Methyl jasmonate improves selenium tolerance via regulating ROS signalling, hormonal crosstalk and phenylpropanoid pathway in Plantago ovata.

Selenium (Se) toxicity is an emerging contaminant of global concern. It is known to cause oxidative stress, affecting plant growth and yield. Plantago ovata, a major cash crop known for its medicinal properties, is often cultivated in Se-contaminated soil. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the use of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) seed priming technique to mitigate Se-induced phytotoxicity. The results demonstrated that Se stress inhibited P. ovata growth, biomass and lowered chlorophyll content in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with 1 µM MeJA enhanced the antioxidant defence system via ROS signalling and upregulated key enzymes of phenylpropanoid pathway, PAL (1.9 times) and CHI (5.4 times) in comparison to control. Caffeic acid, Vanillic acid, Chlorogenic acid, Coumaric acid and Luteoloside were the most abundant polyphenols. Enzymatic antioxidants involved in ROS scavenging, such as CAT (up to 1.3 times) and GPOX (up to 1.4 times) were raised, while SOD (by 0.6 times) was reduced. There was an upregulation of growth-inducible hormones, IAA (up to 2.1 fold) and GA (up to 1.5 fold) whereas, the stress-responsive hormones ABA (by 0.6 fold) and SA (by 0.5 fold) were downregulated. The alleviation of Se toxicity was also evident from the decrease in H2O2 and MDA contents under MeJA treatment. These findings suggest that MeJA can effectively improve Se tolerance and nutraceutical value in P. ovata by modulating the phytohormone regulatory network, redox homeostasis and elicits accumulation of polyphenols. Therefore, MeJA seed priming could be an efficient way to enhance stress resilience and sustainable crop production.

Ultrasound-assisted ethanol/K2HPO4 aqueous two-phase extraction of polysaccharides from Plantago asiatica L. seeds: Process optimization, physicochemical properties, and antioxidant activity.

INTRODUCTION: The seeds of Plantago asiatica L., a folk herb, are rich in polysaccharides that possess antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Polysaccharides with lower molecular weights generally exhibit higher biological activity, so a method to efficiently extract low-molecular-weight polysaccharides from P. asiatica L. seeds (PLPs) is needed. OBJECTIVES: The aim was to establish an efficient method for extracting polysaccharides from P. asiatica L. seeds while preserving their activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Response surface methodology was applied to determine the optimal polysaccharide extraction conditions. Subsequently, the extracted polysaccharides were characterized to determine their monosaccharide composition, physicochemical properties, and molecular weight. Their antioxidant activity was evaluated by measuring their ability to scavenge DPPH and ABTS free radicals. RESULTS: An extraction yield of 9.17% was achieved under an ethanol concentration of 18.0% (w/w), a K2HPO4 concentration of 27.8% (w/w), a solvent-to-material ratio of 30:1 (mL/g), an ultrasound power of 203 W, and an extraction time of 39 min. Structural analyses indicated that this method might cause physicochemical changes in the conformation of PLPs and induce the degradation of PLP side chains but not the backbone. The antioxidant assay results showed that the DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging rates of PLPs were 48.3% and 49.2%, respectively, while in the control group the radical scavenging rates were 35.5% and 37.1%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The established method for extracting polysaccharides from P. asiatica L. seeds is efficient and reliable. The polysaccharides could be used as an important resource with antioxidant activity.

Effects of dietary Plantago ovata seed extract administration on growth performance and immune function of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) fingerling exposed to ammonia toxicity.

Medicinal plants are powerful antioxidants which can improve well-being and suppress oxidative stress caused by environmental toxins in aquatic animals. In this regard, the present research was designed to show the potential effects of psyllium (Plantago ovata) seed extract (PSE) on the growth, and immune responses of common carp Cyprinus carpio exposed to acute ammonia toxicity. To perform the study, fish were fed with diets containing 0 (T0), 0.25 (T1), 0.5 (T2), and 1% (T3) PSE for 60 days, and then exposed to ammonia (0.5 mg L-1) for 3 h. The findings showed that fish given the T1 diet outperformed the T3 and control groups in terms of ultimate weight, weight increase, and food conversion ratio. Additionally, the T1 group showed a significantly higher level of total protein and serum lysozyme activity than the other treatment groups. Moreover, the highest serum total immunoglobulin values were recorded in T1 and T2 groups. The results showed that PSE, especially at moderate levels, could successfully upregulate the transcription of immune-related genes (IFN-γ, Hsp70, TNF-ɑ, IL-1ß, IL-10, and IgE) compared to the control group after exposure to ammonia. Furthermore, improving ammonia-induced down regulations of antioxidant-related gene expressions (CYP1A, SOD, and GPX) was observed in fish fed with PSE-included diets compared to the control one. However, PSE-supplemented diets did not affect the mRNA expression level of CAT. Regarding tight junction-associated genes, the higher mRNA expression level of occludin was observed in the T1 group, whereas the downregulation of CLD3 gene occurred in all experimental groups. Conversely, significant upregulation of osmoregulation-associated gene (NKA) was recorded in all experimental groups compared to the control one. Therefore, the administration of PSE (0.25% of the diet) for 60 days is recommended to increase growth performance, improve health, and increase the resistance of common carp to oxidative stress caused by ammonia.

Sequential steps of the incorporation of bioactive plant extracts from wild Italian Plantago coronopus L. and Cichorium intybus L. leaves in fresh egg pasta.

The application of bioactive extracts from Cichorium intybus L. and Plantago coronopus L. species were incorporated as a functional ingredient in fresh egg pasta (Fettuccine). In that sense, a pasta making procedure was accessed using different concentrations of the plant extracts (0.25-0.63 mg/g), drying times (20-420 min) and drying temperatures (40-90 °C; only for P. coronopus enriched pasta), to screen an optimal factor selection in the pasta making procedure and to enhance the bioactive properties of the final product. In the chemical characterisation of the plant extracts, twenty-five phenolic compounds were tentatively identified (twenty compounds belonging to phenolic acid and phenylpropanoid classes and five belonging to the flavonoid sub-class) and a strong synergy between the plant extract concentration and the drying time was showed. The analysed antioxidant properties were enhanced by the phenolic compounds of the extracts and a new functional food with higher bioactive quality was developed.

Comparative transcriptome mining for terpenoid biosynthetic pathway genes in wild and cultivated species of Plantago.

Plantagos are important economical and medicinal plants that possess several bioactive secondary metabolites, such as phenolics, iridoids, triterpenes, and alkaloids. Triterpenoids are the ubiquitous and dynamic secondary metabolites that are deployed by plants for chemical interactions and protection under biotic/abiotic stress. Plantago ovata, a cultivated species, is the source of psyllium, while Plantago major, a wild species, has significant therapeutic potential. Wild species are considered more tolerant to stressful conditions in comparison to their cultivated allies. In view of this, the present study aimed to decipher the terpenoid biosynthetic pathway operative in P. ovata and P. major using a comparative transcriptomics approach. Majority of terpenoid biosynthetic genes were observed as upregulated in P. major including rate limiting genes of MVA (HMGR) and MEP (DXR) pathways and genes (α-AS, BAS, SM, and CYP716) involved in ursolic acid biosynthesis, an important triterpenoid prevalent in Plantago species. The HPLC output further confirmed the higher concentration of ursolic acid in P. major as compared to P. ovata leaf samples, respectively. In addition to terpenoid biosynthesis, KEGG annotation revealed the involvement of differentially expressed unigenes in several metabolic pathways, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, biosynthesis of antibiotics, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. MYB was found as the most abundant transcription factor family in Plantago transcriptome. We have been able to generate valuable information which can help in improving terpenoid production in Plantago. Additionally, the present study has laid a strong foundation for deciphering other important metabolic pathways in Plantago.

Tissue-Specific Accumulation and Isomerization of Valuable Phenylethanoid Glycosides from Plantago and Forsythia Plants.

A comparative phytochemical study on the phenylethanoid glycoside (PhEG) composition of the underground organs of three Plantago species (P. lanceolata, P. major, and P. media) and that of the fruit wall and seed parts of Forsythia suspensa and F. europaea fruits was performed. The leaves of these Forsythia species and six cultivars of the hybrid F. × intermedia were also analyzed, demonstrating the tissue-specific accumulation and decomposition of PhEGs. Our analyses confirmed the significance of selected tissues as new and abundant sources of these valuable natural compounds. The optimized heat treatment of tissues containing high amounts of the PhEG plantamajoside (PM) or forsythoside A (FA), which was performed in distilled water, resulted in their characteristic isomerizations. In addition to PM and FA, high amounts of the isomerization products could also be isolated after heat treatment. The isomerization mechanisms were elucidated by molecular modeling, and the structures of PhEGs were identified by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS) techniques, also confirming the possibility of discriminating regioisomeric PhEGs by tandem MS. The PhEGs showed no cytostatic activity in non-human primate Vero E6 cells, supporting their safe use as natural medicines and allowing their antiviral potency to be tested.

Air pollution tolerance index and heavy metal bioaccumulation in selected plant species from urban biotopes.

This research was carried out on plants Taraxacum officinale, Plantago lanceolata, Betula pendula and Robinia pseudoacacia growing in urban biotopes with different levels of heavy metal contamination in the city of Dabrowa Górnicza (southern Poland). Based on the pollution index, the highest heavy metal contamination was determined in the site 4 (connected with industry emitters) and 6 (high traffic). The metal accumulation index (MAI) values ranged within the biotopes in Dabrowa Górnicza between 7.3 and 20.6 for R. pseudoacacia, 4.71-23.1 for P. lanceolata, 4.68-28.1 for T. officinale and 10.5-27.2 for B. pendula. Increasing tendency in proline content in biotopes connected with high traffic was found in the leaves of investigated plants (except R. pseudoacacia). Similar tendency was observed for ascorbic acid content in the foliage of the plants as well as in T. officinalle in stands connected industrial emission. Non-protein thiols content increased especially in the leaves of R. pseudoacacia in biotopes with high traffic emissions as well as in T. officinale in stands connected with industry. The mean values of APTI (Air Pollution Tolerance Index) within the city of Dabrowa Górnicza for investigated plants were found in the following ascending order P. lanceolata < R. pseudoacacia < B. pendula < T. officinale. Among the investigated plants B. pendula and T. officinale may be postulated as appropriate plants in urban areas with considerable soil and air contamination, especially with heavy metals. The results indicate that species deemed tolerant according to APTI are suitable plants in barriers areas to combat atmospheric pollution.

Phenotypic and biochemical alterations in relation to MT2 gene expression in Plantago ovata Forsk under zinc stress.

Plantago ovata Forsk is an annual herb with immense medicinal importance, the seed and husk of which is used in the treatment of chronic constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea since ancient times. Zinc, an essential metal, is required by plants as they form important components of zinc finger proteins and also aid in synthesis of photosynthetic pigments such as chlorophyll. However, in excess amount Zn causes chlorosis of leaf and shoot tissues and generate reactive oxygen species. The present study is aimed at investigating the changes in expression levels of MT2 gene in Plantago ovata under zinc stress. Data show up to 1.66 fold increase in expression of PoMT2 in 1000 µM ZnSO4·7H2O treated sample. Our study also describes alteration of MT2 gene expressions in Plantago ovata as observed through Real time PCR (qPCR) done by [Formula: see text] method. In this study we have observed an upregulation (or induction) in the PoMT2 gene expression level in 500 and 800 µM ZnSO4·7H2O treated samples but found saturation on further increasing the dose to 1000 µM of ZnSO4·7H2O. Determination of the phenotypic and biochemical changes in Plantago ovata due to exposure to zinc stress of concentrations 500, 800 and 1000 µM revealed oxidative stress. The enhanced expression of MT2 gene in Plantago ovata has a correlation with the increased total antioxidant activity and increased DPPH radical scavenging activity.

PLANTAGO OVATA: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ON CULTIVATION, BIOCHEMICAL, PHARMACEUTICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL ASPECTS.

The basic aspire of current study was to review different aspects of Plantago ovata together with its cultivation, growth, biochemistry, pharmaceutical and pharmacological attributes. Plantago ovata belongs to family Plantaginaceae. It is an annual herb, indigenous to Mediterranean region especially Southern Europe, North Africa and West Asia. Different electronic databases (Medline, Science Direct, Springer link, Pubmed, Google and Google Scholar) were analyzed for the literature on medicinal properties of Plantago ovata. The literature analysis has revealed that Plantago ovata has been endowed with diverse pharmaceutical and pharmacological activities. It is widely used in numerous medicines owing to its both pharmaceutical properties such as mucilage, superdisintegrant, gelling agent, suspending agent as well as pharmacological actions like anti-diarrheal, anti-constipation, wound healer, hypocholestrolemic and hypoglycemic. Thus, Plantago ovata can be employed in the manufacture of a number of pharmaceutical products as well as a safe and efficacious ethnobotanical remedy in several health problems.

Starch gelatinization and in vitro digestibility behaviour after heat treatment: Comparison between plantain paste and piece of pulp.

Over the 65-100°C range and at a water content of 1.6kgkg(-1)db, a comparison was conducted between plantain paste (dispersion made of flour and water) and pulp pieces after cooking to evaluate their respective degree of starch gelatinization (α) and in vitro digestibility. Below 76°C and at 100°C, the gelatinization behaviour of starch into pulp pieces and paste was similar, whereas at 85°C a significant mean relative difference was observed in between. For α in the 0-1 range, pieces of plantain pulp exhibited a lower rapidly digestible starch fraction (30%) and a higher resistant starch fraction (33%) than the flour paste, suggesting some structural effects. Both Weibull and exponential models showed a good fit for α over temperature range and starch digestibility fractions over α. Although no explicit relationship was established between the intact pulp structure and grinded flour state of plantain, the evaluation of the degree of starch gelatinization and digestibility of a plantain flour paste, could be used to predict the gelatinization and digestibility behaviour of plantain starch in entire pieces of pulp.

Antioxidant activity and high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of phenolic compounds during in vitro callus culture of Plantago ovata Forsk. and effect of exogenous additives on accumulation of phenolic compounds.

BACKGROUND: Plantago ovata, commonly called psyllium, is known to be a rich source of polyphenolic compounds. The present study was aimed at determining polyphenol content and studying their antioxidant activities in P. ovata during in vitro callus culture. An attempt was also made to enhance polyphenol content using external additives. The role of PAL gene in polyphenol accumulation was also studied. RESULTS: The study indicated the presence of significant amounts of polyphenols, including flavonoids, in P. ovata callus. A gradual increase in polyphenol and flavonoid content was observed up to the third passage (63 days) of callus culture, which declined at the next passage. The third-passage callus showed highest antioxidant activity. High-performance liquid chromatographic results indicated the presence of high amounts of gallic acid and rutin in P. ovata calli; however, other polyphenols were also present but to a lesser extent. Additive supplementation was effective in enhancing polyphenol production and in increasing antioxidant activity in P. ovata callus. CONCLUSION: The present research reported accumulation of polyphenols in callus culture of P. ovata, which could be applied to isolation of polyphenols for various beneficial purposes. It also indicated enhancement in the production of several polyphenols and also an increase in antioxidant activity in the additive-treated callus.

Rhizophagus irregularis MUCL 41833 can colonize and improve P uptake of Plantago lanceolata after exposure to ionizing gamma radiation in root organ culture.

Long-lived radionuclides such as (90)Sr and (137)Cs can be naturally or accidentally deposited in the upper soil layers where they emit ß/γ radiation. Previous studies have shown that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can accumulate and transfer radionuclides from soil to plant, but there have been no studies on the direct impact of ionizing radiation on AMF. In this study, root organ cultures of the AMF Rhizophagus irregularis MUCL 41833 were exposed to 15.37, 30.35, and 113.03 Gy gamma radiation from a (137)Cs source. Exposed spores were subsequently inoculated to Plantago lanceolata seedlings in pots, and root colonization and P uptake evaluated. P. lanceolata seedlings inoculated with non-irradiated AMF spores or with spores irradiated with up to 30.35 Gy gamma radiation had similar levels of root colonization. Spores irradiated with 113.03 Gy gamma radiation failed to colonize P. lanceolata roots. P content of plants inoculated with non-irradiated spores or of plants inoculated with spores irradiated with up to 30.35 Gy gamma radiation was higher than in non-mycorrhizal plants or plants inoculated with spores irradiated with 113.03 Gy gamma radiation. These results demonstrate that spores of R. irregularis MUCL 41833 are tolerant to chronic ionizing radiation at high doses.

Therapeutic switching: from antidermatophytic essential oils to new leishmanicidal products.

This study examined whether the antidermatophytic activity of essential oils (EOs) can be used as an indicator for the discovery of active natural products against Leishmania amazonensis. The aerial parts of seven plants were hydrodistilled. Using broth microdilution techniques, the obtained EOs were tested against three strains of dermatophytes (Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporum gypseum and Microsporum canis). To compare the EOs antifungal and antiparasitic effects, the EOs activities against axenic amastigotes of L. amazonensis were concurrently evaluated. For the most promising EOs, their antileishmanial activities against parasites infecting peritoneal macrophages of BALB/c mice were measured. The most interesting antifungal candidates were the EOs from Cymbopogon citratus, Otacanthus azureus and Protium heptaphyllum, whereas O. azureus, Piper hispidum and P. heptaphyllum EOs exhibited the lowest 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values against axenic amastigotes, thus revealing a certain correspondence between both activities. The P. hispidum EO was identified as the most promising product in the results from the infected macrophages model (IC50: 4.7 µg/mL, safety index: 8). The most abundant compounds found in this EO were sesquiterpenes, notably curzerene and furanodiene. Eventually, the evaluation of the antidermatophytic activity of EOs appears to be an efficient method for identifying new potential drugs for the treatment of L. amazonensis.

A rapid and stable Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method of a medicinal plant Chelone glabra L.

Transformation approach is a useful tool for the study of gene function, the mechanism of molecular regulation, and increase usefulness of components by reverse genetic approach in plants. In this study, we developed a stable and rapid method for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of a medicinal plant Chelone glabra L. using leaf explants. Stable transformants were obtained using Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains GV2260 and GV3101 that harbored the binary vector pBI121 and contained the neomycin phosphotransferase gene (NPT II) as a selectable marker and a reporter gene ß-glucuronidase (GUS). Putative transformants were identified by kanamycin selection and a histochemical assay. PCR and Southern blot analysis confirmed the integration of the GUS gene into transformed genomes as well as detected stable expression of the ß-glucuronidase gene (GUS) by RT-PCR. Resulting transformed plants had morphologically normal phenotypes. This method requires two changes of medium and few leaf explants as well as the transformation efficiency of 2-8 % after 2-3 months of inoculation. This method can provide a quick and economical transformation method for reverse genetic approach to change the secondary metabolic pathway to increase useful components in C. glabra.

Estudo da ação antimicrobiana conjunta de extratos aquosos de Tansagem (Plantago major l, Plantaginaceae) e Romã (Punica granatum l, Punicaceae) e interferência dos mesmos na ação da amoxicilina in vitr / Study of the joint antimicrobial action of aqueous extracts of broadleaf plantain (Plantago major l, Plantaginaceae) and Pomegranate (Punica granatum l, Punicaceae) and their interference in the in vitro activity of amoxicillin

O uso de plantas medicinais no tratamento de doenças (fitoterapia) é uma prática de diversos povos, sendo realizada desde a Antiguidade. Diversos estudos são realizados para determinar a eficácia dessas plantas, sendo desconhecida a existência de interações e interferências na combinação das mesmas, quer seja benéfica, quer cause algum dano para o organismo. A fim de descobrir a existência dessas interações ou a interferência na ação do antibiótico amoxicilina testou-se Punica granatum e Plantago major contra as bactérias Staphylococcus aureus e Escherichia coli. A matéria prima foi obtida nas regiões de Montes Claros e Curvelo e seus extratos aquosos foi obtido através da decocção. A Concentração Inibitória Mínima (CIM) dos extratos foi determinada pela técnica de microdiluição em caldo. Para o teste de interferência realizou-se o teste de disco-difusão. No teste de microdiluição em caldo, Punica granatum apresentou CIM de 6,25% contra o S. aureus e de 25% contra E. coli. O extrato de Plantago major não apresentou atividade contra as bactérias. O teste de disco-difusão confirmou a existência de interações, sendo apenas quatro resultados significativos (Amoxicilina + Plantago major Pura (PgP), Amoxicilina + Plantago major Diluição 1 (PgD1) e Amoxicilia + Plantago major Diluição 2 (PgD2) contra E. coli e Amoxicilina + PgP contra S. aureus). Conclui-se que existe interação dos extratos entre si e dos extratos com a amoxicilina, o que também pode acontecer com outros antibióticos e gerar riscos para a população. Portanto é indispensável à realização de testes que complementem essa pesquisa oferecendo mais informação à população para segurança na utilização de plantas medicinais. informações à população assegurando sua segurança na utilização de plantas medicinais.

The use of medicinal plants in treating diseases (herbal medicine) is a practice of many peoples, being done since ancient times. Several studies are conducted to determine the effectiveness of these plants, but the existence of interactions and interference with their combined use, whether beneficial or detrimental to the body, are unknown. In order to discover the existence of these interactions or interferences in the activity of the antibiotic amoxicillin, we tested in this research Punica granatum and Plantago major against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The raw material was obtained in the regions of Montes Claros and Curvelo, and their aqueous extracts were obtained from decoction. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extracts was determined by the broth microdilution technique. For interference, we performed the disk diffusion test. In the broth microdilution test, Punica granatum had MICs of 6.25% against S.aureus and 25% against E. coli. The Plantago major extract showed no activity against the bacteria. The disk diffusion test confirmed the existence of interactions and only four significant results (amoxicillin + pure Punica granatum (PgP), amoxicillin + Punica granatum dilution 1 (PgD1) and amoxicillin + Punica granatum dilution 2 (PgD2) against E. coli and amoxicillin + PgP against S. aureus). We conclude, as a result, that there really is interaction between the extracts themselves and between the extracts and amoxicillin, which can also occur with other antibiotics and cause some risk to the population. Therefore, it is essential to carry out tests to complement this research, providing more information to the public and ensuring the safety in the use of medicinal plants.

Role of plant ß-glucosidases in the dual defense system of iridoid glycosides and their hydrolyzing enzymes in Plantago lanceolata and Plantago major.

The typical defense compounds of Plantaginaceae are the iridoid glycosides, which retard growth and/or enhance mortality of non-adapted herbivores. In plants, glycosidic defense compounds and hydrolytic enzymes often form a dual defense system, in which the glycosides are activated by the enzymes to exert biological effects. Yet, little is known about the activating enzymes in iridoid glycoside-containing plants. To examine the role of plant-derived ß-glucosidases in the dual defense system of two common plantain species, Plantago lanceolata and Plantago major, we determined the concentration of iridoid glycosides as well as the ß-glucosidase activity in leaves of different age. To investigate the presence of other leaf metabolites potentially involved in plant defense, we used a metabolic fingerprinting approach with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight-mass spectrometry. According to the optimal defense hypothesis, more valuable parts such as young leaves should be better protected than less valuable parts. Therefore, we expected that both, the concentrations of defense compounds as well as the ß-glucosidase activity, should be highest in younger leaves and decrease with increasing leaf age. Both species possessed ß-glucosidase activity, which hydrolyzed aucubin, one of the two most abundant iridoid glycosides in both plant species, with high activity. In line with the optimal defense hypothesis, the ß-glucosidase activity in both Plantago species as well as the concentration of defense-related metabolites such as iridoid glycosides correlated negatively to leaf age. When leaf extracts were incubated with bovine serum albumin and aucubin, SDS-PAGE revealed a protein-denaturing effect of the leaf extracts of both plantain species, suggesting that iridoid glycosides and plant ß-glucosidase interact in a dual defense system.

Effect of gamma irradiation on metallothionein protein expression in Plantago ovata Forsk.

PURPOSE: The effect of gamma rays on metallothionein (MT) expression was studied using the medicinal plant Plantago ovata as the test system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Western blotting and Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) were used for this purpose. RESULTS: Western blot analysis showed significant induction of metallothionein protein following gamma exposure and that induction was highest at 20 Gy gamma dose. At higher gamma doses (100 Gy) MT expression level declined due to degeneration of cells. MALDI-TOF MS analysis indicated the presence of low molecular weight (7-8 kD) MT molecules following the lower radiation doses. CONCLUSION: It was concluded from the MALDI-TOF MS result that low gamma exposure leads to expression of MT-like protein. At high doses of gamma ray, MT homologues or MT-like protein were not identified, possibly because they might have precipitated due to uncontrolled cross-linking and non-specific aggregation.

Massive uprooting of Littorella uniflora (L.) Asch. during a storm event and its relation to sediment and plant characteristics.

During spring storms massive uprooting of Littorella uniflora occurred in a shallow Dutch softwater lake. The aim of this study was to test whether changes in plant morphology and sediment characteristics could explain the observed phenomenon. Uprooting was expected to occur in plants having a high shoot biomass and low root to shoot ratio (R:S), growing on sediments with a high organic matter content. Normally, uprooting of the relative buoyant L. uniflora is prevented by an extensive root system, expressed as a high R:S. This was studied by sampling floating and still rooted L. uniflora plants, as well as sediment and sediment pore water, along a gradient of increasing sediment organic matter content. Increasing organic matter content was related to increasing L. uniflora shoot biomass and consequently decreasing R:S. Furthermore, the results indicated that uprooting indeed occurred in plants growing on very organic sediments and was related to a low R:S. The increased shoot biomass on more organic sediments could be related to increased sediment pore water total inorganic carbon (TIC; mainly CO2 ) availability. Additionally, increased phosphorus availability could also have played a role. The disappearance of L. uniflora might lead to higher nutrient availability in the sediments. It is suggested that this could eventually promote the expansion of faster-growing macrophytes.

Polysaccharide from seeds of Plantago asiatica L. increases short-chain fatty acid production and fecal moisture along with lowering pH in mouse colon.

Mice (20.0 ± 2.0 g, n = 48 per group) were given 30 days oral administration of polysaccharide from Plantago asiatica L. seeds at the dose of 0.4 g/kg body weight by gavage to investigate the effects of the polysaccharide on mouse colon. Results showed that the concentrations of total short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), acetic, propionic, and n-butyric acids in mouse colonic content of polysaccharide treated group were all significantly higher than that of control group (water) (p < 0.05). In addition, moisture of mouse colonic content of polysaccharide treated group was also notably higher than that of the control group (p < 0.05) indicating the intake of polysaccharide from P. asiatica L. resulted in a stronger water-holding capacity for colonic content throughout the experimental period. Furthermore, a decreased pH (from 7.5 ± 0.1 to 7.2 ± 0.1) was observed in mouse colon of the polysaccharide treated group compared with the control group (pH from 7.5 ± 0.1 to 7.5 ± 0.1). These results suggested that the intake of the polysaccharide from P. asiatica L. might be beneficial for the colon health.

Effect of high relative humidity on dried Plantago lanceolata L. leaves during long-term storage: effects on chemical composition, colour and microbiological quality.

INTRODUCTION: Modern phytotherapy and quality assurance requires stability data on bioactive metabolites to identify and minimise decomposing factors during processing and storage. A compound's stability in a complex matrix can be different from the stability of the purified compound. OBJECTIVE: To test the stability of iridoids and acteoside and quantify changes in colour and microbiological quality in a common herbal tea, dried P. lanceolata leaves during exposure to high-humidity air. To test the contribution of fungi to metabolite decomposition. METHODOLOGY: Dried P. lanceolata leaves were exposed to atmospheres of different relative humidity (75, 45 and 0%) for 24 weeks. Changes in aucubin and catalpol concentration were determined by CE-MEKC, and those in acteoside on TLC. Colour and chlorophyll-like pigments were measured by different spectrophotometric methods. The number of fungi was monitored; 10 strains were isolated from the plant drug, and their ability to decompose the analytes of interest was tested. RESULTS: During incubation at 75% relative humidity (RH), aucubin, catalpol and acteoside concentrations decreased by 95.7, 97.0 and 70.5%, respectively. Strong shifts were detected in CIELAB parameters a* and b* (browning) as a result of conversion of chlorophyll to pheophytin. Intensive microbial proliferation was also observed. Changes at 45 or 0% RH were typically insignificant. Seven of the 10 isolated fungal strains could decompose both iridoids, and five could decompose acteoside in vitro. CONCLUSION: It was shown that exposure to water results in loss of bioactive molecules of P. lanceolata dried leaves, and that colonising fungi are the key contributors to this loss.