Recent insights on tea metabolites, their biosynthesis and chemo-preventing effects: A review.

Tea manufactured from the cultivated shoots of Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze is the most commonly consumed nonalcoholic drink around the world. Tea is an agro-based, environmentally sustainable, labor-intensive, job-generating, and export-oriented industry in many countries. Tea includes phenolic compounds, flavonoids, alkaloids, vitamins, enzymes, crude fibers, protein, lipids, and carbohydrates, among other biochemical constituents. This review described the nature of tea metabolites, their biosynthesis and accumulation with response to various factors. The therapeutic application of various metabolites of tea against microbial diseases, cancer, neurological, and other metabolic disorders was also discussed in detail. The seasonal variation, cultivation practices and genetic variability influence tea metabolite synthesis. Tea biochemical constituents, especially polyphenols and its integral part catechin metabolites, are broadly focused on potential applicability for their action against various diseases. In addition to this, tea also contains bioactive flavonoids that possess health-beneficial effects. The catechin fractions, epigallocatechin 3-gallate and epicatechin 3-gallate, are the main components of tea that has strong antioxidant and medicinal properties. The synergistic function of natural tea metabolites with synthetic drugs provides effective protection against various diseases. Furthermore, the application of nanotechnologies enhanced bioavailability, enhancing the therapeutic potential of natural metabolites against numerous diseases and pathogens.

Biochemical and Physiological Changes during Early Adventitious Root Formation in Chrysanthemum indicum Linné Cuttings.

Chrysanthemum indicum is an important ornamental and medicinal plant that is often difficult to propagate commercially because of its poor germination and low seed viability. This plant is mostly propagated by cutting, but the rooting is slow and non-uniform. The present investigation evaluated the regeneration capacity of stem cutting by examining the influence of auxins, growth medium, temperature, and explant type on adventitious root formation in C. indicum. The auxin-treated cuttings were planted in different growth substrates under greenhouse conditions. Among the different auxins tested, indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) more effectively induced roots. The cutting position of stock plants influenced rooting capacity. Cutting the stock plants from the apical region enhanced root number and length in the explants. Among the different explant types, apical stem cuts with 2000 ppm IBA produced a significantly higher number of adventitious roots when grown in vermiculite and perlite (V + P) at a ratio of 1:1 at 25 °C. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed that protocatechuic acid, gentisic acid, chlorogenic acid, biochanin A, salicylic acid, caffeic acid, glycitein, and luteolin were the most dominant phenolic compounds present in C. indicum. These results indicate that IBA treatment promoted the synthesis and accumulation of phenolic compounds in C. indicum stem cuttings at the time of root formation. The present results demonstrate that applying auxins is essential for early root initiation and higher rooting success and thus may be beneficial for vegetative C. indicum propagation.

Application of Light-Emitting Diodes for Improving the Nutritional Quality and Bioactive Compound Levels of Some Crops and Medicinal Plants.

Light is a key factor that affects phytochemical synthesis and accumulation in plants. Due to limitations of the environment or cultivated land, there is an urgent need to develop indoor cultivation systems to obtain higher yields with increased phytochemical concentrations using convenient light sources. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have several advantages, including consumption of lesser power, longer half-life, higher efficacy, and wider variation in the spectral wavelength than traditional light sources; therefore, these devices are preferred for in vitro culture and indoor plant growth. Moreover, LED irradiation of seedlings enhances plant biomass, nutrient and secondary metabolite levels, and antioxidant properties. Specifically, red and blue LED irradiation exerts strong effects on photosynthesis, stomatal functioning, phototropism, photomorphogenesis, and photosynthetic pigment levels. Additionally, ex vitro plantlet development and acclimatization can be enhanced by regulating the spectral properties of LEDs. Applying an appropriate LED spectral wavelength significantly increases antioxidant enzyme activity in plants, thereby enhancing the cell defense system and providing protection from oxidative damage. Since different plant species respond differently to lighting in the cultivation environment, it is necessary to evaluate specific wavebands before large-scale LED application for controlled in vitro plant growth. This review focuses on the most recent advances and applications of LEDs for in vitro culture organogenesis. The mechanisms underlying the production of different phytochemicals, including phenolics, flavonoids, carotenoids, anthocyanins, and antioxidant enzymes, have also been discussed.

Screening of Allelochemicals in Miscanthus sacchariflorus Extracts and Assessment of Their Effects on Germination and Seedling Growth of Common Weeds.

There is increasing interest in the application of bioherbicides because they are less destructive to the global ecosystem than synthetic herbicides. Research has focused on reducing the dependence upon synthetic herbicides by substituting them with environmentally and economically sustainable bioproducts. Allelopathic phytochemicals may be an efficient method for controlling weeds, benefitting both the environment and human health. This study addressed the allelopathic potential of Miscanthus sacchariflorus (MS) extracts on the germination, plant growth, biomass, and biochemical parameters (electrolyte leakage, photosynthetic pigments, and antioxidant enzyme activities) of weeds using laboratory and field experiments. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) showed the presence of 22 phenolic compounds, including Orientin, Luteolin, Veratric acid, Chlorogenic acid, Protocatechuic acid, p-Coumaric acid, and Ferulic acid. Leaf extracts of M. sacchariflorus either completely suppressed or partially reduced seed germination and affected the development of weed seedlings (root and shoot length), in a dose-dependent manner. Aqueous extracts of M. sacchariflorus reduced the fresh weight and dry weight, affected the photosynthetic pigment content (chlorophylls, carotenoids), influenced the electrolyte ion leakage, and stimulated the activity of antioxidant enzymes in a species-specific manner. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that the phenolic compound composition of M. sacchariflorus correlated with the variables tested, indicating that the phytochemicals present in the plant extracts of M. sacchariflorus are a potential source of bio-herbicides.

Policosanol profiles and adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation potential of Korean wheat seedling extracts according to cultivar and growth time.

Policosanols is a health promoting aliphatic alcohol known as lipid-lowing agent. To enable maximising the functional properties of wheat, this research investigates the policosanol profiles and adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation potential of Korean wheat seedlings according to cultivars and growth times. GC-MS revealed six policosanols that differed markedly in content between 17 cultivars, especially, octacosanol (8) showed the most predominant component (49-83%), varying significantly in average concentrations with growth times as 361.4 (3 days) â†’ 613.0 (6 days) â†’ 203.1 (9 days) â†’ 196.5 (12 days) â†’ 50.9 mg/100 g (19 days). The highest average policosanol (738.7 mg/100 g) exhibited after 6 days, while the lowest was 104.4 mg/100 g on 19 days. Moreover, the wheat cultivars including Shinmichal 1, Anbaek, Namhae, and Joah at 6 days may be recommended as potential sources because of high policosanols (921.7-990.6 mg/100 g). Western blot analysis revealed markedly higher AMPK activation in cells treated with the hexane extracts (150-370% at 100 µg/ml) and octacosanol (8) possessed potent AMPK activator (control; 100 â†’ 280% at 200 µg/ml). It is confirmed that the AMPK activation by wheat seedlings are positively related to the highest policosanol content at the 6 days of growth time, independent of the cultivar. Our results may be contributed to enhance the wheat value regarding development of new cultivars and functional foods.

New Chemical Constituents from the Bark of Dendropanax morbifera Leveille and their Evaluation of Antioxidant Activities.

Four new constituents, as cis-6-oxogeran-4-enyl-10-oxy-O-ß-arabinopyranosyl-4'-O-ß-arabinopyranosyl-2''-octadec-9''',12''',15'''-trienoate (1), geran-3(10)-enyl-1-oxy-O-ß-arabinopyranosyl-4'-O-ß-arabinopyranosyl-2''-octadec-9''',12''',15'''-trienoate (2), geranilan-8-oxy-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-2'-n-octadec-9'',12'',15''-trienoate (3), 1-cyclohex-2', 5'-dienyl 1-cyclohexylethanol-O-ß-d-xylopyranoside (4), along with six known constituents, guaiacol-O-ß-d-arabinopyaranoside (5), n-tetradecanyl oleate (6), oleyl-O-ß-d-xyloside (7), n-octadec-9,12-dienoyl-O-ß-d-arabinopyranoside (8), linolenyl-O-ß-d-arabinofuranoside (9) andglyceryl-1,3-dipalmito-2-olein (10), were isolated and identified from the Dendropanax morbifera bark. The new structures were established by one-and two-dimensional NMR (and in combination with IR, FAB-MSand HR-ESI-FTMS. The comparative evaluation of antioxidant potential by phosphomolybdenum, DPPH, FRAP and the NO assay of four different compounds (1-4), we have found that the compounds 1 and 2 have power as a natural antioxidant, whereas the compound 3 and 4 exhibited mild activity in comparison to compounds 1 and 2.

Synthesis, characterization and pharmacological potential of green synthesized copper nanoparticles.

The phenomenal and astonishing properties and their different application in the field of pharmaceutical made copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) to be in the spotlight of the researcher's focus. In the present study, copper nanoparticles were biologically synthesized with the aqueous extract of the flower Millettia pinnata, and their corresponding characteristics were studied using UV-visible spectroscopy, XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TEM, and SAED analysis. Copper acetate was reduced to copper nanoparticles and is confirmed by UV-visible spectrophotometer analysis. The maximum absorption occurring at 384 nm at the visible spectrum of UV rays confirms the surface plasmon resonance of the nanoparticles. The result of the FTIR spectroscopy analysis of the nanoparticles complements the involvement of organic mioties of the flower extract in the synthesis. The synthesized particles were extremely durable, spherical with the average particle size in the range of 23 ± 1.10 nm. The Cu-NPs exhibited greater inhibition on DPPH radical and nitric oxide scavenging activities. The biologically synthesized Cu-NPs was receptive to the Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well. The Cu-NPs exhibited strong anti-inflammatory activity using albumin denaturation and membrane stabilization. The present study is the first effort done to synthesize of Cu-NPs from the extract of M. pinnata flower. Consequently, to authenticate the results and to establish the antioxidant, antibacterial, an anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory agent, in vivo studies are made in the molecular level.

Evaluation of Polyphenolic Compounds and Pharmacological Activities in Hairy Root Cultures of Ligularia fischeri Turcz. f. spiciformis (Nakai).

A considerable amount of bioactive compounds have been used for the biopharmaceutical engineering to help human health and nutrition. Hairy root culture (HRC) or transgenic root is a favourable alternative technique for phytochemical production. Ligularia fischeri is a significant source of pharmaceutically important active compounds with an enormous range of health care applications. HRC of L. fischeri was developed using Agrobacterium rhizogenes for the production of polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anticancer and anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical activities. Hairy roots (HRs) were selected by morphological assessment, genetic and molecular analyses. The maximum accumulation of fresh mass (94.15 g/L) and dry mass (9.45 g/L) was recorded in MS liquid medium supplemented with 30 g/L sucrose at 28 days. Furthermore, HRs successfully produced numerous polyphenolic compounds, including six hydroxycinnamic acids, seven flavonols, seven hydroxybenzoic acids, vanillin, resveratrol, pyrogallol, homogentisic, and veratric acids, which were identified by UHPLC analysis. HRs produced higher total phenolic (185.65 mg/g), and flavonoid (5.25 mg/g) contents than non-transformed roots (125.55 mg/g and 3.75 mg/g). As a result of these metabolic changes, pharmaceutical activities were found higher in HRs than non-transformed roots (NTRs). The present study indicates that HRC has the potential to increase the content of beneficial polyphenolic compounds with higher potential pharmaceutical activities. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first report on enhancing the production of polyphenolic compounds with pharmaceutical activities from the HRCs of L. fischeri.

Assessment of Diversity in the Accessions of Setaria italica L. Based on Phytochemical and Morphological Traits and ISSR Markers.

This study was carried out to evaluate genetic diversity, phenolic compound composition, and biological activity of Setaria italica L. collected from different parts of South Korea. Antioxidant potential of seeds was estimated by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, and antimicrobial activity was determined by evaluating the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Eight phenolic acids and 3 flavonoids were identified and quantified, among which myricetin and salicylic acid were the most dominant phytochemical compounds detected in the majority of accessions. The antioxidant potential of the leaf extracts of all the accessions was significantly higher (ranging from 32.33 ± 1.53 µg mL-¹ in SI-03 to 87.87 ± 1.63 µg mL-¹) in SI-10 than that of the root, stem, or seeds. Among the 15 accessions, methanolic extracts of the SI-15 accession strongly suppressed the growth of Escherichia coli (250 µg mL-¹). Accessions SI-14 and SI-15 showed positive antimicrobial activity against all gram-positive bacteria. Interestingly, extracts of all accessions were more sensitive towards E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus, with MICs ranging from 250 to 1000 µg mL-¹. Three phenolic acids, namely chlorogenic acid, catechin, caffeic acid, naringin, hesperetin, and myricetin, were found to be moderately positively correlated with antioxidant activities. A wide range of diversity was observed in morphological traits, namely plant height (99.33 to 201.33 cm), culm length (67.10 to 160.00 cm), spike length (12.80 to 24.00 cm), 1000 seeds weight 1.44 to 2.91 g), bloom beginning (93.67 to 128.00 days), and full bloom (99.67 to 135 days). A dendogram generated from unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean clustering (UPGMA) cluster analysis based on the morphological traits and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) marker data revealed three major groups. However, no clear correlation between these two different approaches was found. The average Shannon's information index value (I) was 0.492, and it ranged from 0 to 0.693. The average expected heterozygosity (He) was 0.335, and it ranged from 0 to 0.499. The substantial variation in the morphological traits, bioactive properties, and genetic diversity among the accessions may provide useful information for breeding programs attempting to obtain S. italica with improved bioactive properties.

C/N/O/S stable isotopic and chemometric analyses for determining the geographical origin of Panax ginseng cultivated in Korea.

BACKGROUND: The geographical origin of Panax ginseng Meyer, a valuable medicinal plant, is important to both ginseng producers and consumers in the context of economic profit and human health benefits. We, therefore, aimed to discriminate between the cultivation regions of ginseng using the stable isotope ratios of C, N, O, and S, which are abundant bioelements in living organisms. METHODS: Six Korean ginseng cultivars (3-yr-old roots) were collected from five different regions in Korea. The C, N, O, and S stable isotope ratios in ginseng roots were measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry, and then these isotope ratio profiles were statistically analyzed using chemometrics. RESULTS: The various isotope ratios found in P. ginseng roots were significantly influenced by region, cultivar, and the interactions between these two factors (p ≤ 0.001). The variation in δ15N and δ13C in ginseng roots was significant for discriminating between different ginseng cultivation regions, and δ18O and δ34S were also affected by both altitude and proximity to coastal areas. Chemometric model results tested in this study provided discrimination between the majority of different cultivation regions. Based on the external validation, this chemometric model also showed good model performance (R 2 = 0.853 and Q 2 = 0.738). CONCLUSION: Our case study elucidates the variation of C, N, O, and S stable isotope ratios in ginseng root depending on cultivation region. Hence, the analysis of stable isotope ratios is a suitable tool for discrimination between the regional origins of ginseng samples from Korea, with potential application to other countries.

Green approach for synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles from Andrographis paniculata leaf extract and evaluation of their antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory activities.

Bio-mediated synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) was carried out by utilizing the reducing and capping potential of Andrographis paniculata leaf extract. The capped ZnO NPs were characterized using UV-Vis, XRD, FTIR, SEM, TEM and SAED analyses. FTIR analysis suggested the role of phenolic compounds, terpenoids, and proteins of A. paniculata leaf extract, in nucleation and stability of ZnO NPs. XRD pattern compared with the standard confirmed spectrum of zinc oxide particles formed in the present experiments were in the form of nanocrystals, as evidenced by the peaks at 2θ values. SEM and TEM analysis of ZnO NPs reveals those spherical and hexagonal shapes and the sizes at the range of 96-115 and 57 ± 0.3 nm, respectively. The synthesized nanoparticles possess strong biological activities regarding anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory potentials which could be utilized in various biological applications by the cosmetic, food and biomedical industries.

Effects of soil type and organic fertilizers on fatty acids and vitamin E in Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer).

This study examined the effects of soil type and fertilizer regimes on variations in fatty acids (FAs) and vitamin E (Vit-E) in 6-year-old ginseng roots. We observed significant variation in both FA and Vit-E contents owing to the type and quantity of organic fertilizer used in each soil type during cultivation. Unsaturated FAs were approximately 2.7-fold higher in ginseng than in saturated FAs. Linoleic, palmitic, and oleic acids were the most abundant FAs detected in ginseng roots. Additionally, α-tocopherol was the major Vit-E detected. In particular, the increased application of rice straw compost or food waste fertilizer elevated the quantity of nutritionally desirable FAs and bioactive Vit-E in ginseng root. Partial least square-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) score plots showed that soil type might be the main cause of differences in FA and Vit-E levels in ginseng. Specifically, the PLS-DA model indicated that palmitic acid is a suitable FA marker in determining whether ginseng plants were grown in a paddy-converted field or an upland field. Moreover, linoleic acid levels were highly correlated with α-linolenic acid (r=0.8374; p<0.0001) according to Pearson's correlations and hierarchical clustering analysis. Hence, these preliminary results should prove useful for the reliable production of ginseng containing high phytonutrient quantities according to cultivation conditions.

Comparative study of phenolic compounds, vitamin E, and fatty acids compositional profiles in black seed-coated soybeans (Glycine Max (L.) Merrill) depending on pickling period in brewed vinegar.

BACKGROUND: Pickled soybeans or vinegar beans have long been used as a folk remedy and also a supplemental nutritional source in Korea. In general the pickling process in vinegar improves the digestibility of soybeans as well as increases the availability of various (non-)nutrients in soybeans. However, detailed information about the changes in functional substances such as (poly)phenolic compounds, vitamin E, and fatty acids (FAs) in soybeans during the pickling process is quite limited. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the changes in the selected phenolic compounds, vitamin E, and FAs in soybeans as a function of the pickling time. RESULTS: The sum of the total phenolics in both the pickled soybeans and the pickling solutions increased by as much as 47% after pickling. Naringenin, vanillin, and catechin were the major phenolics observed in the pickled soybeans and pickling solutions. The total vitamin E content in the pickled soybeans decreased by 23% after pickling, although no vitamin E molecules were found in the pickling solution. γ-Tocopherol was abundant in the untreated soybeans, but decreased by ~29% after pickling. Both the total and major FA contents varied by less than 1% during the pickling period. In this study, a 10-20 day pickling period may be considered suitable in terms of retention of functional substances in the pickled soybeans, such as selected phenolics, vitamin E, and FAs. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide basic information and insight into the production of functional compounds in soybeans upon immersing in brewed vinegar, and also may be helpful toward improving the health-functionality of soybean-based foods in the food industry. Graphical abstract How to change bioactive compounds during the pickling process?

Ethnopharmacological uses, phytochemistry, biological activities, and biotechnological applications of Eclipta prostrata.

Eclipta prostrata belongs to a family of medicinal plants (Asteraceae) and plays a role in the treatment of several diseases, including infectious hepatitis, snake venom poisoning, gastritis, and respiratory diseases such as a cough and asthma. A number of compounds, including thiophene derivatives, steroids, triterpenes, flavonoids, polyacetylenes, polypeptides, and coumestans, have been isolated from E. prostrata. The plant functional compounds can act as reducing agent in the field of nanoparticle synthesis. The extracts of E. prostrata are widely used for green biosynthesis of various metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, nanoparticles, which showed a potential for pharmaceutical, biotechnological, and biomedical applications. Establishment of a efficient in vitro regeneration and genetic transformation method of E. prostrata is a vital prerequisite for application of biotechnology in order to improve secondary metabolite yields. The present mini-review discusses its pharmacological profile, chemical constituents, biotechnological, and ethnomedical uses, mainly focusing on antimyotoxic, antihemorrhagic, antiproliferative, antioxidant, antitumor, antihyperglycemic, antidementia, antimicrobial, antihyperlipidemic, antivenom, anti-HIV, and larvicidal activities, so that the pharmaceutical potential of the plant can be better evaluated. The mini review, providing up-to-date phytochemical and other information on E. prostrata, will serve a reference for further studies.

Jasmonic and salicylic acids enhanced phytochemical production and biological activities in cell suspension cultures of spine gourd (Momordica dioica Roxb).

In vitro cell suspension culture was established for the production of commercially valuable phytochemicals in Momordica dioica. The influence of elicitors in jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) increased their effect on phytochemical production and biomass accumulation in M. dioica. The results indicate that compared with non-elicited cultures, JA- and SA-elicited cell suspension cultures had significantly enhanced phenolic, flavonoid, and carotenoid production, as well as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative activities. Furthermore, elicited cultures produced 22 phenolic compounds, such as flavonols, hydroxycinnamic acids, and hydroxybenzoic acids. Greater biomass production, phytochemical accumulation, and biological activity occurred in JA- than in SA-elicited cell cultures. This study is the first to successfully establish M. dioica cell suspension cultures for the production of phenolic compounds and carotenoids, as well as for biomass accumulation.

Evaluation of anti-cholinesterase, antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of green synthesized silver nanoparticles using from Millettia pinnata flower extract.

The aim of this study is to develop an easy and eco-friendly method for the synthesis of Ag-NPs using extracts from the medicinal plant, Millettia pinnata flower extract and investigate the effects of Ag-NPs on acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), antibacterial and cytotoxicity activity. UV-Vis peak at 438 nm confirmed the Ag-NPs absorbance. The SEM analysis results confirmed the presence of spherical shaped Ag-NPs by a huge disparity in the particle size distribution with an average size of 49 ± 0.9 nm. TEM images revealed the formation of Ag-NPs with spherical shape and sizes in the range between 16 and 38 nm. The Ag-NPs showed an excellent inhibitory efficacy against AChE and BChE. The highest antibacterial activity was found against Escherichia coli (20.25 ± 0.91 mm). These nanoparticles showed the cytotoxic effects against brine shrimp (artemia saliana) nauplii with a LD50 value of 33.92.

Enhanced Production of Anthraquinones and Phenolic Compounds and Biological Activities in the Cell Suspension Cultures of Polygonum multiflorum.

Anthraquinones (AQs) and phenolic compounds are important phytochemicals that are biosynthesized in cell suspension cultures of Polygonum multiflorum. We wanted to optimize the effects of plant growth regulators (PGRs), media, sucrose, l-glutamine, jasmonic acid (JA), and salicylic acid (SA) for the production of phytochemicals and biomass accumulation in a cell suspension culture of P. multiflorum. The medium containing Murashige and Skoog (MS) salts and 4% sucrose supplemented with 1 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 0.5 mg/L thidiazuron, and 100 µM l-glutamine at 28 days of cell suspension culture was suitable for biomass accumulation and AQ production. Maximum biomass accumulation (12.5 and 12.35 g fresh mass (FM); 3 and 2.93 g dry mass (DM)) and AQ production (emodin 295.20 and 282 mg/g DM; physcion 421.55 and 410.25 mg/g DM) were observed using 100 µM JA and SA, respectively. JA- and SA-elicited cell cultures showed several-fold higher biomass accumulation and AQ production than the control cell cultures. Furthermore, the cell suspension cultures effectively produced 23 phenolic compounds, such as flavonols and hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives. PGR-, JA-, and SA-elicited cell cultures produced a higher amount of AQs and phenolic compounds. Because of these metabolic changes, the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities were high in the PGR-, JA-, and SA-elicited cell cultures. The results showed that the elicitors (JA and SA) induced the enhancement of biomass accumulation and phytochemical (AQs and phenolic compounds) production as well as biological activities in the cell suspension cultures of P. multiflorum. This optimized protocol can be developed for large-scale biomass accumulation and production of phytochemicals (AQs and phenolic compounds) from cell suspension cultures, and the phytochemicals can be used for various biological activities.

Discriminative study of a potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivation region by measuring the stable isotope ratios of bio-elements.

Compared to other foods, the use of common bio-elements to identify the geographical origin of potato remains limited. Thus, this study aimed to verify whether the cultivation regions of raw potato tubers could be determined by the stable isotope composition analysis of bio-elements. δ(13)CVPDB and δ(15)NAIR in potato were influenced by region and cultivar, whereas δ(18)OVSMOW and δ(34)SVCDT were only influenced by region (p<0.0001). A two-dimensional plot of δ(18)OVSMOW and δ(34)SVCDT effectively distinguished between high and low altitude regions, and also reliably discriminated Wanju, Haenam, and Boseong cultivars in low altitude regions. δ(34)SVCDT was the main component that was responsible for the separation of samples in the principal component analysis (eigenvector of -0.6209) and orthogonal projection to latent structure-discriminant analysis (VIP value of 1.0566). In conclusion, this study improves our understanding of how the isotope composition of potato tubers varies with respect to cultivation regions and cultivars.

Antiplasmodial activity of eco-friendly synthesized palladium nanoparticles using Eclipta prostrata extract against Plasmodium berghei in Swiss albino mice.

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite that continues to be a health issue for humans. It is one of the most common pathogenic factors of morbidity and mortality. Palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) have been used as target antimicrobial compounds, as a catalyst to manufacture pharmaceuticals, degrade harmful environmental pollutants, and as sensors for the detection of various analyses. The aim of this study was to investigate the antiplasmodial activity of synthesized Pd NPs by using leaf aqueous extract of Eclipta prostrata against Plasmodium berghei in Swiss albino mice. The synthesized Pd NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and High-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) with the Selected area (electron) diffraction (SAED). The XRD peaks appeared at 35.61°, 44.27°, 56.40°, and 74.51°, which correspond to (111), (200), (220), and (311) planes for palladium, respectively. The FTIR spectra that were carried out to identify the potential biomolecule of synthesized Pd NPs showed the peaks at 3361, 1540, 1399, 1257, 1049, and 659 in the region of 4000-500 cm(-1). The SEM images showed aggregation of NPs with an average size of 63 ± 1.4. The HRTEM images of the precipitated solid phase obtained after termination of the reaction of E. prostrata aqueous leaf extract were in the range from 18 to 64 nm with an average size of 27 ± 1.3 nm. The in vivo antiplasmodial assay was carried out as per Peters' 4-day suppressive test, and the synthesized Pd NP-treated mice group showed reduction of parasitemia by 78.13% with an inhibitory concentration (IC)50 value of 16.44 mg/kg/body weight. The growth inhibition of E. prostrata aqueous leaf extract, palladium acetate, and synthesized Pd NPs showed the IC20, IC50, and IC90 values of 1.90, 10.29, and 64.11; 4.49, 9.84, and 23.04; and 4.34, 8.70, and 18.49 mg/kg/body weight, respectively against NK65 strain of P. berghei. In vitro cytotoxicity of the aqueous leaf extract of E. prostrata, palladium acetate, and Pd NPs that was evaluated against Hep-G2 cell lines showed the cellular toxicity of 7.5, 12, 22, 32, and 39%; 8.2, 18, 32, 55, and 66.2 %; and 8.5, 24, 48, 65, and 76.5% at 1, 10, 100, 250, and 500 µg/mL, respectively. This green chemistry approach toward the synthesis of Pd NPs has many advantages such as, ease with which the process can be scaled up, and economic viability.

Improved antioxidant activity in transgenic Perilla frutescens plants via overexpression of the γ-tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-tmt) gene.

The main goal of this study was to generate transgenic Perilla frutescens with enhanced antioxidant properties by overexpressing the γ-tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-tmt) gene. In this study, the antioxidant activity of methanolic crude extracts of transgenic and non-transgenic control plants was investigated using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method. Free radical scavenging activity was evaluated using α-tocopherol and butylated hydroxyl toluene as standard antioxidants. In general, the ethyl acetate fraction of transgenic P. frutescens showed stronger DPPH radical scavenging activity than the ethyl acetate fraction from non-transgenic control plants (IC50 2.00 ± 0.10 and 5.53 ± 0.40 µg ∙ ml(-1), respectively). High-performance liquid chromatography analysis of phenolic acids in leaf extracts confirmed increased levels of 16 individual phenolic compounds in two transgenic lines (pf47-5 and pf47-8) compared with control plants. Changes in the phenolic compound profile and α-tocopherol content were correlated with the antioxidant properties of transgenic plants, indicating that the introduction of transgene γ-tmt influenced the metabolism of phenolic compounds and subsequently produced biochemical changes in the transformants. There were no significant differences in photosynthetic rate in the transgenic plants as compared to the non-transgenic control plants, suggesting that the alteration of phenolic compounds and tocopherol composition had little impact on photosynthesis.