphenol oxidase [PPO]) antioxidants in the leaves of S. sclerotiorum-infected plants and improved their scavenging activity and antioxidant efficiency. Applications of GABA and ß-alanine also raised the proline and total amino acid content of infected bean plants. Lastly, the application of both NPAAs upregulated the three antioxidant-related genes PvCAT1, PvCuZnSOD1, and PvGR. Collectively, the fungistatic activity of NPAAs, coupled with their ability to alleviate oxidative stress, enhance antioxidant defenses, and stimulate plant growth, establishes them as promising eco-friendly alternatives for white mold disease management for sustainable bean production.

Toxic heavy metals in a landfill environment (Vientiane, Laos): Fish species and associated health risk assessment.

Leachates from municipal landfills introduce toxic heavy metals into water, causing bioaccumulation. This study assesses metal levels and potential human health risks associated with consuming Anabas testudineus and Channa striata. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry detected Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn in both fish species. Leachate metal concentrations meet international discharge standards, Cd, Cr, and Pb in the fish exceed the international accepted values. Gastrointestinal tract+liver samples show significant variation between species, particularly in Cd and Pb. EDI, THQ/HI, and TR for the both species fall below TDIs, lower than the limit of 1, and within the acceptable range of the US-EPA permissible limit, respectively. Fish consumption appears safe regarding carcinogenic risk, but exceeding metal limits could impact heavy metals accumulation in the local food chain. Raising public awareness is crucial, and governmental agencies and environmental organizations should enhance waste treatment technologies and enact relevant health legislation.

Benzimidazole Derivatives Suppress Fusarium Wilt Disease via Interaction with ERG6 of Fusarium equiseti and Activation of the Antioxidant Defense System of Pepper Plants.

Sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), also known as bell pepper, is one of the most widely grown vegetable crops worldwide. It is attacked by numerous phytopathogenic fungi, such as Fusarium equiseti, the causal agent of Fusarium wilt disease. In the current study, we proposed two benzimidazole derivatives, including 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1-H benzimidazole (HPBI) and its aluminum complex (Al-HPBI complex), as potential control alternatives to F. equiseti. Our findings showed that both compounds demonstrated dose-dependent antifungal activity against F. equiseti in vitro and significantly suppressed disease development in pepper plants under greenhouse conditions. According to in silico analysis, the F. equiseti genome possesses a predicted Sterol 24-C-methyltransferase (FeEGR6) protein that shares a high degree of homology with EGR6 from F. oxysporum (FoEGR6). It is worth mentioning that molecular docking analysis confirmed that both compounds can interact with FeEGR6 from F. equiseti as well as FoEGR6 from F. oxysporum. Moreover, root application of HPBI and its aluminum complex significantly enhanced the enzymatic activities of guaiacol-dependent peroxidases (POX), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and upregulated four antioxidant-related enzymes, including superoxide dismutase [Cu-Zn] (CaSOD-Cu), L-ascorbate peroxidase 1, cytosolic (CaAPX), glutathione reductase, chloroplastic (CaGR), and monodehydroascorbate reductase (CaMDHAR). Additionally, both benzimidazole derivatives induced the accumulation of total soluble phenolics and total soluble flavonoids. Collectively, these findings suggest that the application of HPBI and Al-HPBI complex induce both enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant defense machinery.

Cytotoxic Mechanism of Momilactones A and B against Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia and Multiple Myeloma Cell Lines.

This is the first study clarifying the cytotoxic mechanism of momilactones A (MA) and B (MB) on acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) HL-60 and multiple myeloma (MM) U266 cell lines. Via the MTT test, MB and the mixture MAB (1:1, w/w) exhibit a potent cytotoxicity on HL-60 (IC50 = 4.49 and 4.61 µM, respectively), which are close to the well-known drugs doxorubicin, all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), and the mixture of ATRA and arsenic trioxide (ATRA/ATO) (1:1, w/w) (IC50 = 5.22, 3.99, and 3.67 µM, respectively). Meanwhile MB, MAB, and the standard suppressor doxorubicin substantially inhibit U266 (IC50 = 5.09, 5.59, and 0.24 µM, respectively). Notably, MB and MAB at 5 µM may promote HL-60 and U266 cell apoptosis by activating the phosphorylation of p-38 in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and regulating the relevant proteins (BCL-2 and caspase-3) in the mitochondrial pathway. Besides, these compounds may induce G2 phase arrest in the HL-60 cell cycle through the activation of p-38 and disruption of CDK1 and cyclin B1 complex. Exceptionally, momilactones negligibly affect the non-cancerous cell line MeT-5A. This finding provides novel insights into the anticancer property of momilactones, which can be a premise for future studies and developments of momilactone-based anticancer medicines.

Metal Complexation of Bis-Chalcone Derivatives Enhances Their Efficacy against Fusarium Wilt Disease, Caused by Fusarium equiseti, via Induction of Antioxidant Defense Machinery.

Sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is one of the most widely produced vegetable plants in the world. Fusarium wilt of pepper is one of the most dangerous soil-borne fungal diseases worldwide. Herein, we investigated the antifungal activities and the potential application of two chalcone derivatives against the phytopathogenic fungus, Fusarium equiseti, the causal agent of Fusarium wilt disease in vitro and in vivo. The tested compounds included 3-(4-dimethyl amino-phenyl)-1-{6-[3-(4 dimethyl amino-phenyl)-a cryloyl]-pyridin-2-yl}-propanone (DMAPAPP) and its metal complex with ruthenium III (Ru-DMAPAPP). Both compounds had potent fungistatic activity against F. equiseti and considerably decreased disease progression. The tested compounds enhanced the vegetative growth of pepper plants, indicating there was no phytotoxicity on pepper plants in greenhouse conditions. DMAPAPP and Ru-DMAPAPP also activated antioxidant defense mechanisms that are enzymatic, including peroxidase, polyphenole oxidase, and catalase, and non-enzymatic, such as total soluble phenolics and total soluble flavonoids. DMAPAPP and Ru-DMAPAPP also promoted the overexpression of CaCu-SOD and CaAPX genes. However, CaGR and CaMDHAR were downregulated. These results demonstrate how DMAPAPP and Ru-DMAPAPP could be employed as a long-term alternative control approach for Fusarium wilt disease as well as the physiological and biochemical mechanisms that protect plants.

Effects of In Vitro Digestion on Anti-α-Amylase and Cytotoxic Potentials of Sargassum spp.

This is the first study to examine the effects of in vitro digestion on biological activities of Sargassum spp., a broadly known brown seaweed for therapeutic potential. Three fractions (F1-F3) were obtained from hexane extract by column chromatography. Under in vitro simulated digestion, the anti-α-amylase capacity of F1 in oral and intestinal phases increases, while it significantly decreases in the gastric phase. The α-amylase inhibition of F2 promotes throughout all digestive stages while the activity of F3 significantly reduces. The cytotoxic activity of F1 against U266 cell-line accelerates over the oral, gastric, and intestinal stages. The fractions F2 and F3 exhibited the declined cytotoxic potentialities in oral and gastric phases, but they were strengthened under intestinal condition. Palmitic acid and fucosterol may play an active role in antidiabetic and cytotoxic activity against multiple myeloma U266 cell line of Sargassum spp. However, the involvement of other phytochemicals in the seaweed should be further investigated.

Cytotoxicity of Callerya speciosa Fractions against Myeloma and Lymphoma Cell Lines.

Callerya speciosa is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical countries and is traditionally used for preventing numerous disorders. In this study, a bioguided fractionation of ethyl acetate extract (SE) from C. speciosa root was carried out to target antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. Of the four fractions (SE1-SE4) obtained by column chromatography, SE4 had the strongest anti-radical ability in the DPPH and ABTS assays (IC50 = 0.05 and 0.17 mg/mL, respectively), with results close to butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a common antioxidant agent. The cytotoxic activities against the selected cells were analyzed in this study by MTT assay. Accordingly, SE2, SE3, and SE4 significantly inhibited the viability of multiple myeloma cell lines, comprising U266 (IC50 = 0.38, 0.09, and 0.11 mg/mL, respectively) and KMS11 (IC50 = 0.09, 0.17, and 0.15 mg/mL, respectively), mantle cell lymphoma Mino (IC50 = 0.08, 0.16, and 0.15 mg/mL, respectively), and the noncancerous cell line LCL (IC50 = 0.40, 0.32, and 0.21 mg/mL, respectively). At a concentration of 125 µg/mL, SE2, SE3, and SE4 induced the cell apoptosis of U266 (32.2%, 53.2%, and 55.6%, respectively), KMS11 (36.9%, 40.8%, and 47.9%, respectively), Mino (36.6%, 39.8%, and 22.0%, respectively), and LCL (12.4%, 17.5%, and 23.5%, respectively) via annexin V assay. The dominant compounds detected in fractions by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS), were identified as isoflavones. This is the first report describing C. speciosa as a promising natural source of antileukemia and antimyeloma agents, which may be useful for the development of blood cancer treatments.

Anti-Diabetes, Anti-Gout, and Anti-Leukemia Properties of Essential Oils from Natural Spices Clausena indica, Zanthoxylum rhetsa, and Michelia tonkinensis.

Essential oils (EOs) of Clausena indica fruits, Zanthoxylum rhetsa fruits, and Michelia tonkinensis seeds were analyzed for their phytochemical profiles and biological activities, including anti-diabetes, anti-gout, and anti-leukemia properties. Sixty-six volatile compounds were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), in which, myristicin (68.3%), limonene (44.2%), and linalool (49.3%) were the most prominent components of EOs extracted from C. indica, Z. rhetsa, and M. tonkinensis, respectively. In addition, only EOs from C. indica inhibited the activities of all tested enzymes comprising α-amylase (IC50 = 7.73 mg/mL), α-glucosidase (IC50 = 0.84 mg/mL), and xanthine oxidase (IC50 = 0.88 mg/mL), which are related to type 2 diabetes and gout. Remarkably, all EOs from C. indica, Z. rhetsa (IC50 = 0.73 mg/mL), and M. tonkinensis (IC50 = 1.46 mg/mL) showed a stronger anti-α-glucosidase ability than acarbose (IC50 = 2.69 mg/mL), a known anti-diabetic agent. Moreover, the growth of leukemia cell Meg-01 was significantly suppressed by all EOs, of which, the IC50 values were recorded as 0.32, 0.64, and 0.31 mg/mL for EOs from C. indica, Z. rhetsa, and M. tonkinensis, respectively. As it stands, this is the first report about the inhibitory effects of EOs from C. indica and Z. rhetsa fruits, and M. tonkinensis seeds on the human leukemia cell line Meg-01 and key enzymes linked to diabetes and gout. In conclusion, the present study suggests that EOs from these natural spices may be promising candidates for pharmaceutical industries to develop nature-based drugs to treat diabetes mellitus or gout, as well as malignant hematological diseases such as leukemia.

Metabolic Toxification of 1,2-Unsaturated Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids Causes Human Hepatic Sinusoidal Obstruction Syndrome: The Update.

Saturated and unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are present in more than 6000 plant species growing in countries all over the world. They have a typical heterocyclic structure in common, but differ in their potential toxicity, depending on the presence or absence of a double bond between C1 and C2. Fortunately, most plants contain saturated PAs without this double bond and are therefore not toxic for consumption by humans or animals. In a minority of plants, however, PAs with this double bond between C1 and C2 exhibit strong hepatotoxic, genotoxic, cytotoxic, neurotoxic, and tumorigenic potentials. If consumed in error and in large emouns, plants with 1,2-unsaturated PAs induce metabolic breaking-off of the double bonds of the unsaturated PAs, generating PA radicals that may trigger severe liver injury through a process involving microsomal P450 (CYP), with preference of its isoforms CYP 2A6, CYP 3A4, and CYP 3A5. This toxifying CYP-dependent conversion occurs primarily in the endoplasmic reticulum of the hepatocytes equivalent to the microsomal fraction. Toxified PAs injure the protein membranes of hepatocytes, and after passing their plasma membranes, more so the liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs), leading to life-threatening hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (HSOS). This injury is easily diagnosed by blood pyrrolizidine protein adducts, which are perfect diagnostic biomarkers, supporting causality evaluation using the updated RUCAM (Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method). HSOS is clinically characterized by weight gain due to fluid accumulation (ascites, pleural effusion, and edema), and may lead to acute liver failure, liver transplantation, or death. In conclusion, plant-derived PAs with a double bond between C1 and C2 are potentially hepatotoxic after metabolic removal of the double bond, and may cause PA-HSOS with a potential lethal outcome, even if PA consumption is stopped.

Antioxidant and a-amylase Inhibitory Activities and Phytocompounds of Clausena indica Fruits.

Background: Clausena indica fruit is commonly used for food ingredients and traditional medicines in tropical countries, however, information about its biological activities and chemical profiles has been inadequately reported. Methods: In this study, a bio-guided fractionation of antioxidants and α-amylase inhibitors from hexane (MH) and ethyl acetate (ME) extracts of C. indica fruit (pericarp and seed) was carried out. Eleven fractions from MH (D1-D11) and 17 fractions from ME (T1-T17) were obtained from column chromatography over silica gel, which were then examined for anti-radical capacity by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays, and pancreatic α-amylase inhibition, a key enzyme linked to type 2 diabetes. Results: Of isolated fractions, the fraction T4 revealed the most potent anti-DPPH activity (IC50 = 0.13 mg/mL), whereas T2 exhibits the strongest ABTS cation scavenging ability (IC50 = 0.31 mg/mL). In the enzymatic assay, the fractions D3 and T4 significantly inhibit the α-amylase reaction with IC50 values of 0.34 and 0.86 mg/mL, respectively. Remarkably, α-amylase suppression of T4 is close to acarbose and over four times stronger than palmitic acid, which are the well-known α-amylase inhibitors (IC50 = 0.07 and 1.52 mg/mL, respectively). The active constituents from fractions were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results show that the fraction D3 contains five major compounds, which are grouped in five classes consisting of fatty acids, phenols, benzodioxoles, alcohols, and sesquiterpenes. Among them, palmitic acid is the most dominant compound (32.64%), followed by 2R-acetoxymethyl-1,3,3-trimethyl-4t-(3-methyl-2-buten-1-yl)-1t-cyclohexanol (16.69%). Whilst, six major compounds belonging to fatty acid and coumarin classes are identified in the fraction T4. The most abundant compound in T4 is dentatin (47.32%), followed by palmitic acid (15.11%). Conclusions: This is the first finding that C. indica fruit can be a promising source for the development of natural antioxidant and antidiabetic agents. Additionally, the outcome reveals that dentatin, a known natural antineoplastic agent, can be feasibly exploited from C. indica fruit.

Antioxidant, Anti-tyrosinase, Anti-α-amylase, and Cytotoxic Potentials of the Invasive Weed Andropogon virginicus.

Andropogon virginicus is an invasive weed that seriously threatens agricultural production and economics worldwide. In this research, dried aerial parts of A. virginicus were extracted, applying Soxhlet and liquid-liquid phase methods to acquire the total crude (T-Anvi), hexane (H-Anvi), ethyl acetate (E-Anvi), butanol (B-Anvi), and water (W-Anvi) extracts, respectively. In which, T-Anvi contains the highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents (24.80 mg gallic acid and 37.40 mg rutin equivalents per g dry weight, respectively). Via anti-radical (ABTS and DPPH), and reducing power assays, E-Anvi exhibits the most potent activities (IC50 = 13.96, 43.59 and 124.11 µg/mL, respectively), stronger than butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a standard antioxidant, while the lipid peroxidation inhibitory effect of E-Anvi (LPI = 90.85% at the concentration of 500 µg/mL) is close to BHT. E-Anvi shows the most substantial inhibition (IC50 = 2.58 mg/mL) on tyrosinase. Notably, α-amylase is significantly suppressed by H-Anvi (IC50 = 0.72 mg/mL), over twice stronger than the positive control, palmitic acid. In the cytotoxic assay, E-Anvi is the strongest extract inhibiting K562 cells (IC50 = 112.01 µg/mL). Meanwhile, T-Anvi shows the highest prevention on Meg-01 expansion (IC50 = 91.40 µg/mL). Dominant compounds detected in E-Anvi by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) are identified as flavonoids. However, among four major compounds identified in H-Anvi by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), palmitic acid and phytol are the most abundant compounds with peak areas of 27.97% and 16.42%, respectively. In essence, this is the first report describing that A. virginicus is a potential natural source of antioxidants, tyrosinase and α-amylase inhibitors, and anti-chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) agents which may be useful in future therapeutics as promising alternative medicines.

Bio-Guided Isolation of Prospective Bioactive Constituents from Roots of Clausena indica (Dalzell) Oliv.

Clausena indica fruits are routinely used for the culinary purpose as natural spices, whereas leaves and roots are folk medicine with various health benefits in southern China, South and Southeast Asia. In this study, the bioassay-guided fractionation by column chromatography yielded three pure compounds including dentatin, nordentatin, and clausine K and five active fractions (Re1-5) from C. indica roots. These known anticancer compounds were confirmed by X-ray diffraction, 1H-, 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric (ESI-MS-MS) analyses. Meanwhile, the phytochemical constituents from fractions were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The isolates, fractions' components and their biological activities were first time investigated on C. indica. By in vitro DPPH and ABTS scavenging assays, nordentatin (IC50 = 49.2 and 69.9 µg/mL, respectively) and the fraction Re4 (32.4 and 38.5 µg/mL, respectively) showed the strongest antiradical activities, whereas clausine K presented a moderate and dentatin had negligible antioxidant activity, respectively. The anti-α-amylase activity of C. indica root extracts was mainly attributed to the fraction Re2 which inactivated the enzymatic assay with IC50 of 573.8 µg/mL. Among tested samples, only nordentatin and clausine K were effective in the pancreatic elastase inhibition, however, their influences were trivial. Markedly, clausine K and Re4 performed the most remarkable tyrosinase inhibition with IC50 values of 179.5 and 243.8 µg/mL, respectively, which were in turn 4 and 3 times stronger than myricetin (IC50 = 735.6 µg/mL), a well-known tyrosinase inhibitor. This is the first report affirming clausine K to be a new strong tyrosinase inhibitor. Isolated compounds from C. indica roots were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), of which, dentatin, nordentatin, and clausine K accounted for 14.74, 6.14, and 1.28 mg/g dry weight. The findings suggest that bioactive constituents from C. indica roots may be potentially employed for the development of antidiabetic, antiaging and cosmetic agents.

Phytochemical Analysis and Potential Biological Activities of Essential Oil from Rice Leaf.

Although many investigations on phytochemicals in rice plant parts and root exudates have been conducted, information on the chemical profile of essential oil (EO) and potent biological activities has been limited. In this study, chemical compositions of rice leaf EO and in vitro biological activities were investigated. From 1.5 kg of fresh rice leaves, an amount of 20 mg EO was obtained by distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), electrospray ionization (ESI), and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) to reveal the presence of twelve volatile constituents, of which methyl ricinoleate (27.86%) was the principal compound, followed by palmitic acid (17.34%), and linolenic acid (11.16%), while 2-pentadecanone was the least (2.13%). Two phytoalexin momilactones A and B were first time identified in EO using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI-MS) (9.80 and 4.93 ng/g fresh weight, respectively), which accounted for 7.35% and 3.70% of the EO, respectively. The assays of DPPH (IC50 = 73.1 µg/mL), ABTS (IC50 = 198.3 µg/mL), FRAP (IC50 = 700.8 µg/mL) and ß-carotene oxidation (LPI = 79%) revealed that EO possessed an excellent antioxidant activity. The xanthine oxidase assay indicated that the anti-hyperuricemia potential was in a moderate level (IC50 = 526 µg/mL) as compared with the standard allopurinol. The EO exerted potent inhibition on growth of Raphanus sativus, Lactuca sativa, and two noxious weeds Echinochloa crus-galli, and Bidens pilosa, but in contrast, the growth of rice seedlings was promoted. Among the examined plants, the growth of the E. crus-galli root was the most inhibited, proposing that constituents found in EO may have potential for the control of the problematic paddy weed E. crus-galli. It was found that the EO of rice leaves contained rich phytochemicals, which were potent in antioxidants and gout treatment, as well as weed management. Findings of this study highlighted the potential value of rice leaves, which may provide extra benefits for rice farmers.

Antioxidant, α-Amylase and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities and Potential Constituents of Canarium tramdenum Bark.

The fruits of Canarium tramdenum are commonly used as foods and cooking ingredients in Vietnam, Laos, and the southeast region of China, whilst the leaves are traditionally used for treating diarrhea and rheumatism. This study was conducted to investigate the potential use of this plant bark as antioxidants, and α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitors. Five different extracts of C. tramdenum bark (TDB) consisting of the extract (TDBS) and factional extracts hexane (TDBH), ethyl acetate (TDBE), butanol (TDBB), and water (TDBW) were evaluated. The TDBS extract contained the highest amount of total phenolic (112.14 mg gallic acid equivalent per g dry weight), while the TDBB extract had the most effective antioxidant capacity compared to other extracts. Its IC50 values were 12.33, 47.87, 33.25, and 103.74 µg/mL in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis (ABTS), reducing power (RP), and nitric oxide (NO) assays, respectively. Meanwhile, the lipid peroxidation inhibition of the four above extracts was proximate to that of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) as a standard antioxidant. The result of porcine pancreatic α-amylase inhibition showed that TDB extracts have promising effects which are in line with the commercial diabetic inhibitor acarbose. Interestingly, the inhibitory ability on α-glucosidase of all the extracts was higher than that of acarbose. Among the extracts, the TDBB extract expressed the strongest activity on the enzymatic reaction (IC50 = 18.93 µg/mL) followed by the TDBW extract (IC50 = 25.27 µg/mL), TDBS (IC50 = 28.17 µg/mL), and TDBE extract (IC50 = 141.37 µg/mL). The phytochemical constituents of the TDB extract were identified by gas chromatography⁻mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The principal constituents included nine phenolics, eight terpenoids, two steroids, and five compounds belonging to other chemical classes, which were the first reported in this plant. Among them, the presence of α- and ß-amyrins were identified by GC-MS and appeared as the most dominant constituents in TDB extracts (1.52 mg/g). The results of this study revealed that C. tramdenum bark possessed rich phenolics and terpenoids, which might confer on reducing risks from diabetes. A high quantity of α- and ß-amyrins highlighted the potentials of anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-tumor, and hepatoprotective properties of C. tramdenum bark.

Viewpoint: A Contributory Role of Shell Ginger (Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.) B.L. Burtt & R.M. Sm) for Human Longevity in Okinawa, Japan?

The longevity of the population in the Okinawa Islands of Japan has been ascribed to genetic factors and the traditional Okinawa cuisine, which is low in calories and high in plant content. This diet includes shell ginger (Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.) B.L. Burtt & R.M. Sm) of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). Due to its local popularity, Alpinia zerumbet has become the subject of a good deal of study at the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa. Personal local experience and review of the literature now suggest that culinary shell ginger may contribute to longevity among the population in Okinawa. This is supported by its abundant phytochemical content, with antioxidant and anti-obesity properties. The major bioactive phytochemicals are dihydro-5,6-dehydrokawain (DDK; 80-410 mg g-1 fresh weight), 5,6-dehydrokawain (DK; ≤100 mg g-1), and essential oils, phenols, phenolic acids, and fatty acids (≤150 mg g-1 each). Further, Alpinia zerumbet extends the lifespan in animals by 22.6%. In conclusion, culinary shell ginger may significantly contribute to human longevity in Okinawa.

A Review on Phytoconstituents and Biological activities of Cuscuta species.

The genus Cuscuta belonging to the Cuscutaceae family comprises of about 100-170 species spread around the world. Although several species have been studied for their phytochemical characterization and biological activities but still many species are yet unexplored till date. Cuscuta are parasitic plants generally of yellow, orange, red or rarely green color. The Cuscuta species were reported rich in flavonoid and glycosidic constituents along with alkaloids, fatty acids, fixed oil, minerals, essential oil and others phytomolecules also etc. Flavonoids and other molecules of Cuscuta species were reported for different types of biological activities such as antiproliferative activity, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial and anxiolytic activity, while some other flavonoids have exhibited potential antiviral and anticancer especially in ovarian and breast cancer activities. This review is an attempt to compile all the available data for the 24 different of Cuscuta species on the basis of different types of phytochemical constituents and biological studies as above.

Phenolic Compositions and Antioxidant Properties in Bark, Flower, Inner Skin, Kernel and Leaf Extracts of Castanea crenata Sieb. et Zucc.

In this study, different plant parts (barks, flowers, inner skins, kernels and leaves) of Castanea crenata (Japanese chestnut) were analyzed for total phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin contents. Antioxidant properties were evaluated by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), reducing power, and ß-carotene bleaching methods. The highest total phenolic and tannin contents were found in the inner skins (1034 ± 7.21 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract and 253.89 ± 5.59 mg catechin equivalent/g extract, respectively). The maximum total flavonoid content was observed in the flowers (147.41 ± 1.61 mg rutin equivalent/g extract). The inner skins showed the strongest antioxidant activities in all evaluated assays. Thirteen phenolic acids and eight flavonoids were detected and quantified for the first time. Major phenolic acids were gallic, ellagic, sinapic, and p-coumaric acids, while the principal flavonoids were myricetin and isoquercitrin. The inner skin extract was further fractionated by column chromatography to yield four fractions, of which fraction F3 exhibited the most remarkable DPPH scavenging capacity. These results suggest that C. crenata provides promising antioxidant capacities, and is a potential natural preservative agent in food and pharmaceutical industries.

Phenolic Profiles and Antioxidant Activity of Germinated Legumes.

Bioactive compounds, which are naturally produced in plants, have been concerned with the food and pharmaceutical industries because of the pharmacological effects on humans. In this study, the individual phenolics of six legumes during germination and antioxidant capacity from sprout extracts were determined. It was found that the phenolic content significantly increased during germination in all legumes. Peanuts showed the strongest antioxidant capacity in both the DPPH• (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) method and the reducing power assay (32.51% and 84.48%, respectively). A total of 13 phenolic acids were detected and quantified. There were 11 phenolic constituents identified in adzuki beans; 10 in soybeans; 9 in black beans, mung beans, and white cowpeas; and 7 compounds in peanuts. Sinapic acid and cinnamic acid were detected in all six legume sprouts, and their quantities in germinated peanuts were the highest (247.9 µg·g-1 and 62.9 µg·g-1, respectively). The study reveals that, among the investigated legumes, germinated peanuts and soybeans obtained maximum phenolics and antioxidant capacity.

Chemistry and pharmacology of Bidens pilosa: an overview.

Bidens pilosa L. is an edible herb and has been traditionally used for a wide range of ailments in many countries. The aim of this review is to present comprehensive information of the chemical constituents, nutraceutical and ethnomedical uses as well as the biological and pharmacological effects and toxicity of this plant based on 218 literary sources reported over 40 years. Major chemical constituents (including 301 compounds) belonging to polyacetylenes, polyacetylene glycosides, flavonoids, flavone glycosides, aurones, chalcones, okanin glycosides, phenolic acids, terpenes, pheophytins, fatty acids and phytosterols have been identified or isolated from the different parts of this plant. Many of them have been considered as the bioactive compounds which are potentially responsible for the pharmacological actions. Various types of preparations, extracts and individual compounds derived from this plant have been found to possess biological and pharmacological activities such as anti-malarial, anti-allergy, anti-hypertensive and smooth muscle relaxant, anti-cancerogenic, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, antioxidant. The results of data analysis on the chemicals, pharmacological and toxicological characteristics of B. pilosa validate the view of its folk worldwide-medicinal uses. This herb has a great beneficial therapeutic property and is possibly used for complement or alternative to pharmaceutical drugs in some specific cases. However, this herb is known as hyperaccumulator and as-excluder; therefore, harvesting the herb for medicinal uses should be judiciously cautioned.