Impact of seed priming with Selenium nanoparticles on germination and seedlings growth of tomato.

Poor germination and seedlings growth can lead to significant economic losses for farmers, therefore, sustainable agricultural strategies to improve germination and early growth of crops are urgently needed. The objective of this work was to evaluate selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) as nanopriming agents for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seeds germinated without stress conditions in both trays and Petri dishes. Germination quality, seedlings growth, synergism-antagonism of Se with other elements, and fate of Se NPs, were determined as function of different Se NPs concentrations (1, 10 and 50 ppm). Results indicated that the germination rate in Petri dishes improved with 10 ppm, while germination trays presented the best results at 1 ppm, increasing by 10 and 32.5%, respectively. Therefore, seedlings growth was measured only in germination trays. Proline content decreased up to 22.19% with 10 ppm, while for same treatment, the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total chlorophyll content increased up to 38.97% and 21.28%, respectively. Antagonisms between Se with Mg, K, Mn, Zn, Fe, Cu and Mo in the seed were confirmed. In the case of seedlings, the N content decreased as the Se content increased. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) imaging confirmed that Se NPs surrounded the plastids of the seed cells. By this finding, it can be inferred that Se NPs can reach the embryo, which is supported by the antagonism of Se with important nutrients involved in embryogenesis, such as K, Mg and Fe, and resulted in a better germination quality. Moreover, the positive effect of Se NPs on total chlorophyll and TAC, and the negative correlation with proline content with Se content in the seed, can be explained by Se NPs interactions with proplastids and other organelles within the cells, resulting with the highest length and fresh weight when seeds were exposed to 1 ppm.

Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis on growth and biochemical characteristics of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) seedlings under low phosphorus environment.

Background: The continuous establishment of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantations across multiple generations has led to the limited impact of soil phosphorus (P) on tree growth. This challenge poses a significant obstacle in maintaining the sustainable management of Chinese fir. Methods: To investigate the effects of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the growth and physiological characteristics of Chinese fir under different P supply treatments. We conducted an indoor pot simulation experiment in the greenhouse of the Forestry College of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University with one-and-half-year-old seedlings of Chinese fir from March 2019 to June 2019, with the two P level treatment groups included a normal P supply treatment (1.0 mmol L-1 KH2PO4, P1) and a no P supply treatment (0 mmol L-1 KH2PO4, P0). P0 and P1 were inoculated with Funneliformis mosseae (F.m) or Rhizophagus intraradices (R.i) or not inoculated with AMF treatment. The AMF colonization rate in the root system, seedling height (SH), root collar diameter (RCD) growth, chlorophyll (Chl) photosynthetic characteristics, enzyme activities, and endogenous hormone contents of Chinese fir were estimated. Results: The results showed that the colonization rate of F.m in the roots of Chinese fir seedlings was the highest at P0, up to 85.14%, which was 1.66 times that of P1. Under P0 and P1 treatment, root inoculation with either F.m or R.i promoted SH growth, the SH of R.i treatment was 1.38 times and 1.05 times that of F.m treatment, respectively. In the P1 treatment, root inoculation with either F.m or R.i inhibited RCD growth. R.i inhibited RCD growth more aggressively than F.m. In the P0 treatment, root inoculation with F.m and R.i reduced the inhibitory effect of phosphorus deficiency on RCD. At this time, there was no significant difference in RCD between F.m, R.i and CK treatments (p < 0.05). AMF inoculation increased Fm, Fv, Fv/Fm, and Fv/Fo during the chlorophyll fluorescence response in the tested Chinese fir seedlings. Under the two phosphorus supply levels, the trend of Fv and Fm of Chinese fir seedlings in different treatment groups was F.m > R.i > CK. Under P0 treatment, The values of Fv were 235.86, 221.86 and 147.71, respectively. The values of Fm were 287.57, 275.71 and 201.57, respectively. It increased the antioxidant enzyme activity and reduced the leaf's malondialdehyde (MDA) content to a certain extent. Conclusion: It is concluded that AMF can enhance the photosynthetic capacity of the host, regulate the distribution of endogenous hormones in plants, and promote plant growth by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. When the P supply is insufficient, AMF is more helpful to plants, and R.i is more effective than F.m in alleviating P starvation stress in Chinese fir.

Magnesium fertilization reduces high-temperature damages during anthesis in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by affecting pollen viability and seed weight.

Terminal heat during reproductive stages of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) limits the productivity of the crop. Magnesium (Mg) is an essential macronutrient that is involved in many physiological and biochemical processes to affect photosynthesis and seed weight. The present study comparatively evaluated Mg applied to soil (80 kg MgSO4·7H2O ha-1) and to plant foliage (4% w/v) in improving wheat performance under terminal heat. Wheat crop was grown in two sets of treatments until the booting stage, and then one set of plants was shifted to a glasshouse (±5 °C) at the booting stage to grow until maturity in comparison to control plants kept under ambient warehouse condition. Heat stress reduced the pollen viability while foliar- and soil-applied Mg improved it by 3% and 6% under heat stress, respectively, compared to the control without Mg treatment. The 100-seed weight, spike length, and biological yield reduced by 39%, 19%, and 50% under heat stress; however, foliar and soil application increased 100-seed weight by 45% and 40%, spike length by 8% and 5%, and biological yield by 35% and 25% under heat stress, respectively. Soil Mg showed maximum SPAD chlorophyll values; however, response was statistically similar to that of foliar Mg as compared to the control without Mg supply. Membrane stability decreased (4%) due to heat stress while foliar and soil treatments improved membrane stability by 8% and 5% compared to that of the control, respectively. Thus, Mg application through soil or plant foliage can be an effective way to reduce negative impacts of terminal heat in wheat by improving pollen viability at anthesis and 100-seed weight that was attributed to increased chlorophyll contents during anthesis.

The comprehensive effects of aluminum oxide nanoparticles on the physiology of freshwater microalga Scenedesmus obliquus and it's phycoremediation performance for the removal of sulfacetamide.

Nanoparticles are inevitable byproducts of modern industry. However, the environmental impacts arising from industrial applications of nanoparticles are largely under-reported. This study evaluated the ecotoxicological effects of aluminum oxide nanoparticles (Al2O3NP) and its influence on sulfacetamide (SA) biodegradation by a freshwater microalga, Scenedesmus obliquus. Although Al2O3NP showed limited toxicity effect on S. obliquus, we observed the toxicity attenuation aspect of Al2O3NP in a mixture of sulfacetamide on microalgae. The addition of 100 mg L-1 of Al2O3NP and 1 mg L-1 of SA reduced total chlorophyll by 23.3% and carotenoids by 21.6% in microalgal compared to control. The gene expression study demonstrated that ATPF0C, Lhcb1, HydA, and psbA genes responsible for ATP synthesis and the photosynthetic system were significantly downregulated, while the Tas gene, which plays a major role in biodegradation of organic xenobiotic chemicals, was significantly upregulated at 1 and 100 mg L-1 of Al2O3NP. The S. obliquus removed 16.8% of SA at 15 mg L-1 in 14 days. However, the removal was slightly enhanced (18.8%) at same concentration of SA in the presence of 50 mg L-1 Al2O3NP. This result proves the stability of sulfacetamide biodegradation capacity of S. obliquus in the presence of Al2O3NP co-contamination. The metabolic analysis showed that SA was degraded into simpler byproducts such as sulfacarbamide, sulfaguanidine, sulfanilamide, 4-(methyl sulfonyl)aniline, and N-hydroxy-benzenamine which have lower ecotoxicity than SA, demonstrating that the ecotoxicity of sulfacetamide has significantly decreased after the microalgal degradation, suggesting the environmental feasibility of microalgae-mediated wastewater technology. This study provides a deeper understanding of the impact of nanoparticles such as Al2O3NP on aquatic ecosystems.

Phytotoxicity response of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) seedlings to herbicide fomesafen in soil.

Fomesafen is the most widely used herbicide in the soybean field. However, there are urgent practical challenges with the long-term persistence of fomesafen in soil and its effects on the subsequent crops in agricultural production. Therefore, pot experiments were conducted to study the effects of fomesafen residues (0-0.05 mg kg-1) on growth, photosynthetic characteristics, and the antioxidant defense system of sugar beet seedlings. The results showed that with the increase of fomesafen residues, the phytotoxicity index increased, while the plant height, leaf area, root length, root volume, and dry weight of sugar beet decreased. Photosynthetic pigment content, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), maximum photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm), and actual photosynthetic efficiency (Y(II)) declined with a dose-dependent manner of fomesafen, but the intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) and non-photochemical quenching coefficient (NPQ) increased under fomesafen. On the other hand, the residues of fomesafen increased the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and membrane permeability by aggravating oxidative stress and triggering the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO). In addition, sugar beet seedlings were significantly sensitive to fomesafen as the concentration of fomesafen in the soil was up to 0.025 mg kg-1. In conclusion, the present study showed that fomesafen residues in the soil could affect the morphophysiology and photosynthetic performance of sugar beet. This study is beneficial for understanding the effects of the herbicide fomesafen residues on non-target crops.

Effects of Cadmium on Physiochemistry and Bioactive Substances of Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.).

Muskmelon pedicel is the fruit stalk of muskmelon and one of the traditional Chinese medicines, which can be used to treat jaundice, diabetes and neuropathy. However, in recent years, agricultural soil heavy metal cadmium (Cd) pollution has become serious, coupled with the imperfect sales management of herbal medicine, increasing the potential health risk of contaminated herbal medicine in the human body. In this paper, the comprehensive quality of contaminated muskmelon was tested. The results showed that Cd stress significantly inhibited the growth of muskmelon plants, reduced the anthocyanin and chlorophyll contents, and increased the fruit size and sweetness of muskmelon. In addition, heavy metal Cd can also cause oxidative stress in plants, resulting in a series of changes in antioxidant enzyme activities. In the experimental group, the content of polyphenols and saponins increased by 27.02% and 23.92%, respectively, after high-concentration Cd treatment, which may be a mechanism of plant resistance to stress. This paper reveals that the content of bioactive substances in Chinese herbal medicine is high, but the harm in heavy metals cannot be underestimated, which should be paid attention to by relevant departments.

Exogenous supplementation of Sulfur (S) and Reduced Glutathione (GSH) Alleviates Arsenic Toxicity in Shoots of Isatis cappadocica Desv and Erysimum allionii L.

The current study was conducted to investigate the role of sulfur (S) and reduced glutathione (GSH) in mitigating arsenic (As) toxicity in Isatis cappadocica and Erysimum allionii. These plants were exposed for 3 weeks to different concentrations (0, 400 and 800 µM) of As to measure fresh weight, total chlorophyll, proline and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, As and S accumulation, and guaiacol peroxidase (POD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) along with the supplementation of 20 mg L-1 of S and 500 µM of GSH. Results revealed the significant reduction of fresh weight (especially in E. allionii), activities of POD and GST enzymes and proline content as compare to control. However, the application of S and GSH enhanced the fresh weight. Inhibition in H2O2 accumulation and improvement in antioxidant responses were measured with the application of S and GSH. Hence, the supplementation of S and GSH enhanced fresh weight and total chlorophyll in both I. cappadocica and E. allionii by alleviating the adverse effects of As stress via decreased H2O2 content and restricted As uptake.

Artificial photoactive chlorophyll conjugated vanadium carbide nanostructure for synergistic photothermal/photodynamic therapy of cancer.

Optically active nanostructures consisting of organic compounds and metallic support have shown great promise in phototherapy due to their increased light absorption capacity and high energy conversion. Herein, we conjugated chlorophyll (Chl) to vanadium carbide (V2C) nanosheets for combined photodynamic/photothermal therapy (PDT/PTT), which reserves the advantages of each modality while minimizing the side effects to achieve an improved therapeutic effect. In this system, the Chl from Leptolyngbya JSC-1 extracts acted as an efficient light-harvest antenna in a wide NIR range and photosensitizers (PSs) for oxygen self-generation hypoxia-relief PDT. The available large surface of two-dimensional (2D) V2C showed high Chl loading efficiency, and the interaction between organic Chl and metallic V2C led to energy conversion efficiency high to 78%. Thus, the Chl/ V2C nanostructure showed advanced performance in vitro cell line killing and completely ablated tumors in vivo with 100% survival rate under a single NIR irradiation. Our results suggest that the artificial optical Chl/V2C nanostructure will benefit photocatalytic tumor eradication clinic application.

Effect of indole-3-acetic acid supplementation on the physiology of Lolium perenne L. and microbial activity in cadmium-contaminated soil.

Cadmium (Cd) pollution has led to a serious deterioration in soil quality, plant growth, and human health. Therefore, restoration of soil quality is imperative. Phytoremediation is inexpensive and yields acceptable outcomes. Phytoremediation involves interaction between plant physiology and microbial activity and has been widely used in the remediation of Cd-contaminated soil. In the present study, Lolium perenne L. (perennial ryegrass) was planted in Cd-spiked soil and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) was used to explore the physiological and biochemical characteristics of ryegrass as well as soil enzyme activity to remove Cd. The present study provides a theoretical basis for the phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated soil. The study investigated the effect of 30-mg/kg Cd-spiked soil on ryegrass (C) and 30-mg/kg Cd-spiked soil on ryegrass treated with 10-mg/kg IAA (CI) compared with uncontaminated soil and ryegrass as the control. At the end of the experiment, the ryegrass biomass, total chlorophyll, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and soil invertase activity in C group were decreased by 33.7%, 23.0%, 29.7%, and 18.3%, respectively, whereas the peroxidase (POD) activity and soil basal respiration increased by 17.1% and 87.9%, respectively, compared with the control. In the CI group, the biomass of ryegrass, chlorophyll content, SOD activity, sucrase activity, fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolase activity, and Cd removal rates increased by 14.5%, 19.9%, 24.3%, 12.1%, 20.4%, and 15.1%, respectively, whereas the POD activity, soil basal respiration, and Cd residues in the soil declined by 8.0%, 15.0%, and 17.0%, respectively, compared with the C group. Therefore, exposure to exogenous IAA alleviated the Cd stress on ryegrass and soil microorganisms and improved Cd absorption by ryegrass from the contaminated soil.

Pheophorbide a identified in an Eupatorium perfoliatum extract is a novel lymphatic vascular activator.

The lymphatic vascular system is crucial for maintaining tissue fluid homeostasis and immune surveillance. Promoting lymphatic function represents a new strategy to treat several diseases including lymphedema, chronic inflammation and impaired wound healing. By screening a plant extract library, a petroleum ether extract from the aerial parts of Eupatorium perfoliatum (E. perfoliatum) was found to possess lymphangiogenic properties. With the aid of HPLC activity profiling the active compound was identified as pheophorbide a. Both plant extract and pheophorbide a induced the sprouting and tube formation of human primary lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs). The proliferation of the LECs was increased upon treatment with pheophorbide a but not the E. perfoliatum extract. Treatment with the MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126 reduced the LEC sprouting activity, indicating a potential mechanism of action. These studies suggest that pheophorbide a could represent novel natural therapeutic agent to treat human lymphatic vascular insufficiencies.

Zincum Metallicum, a homeopathic drug, alleviates Zn-induced toxic effects and promotes plant growth and antioxidant capacity in Lepidium sativum L.

In this study, we investigated the effect of the homeopathic drug Zincum Metallicum (ZM) on zinc (Zn) toxicity in the plant species Lepidium sativum L. We focused on growth parameters, Zn uptake and numerous biochemical parameters. Seedlings were hydroponically subjected during 7 days to 0.05, 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 µM Zn2+, in the absence or presence of 15ch or 9ch ZM. In the absence of ZM, Zn induced negative effect on growth especially at the dose of 2 mM. Zn induced also chlorosis, reduced total chlorophyll and/or carotenoid content and increased the level of malondialdehyde (MDA). Under Zn toxicity (500, 1000 and 1500 µM), the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), gaiacol peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities were increased or not significantly affected, while at 2000 µM Zn affected the activity of these enzymes. At the highest Zn level (2 mM), proline and total polyphenol and flavonoid contents were markedly increased in leaves and roots of L. sativum. Additionally, ZM supply considerably ameliorated the plant growth, photosynthetic pigment contents and increased non-enzymatic antioxidant molecules and enzymatic activities against Zn-induced oxidative stress. Our data suggest that homeopathic properties of ZM may be efficiently involved in the restriction of Zn-induced oxidative damages, by lowering Zn accumulation and translocation in the leaves and roots of Lepidium sativum L.

A new perspective on the inhibition of plant photosynthesis by uranium: decrease of root activity and stomatal closure.

Uranium (U) is difficult to be transported from roots to leaves, but it has been reported to inhabit photosynthesis in leaves, so how does this work? In the present study, the effects of U (0-25 µM) on the development and photosynthesis in V. faba seedlings were studied under hydroponics. The results showed that U significantly inhibited the growth and development of V. faba plants, including decreased biomass, water content, lateral root number and root activity. U also led to a large accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the leaves which affects leaf structural traits (e.g., decreased leaf area and chlorophyll a content). When U concentration was 25 µM, the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and transpiration rate (Tr) were inhibited, which were only 66.53% and 41.89% of the control, respectively. Further analysis showed that the stomatal density of leaves increased with the increase of U concentration, while the stomatal aperture and stomatal conductance (Gs) were on the contrary. The results of chlorophyll fluorescence showed that the non-photochemical quenching coefficient (NPQ) increased and the electron transfer rate (ETR) decreased after U exposure, but fortunately, photosystem II (PSII) suffered little damage overall. In conclusion, the accumulation of U in the roots inhibited the root activity, resulting in water shortage in the plants. To prevent water loss, leaves have to regulated stomatal closure at the cost of weakening photosynthesis. These results provide a new insight into the mechanism by which U affects plant photosynthesis.

Kinetic Study on Chlorophyll and Antioxidant Activity from Polyscias fruticosa (L.) Harms Leaves via Microwave-Assisted Extraction.

Polyscias fruticosa (L.) leaves contain significant bioactive compounds with high antioxidant activity such as chlorophylls, total polyphenols, etc. but these have still been underutilized. In this study, the kinetics of chlorophyll and antioxidant activity extraction from P. fruticosa leaves by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) were investigated. Microwave power was 300, 450, or 600 (W); the ratio of material/solvent varied from 1:40 to 1:80 (g/mL). In this study, the second-order kinetic model successfully predicted the change of chlorophyll and antioxidant activity during MAE. The increase of microwave power or/and the solvent amount increased saturated extraction efficiency and the extraction rate constant. However, the saturated concentration of chlorophyll and antioxidant activity increased with the increment of microwave power and the decrease in solvent amount.

Phyllobilins as a challenging diverse natural product class: Exploration of pharmacological activities.

Phyllobilins are a group of chlorophyll-derived bilin-type linear tetrapyrroles, generated in the process of chlorophyll breakdown. Since the first phyllobilin was isolated and characterized in 1991, more and more structures of these chlorophyll catabolites were identified alongside the biochemical players involved in chlorophyll breakdown. In the meantime, phyllobilins are known to occur in a large natural structural variety, and new modifications are still being discovered. Phyllobilins have been regarded as products of chlorophyll detoxification for a very long time, hence they have been completely overlooked as a natural product class in terms of their biological role or pharmacological activity. A change of this paradigm, however, is long overdue. Here, we review the current knowledge of the pharmacological activities of phyllobilins and give an overview of the diverse structural modifications, laying the groundwork for analyzing their role(s) as active components in medicinal plants.

Identification of pheophorbide a as an inhibitor of receptor for advanced glycation end products in Mallotus japonicus.

Accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) plays an important role in diabetes, immunoinflammation, and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Since AGEs mediate their pathological effects through interaction with receptor for AGEs (RAGE), RAGE antagonists would provide a useful therapeutic option for various health disorders. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to identify phytochemicals that would inhibit binding of AGEs to RAGE, which may help develop new drug leads and/or nutraceuticals for AGE-RAGE-related diseases. On screening ethanol extracts obtained from 700 plant materials collected in Myanmar, we found that the ethanol extract from the leaves of Mallotus philippensis inhibited the binding of AGEs to RAGE. We also found that the leaves of M. japonicus, which belongs to the same genera and distributes abundantly in Japan, exhibited the inhibitory activity similar to M. philippensis. Activity-guided fractionation and LC/MS analysis of the ethanol extract of M. japonicus helped identify pheophorbide a (PPBa) as a major component in the active fraction, along with some other pheophorbide derivatives. PPBa exhibited potent inhibitory activity against AGE-RAGE binding, with an IC50 value (0.102 µM) comparable to that of dalteparin (0.084 µM). PPBa may be a valuable natural product for use as a therapeutic agent and/or a nutraceutical against various health complications arising from activation of the AGE-RAGE axis.

Comparative study of the insecticidal activity of a high green plant (Spinacia oleracea) and a chlorophytae algae (Ulva lactuca) extracts against Drosophila melanogaster fruit fly.

OBJECTIVES: Currently, the global interests tend to take advantage of the plant world as a renewable source of a natural and effective molecule, to find an eco-friendly, cost-effective, and less toxic alternative to the current synthetic pesticide. In this context, the present research was carried out in an attempt to study the insecticidal activity of extracts and pigments derived from the green plant Spinacia oleracea and the green alga Ulva lactuca against the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as an alternative to chemical insecticide. METHODS: The toxicity of the aqueous, acetonic and ethanolic extracts as well as of the purified pigments (Chlorophylls and carotenoids) was determined by complementary in vivo tests (application by spraying oranges, toxicity by ingestion and repellent activity). Interestingly, each one of these methods corresponds to a specific mode of exposure. RESULTS: Results showed that acetone extracts, which are rich in green pigments, present the best insecticidal activities. On the other hand, the purified chlorophyllian pigments exhibited an interesting activity only by spraying method. Regarding the repellent activity, the aqueous extract of spinach displayed higher effectiveness. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests the potential of tested plant and algal extracts, as well as of chlorophyllian pigments, to provide a safer alternative way to the use of synthetic pesticides.

Photodamage on Staphylococcus aureus by natural extract from Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kuntze: Clean method of extraction, characterization and photophysical studies.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a clinical modality that allows the destruction of tumor cells and microorganisms by reactive oxygen species, formed by the combination of photosensitizer (PS), molecular oxygen and adequate wavelength light. This research, through a clean methodology that involves pressurized liquids extraction (PLE), obtained a highly antimicrobial extract of Tetragonia tetragonoides, which rich in chlorophylls as photosensitizers. The Chlorophylls-based extract (Cbe-PLE) presented pharmacological safety, through the maintenance of cellular viability. In addition, Cbe-PLE showed great efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus, with severe dose-dependent damage to the cell wall of the pathogen. The obtained product has a high potential for the development of photostimulated phytotherapic formulations for clinical applications in localized infections, as a complementary therapeutic alternative to antibiotics.

Chlorophyll Supplementation in Early Life Prevents Diet-Induced Obesity and Modulates Gut Microbiota in Mice.

SCOPE: The high rates of overweight and obesity, currently occurring in children, underline the urgent need for preventive strategies in early life before excess weight is gained. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, the alleviating obesity property of chlorophyll supplementation in early life is investigated using a 4-week-old C57BL/6J male mice model with obesity induced by high-fat diet (HFD). The present study finds that chlorophyll supplementation in early life can effectively retard body weight gain, improve glucose tolerance, as well as reduce low-grade inflammation in HFD-fed mice. Consequently, high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA demonstrates that chlorophyll supplementation significantly reversed the HFD-induced gut dysbiosis, as evidenced by the decreased Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratios as chlorophyll is introduced. Furthermore, in chlorophyll-fed mice, the increased abundance of Blautia and norank_f_Bacteroidales_S24-7_group, and the decreased abundance of Lactococcus and Lactobacillus, bring about the possibility that chlorophyll's alterations to the gut microbiota composition would be the main factors for dietary chlorophyll alleviating obesity-related indexes. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these results reveal that the intake of chlorophyll in early life may propel healthy weight management and produce beneficial effects against potential obesity in later life.

Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) extract effectively inhibits cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) mRNA induction in rifampicin-treated HepG2 cells.

Interaction between foods and drugs is an important consideration in pharmaceutical therapy. Therefore, here, we examined the suppressive effects of the extracts from seven edible herbs on the induction of CYP3A4 gene expression in rifampicin-treated HepG2 cells. We evaluated the structure and suppressive activity of the most effective active compound isolated from dried peppermint (Mentha piperita L.). The structure of the compound was identified as that of pheophorbide a based on spectroscopic data. It suppressed the induction of CYP3A4 mRNA expression by rifampicin in a dose-dependent manner. Quantitative high-performance liquid chromatography showed that 2 g of dry leaves 0.43 mg in one cup of peppermint tea. These findings demonstrate that pheophorbide a suppresses the induction of CYP3A4 mRNA expression in rifampicin-treated HepG2 cells. Pheophorbide is known to cause photosensitivity. However, the effective dose of pheophorbide a that had a suppressive effect was very low, indicating a high safety margin. Abbreviations: DAD: diode array detector; DMEM: Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium; ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; HPLC: high-performance liquid chromatography; PCR: polymerase chain reaction; PXR: pregnane X receptor; CAR: constitutive androstane receptor; AHR: aryl hydrocarbon receptor; TLC: thin-layer chromatography.

Pheophorbide A from Gelidium amansii improves postprandial hyperglycemia in diabetic mice through α-glucosidase inhibition.

This study was designed to determine the inhibitory effects of pheophorbide A on carbohydrate digesting enzymes and its ability to improve postprandial hyperglycemia in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. Pheophorbide A caused noticeable inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase and α-amylase, with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50 ) of 80.65 ± 5.90 and 76.48 ± 6.31 µM, respectively. The pheophorbide-mediated inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase was significantly more effective than that of the positive control, acarbose. The increase in postprandial blood glucose levels was more significantly suppressed in the pheophorbide A group than in the control group of STZ-induced diabetic mice. In addition, the area under the curve was decreased by pheophorbide A intake in STZ-induced diabetic mice. Our results suggested that pheophorbide A may help to improve postprandial hyperglycemia by inhibiting the activity of carbohydrate digesting enzymes.