Exploration of reducing and stabilizing phytoconstituents in Arisaema dracontium extract for the effective synthesis of Silver nanoparticles and evaluation of their antibacterial and toxicological proprties.

Medicinal plants have been widely used for their antimicrobial properties against various microorganisms. Arisaema dracontium a familiar medicinal plant, was analyzed and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using extracts of different parts of its shoot including leaves and stem. Further, the antimicrobial activity of different solvent extracts such as ethyl acetate, n-hexane, ethanol, methanol, and chloroform extracts were analyzed. AgNPs were prepared using aqueous silver nitrate solution and assessed their antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant (MDR) and Non-multidrug-resistant bacteria. The characterization of AgNPs was done by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTI), and X-ray Diffraction approaches. The leaf extract contained Tannins, Flavonoids, Terpenoids, and Steroids while Alkaloids, Saponins, and Glycosides were undetected. The stem extract contained Alkaloids, Tannins, Flavonoids, Saponins, Steroids, and Glycosides while Terpenoids were not observed. The AgNPs synthesized from stem and leaf extracts in the current study had spherical shapes and ranged in size from 1 to 50 nm and 20-500 nm respectively as were visible in TEM. The leaf extract-prepared AgNPs showed significantly higher activities i.e., 27.75 mm ± 0.86 against the MDR strains as compared to the stem-derived nanoparticles i.e., 24.33 ± 0.33 by comparing the zones of inhibitions which can be attributed to the differences in their phytochemical constituents. The acute toxicity assay confirmed that no mortality was noticed when the dosage was 100 mg per kg which confirms that the confirms that the AgNPs are not toxic when used in low quantities. It is concluded that leaf extract from A. dracontium could be used against pathogenic bacteria offering economic and health benefits compared to the chemical substances.

Isotope Distribution Analysis in H218O Pulse-Labeled Trees Frozen with Liquid Nitrogen.

Tracer injection has long been recognized as a valuable tool for delineating tree hydraulics and assessing water transport pathways. Recently, isotope tracers have emerged as innovative instruments for investigating tree hydraulics, providing new insights into tree water dynamics. Nevertheless, there is a critical need for further research to comprehensively grasp water movement and distribution within trees. A previously introduced technique for analyzing the isotopic ratio of water in wet tissues, offering millimeter-scale resolution for visualizing tracer movement, faces challenges due to its underdeveloped sample preparation techniques. In this study, we introduced an H2 18O tracer into S. gracilistyla samples, exclusively comprising indeterminate roots, stems, and leaves, cultivated through hydroponics and grown within the current year. Our objective was to assess the axial distribution of the tracer in the xylem. Additionally, we devised a novel method for preparing frozen wet tissue samples, enhancing the repeatability and success rate of experiments. The results demonstrated that all frozen wet tissue samples exhibited an average water loss rate of less than 0.6%. Isotopic analysis of these samples unveiled a consistent decline in tracer concentration with increasing height in all Salix specimens, with three out of five samples revealing a significant isotope gradient. Our findings affirm the efficacy and practicality of combining isotopic labeling with freezing, stabilization, and preparation techniques. Looking ahead, our isotopic labeling and analysis methods are poised to transcend woody plants, finding extensive applications in plant physiology and ecohydrology.

Salt stress alters the cell wall components and structure in Miscanthus sinensis stems.

Miscanthus is a perennial grass suitable for the production of lignocellulosic biomass on marginal lands. The effects of salt stress on Miscanthus cell wall composition and its consequences on biomass quality have nonetheless received relatively little attention. In this study, we investigated how exposure to moderate (100 mM NaCl) or severe (200 mM NaCl) saline growing conditions altered the composition of both primary and secondary cell wall components in the stems of 15 Miscanthus sinensis genotypes. The exposure to stress drastically impacted biomass yield and cell wall composition in terms of content and structural features. In general, the observed compositional changes were more pronounced under severe stress conditions and were more apparent in genotypes with a higher sensitivity towards stress. Besides a severely reduced cellulose content, salt stress led to increased pectin content, presumably in the form of highly branched rhamnogalacturonan type I. Although salt stress had a limited effect on the total lignin content, the acid-soluble lignin content was strongly increased in the most sensitive genotypes. This effect was also reflected in substantially altered lignin structures and led to a markedly reduced incorporation of syringyl subunits and p-coumaric acid moieties. Interestingly, plants that were allowed a recovery period after stress ultimately had a reduced lignin content compared to those continuously grown under control conditions. In addition, the salt stress-induced cell wall alterations contributed to an improved enzymatic saccharification efficiency.

Determination of genoprotection against cyclophosphamide induced toxicity in bone marrow of Swiss albino mice by Moringa oleifera leaves and Tinospora cordifolia stem.

The present study aimed to determine the genoprotective activity and safety of Moringa oleifera leave and Tinospora cordifolia stem extracts against cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced genotoxicity utilizing Swiss albino mice. Animals were divided into 14 groups for subacute treatment with either M. oleifera or T. cordifolia extracts daily for 28 days. The extract doses selected were 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg b.w administered orally alone or combined with CP (50 mg/kg b.w. intraperitoneally daily for 5 days). Analyses performed included the comet assay, micronucleus test (MN) in bone marrow cells and sperm head abnormality assay (SHA). M. oleifera and T. cordifolia extracts induced no significant genotoxic effects on somatic and germ cells. In contrast, for all cells examined M. oleifera and T. cordifolia extracts inhibited DNA damage initiated by CP. Taken together data demonstrated that both plant extracts did not exhibit marked genotoxic effects but displayed potential chemoprotective properties against CP-induced genotoxicity in Swiss mice.

Estrogenic Activity of Derris scandens Stem Extract and its Major Compounds Using MCF-7 Cell Proliferation Assay and Estrogen-Related Gene Expression.

Derris scandens, which contains isoflavones and prenylated derivatives, has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties and is an ingredient in traditional Thai medicine for perimenopause and menopause. However, the estrogenic activity of D. scandens has not yet been explored. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the estrogenic activity of the stem extract of D. scandens and its isoflavone derivatives. In this study, we conducted a proliferation assay in MCF-7 cells, and used quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to assess gene expression. We found that the relative cell proliferation of the compounds (1 µM) was ranked in the following order as compared to 0.1 nM 17ß-estradiol (100%): genistein (97.84%) > derrisisoflavone A (83.17%) > genistein-7-O-[α-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-glucopyranoside] (69.55%) > 6,8-diprenylgenistein (51.91%) > lupalbigenin (18.72%). Furthermore, cotreatment with 1 µM lupalbigenin and 0.1 nM 17ß-estradiol was performed, which decreased cell proliferation to 80.38%. In vitro results suggest that lupalbigenin has an estrogen-antagonistic effect. At a dose of 1 µM, genistein had the strongest efficacy in increasing the expression of human estrogen receptor ß by 4.0-fold compared to the control. Furthermore, genistein-7-O-[α-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 6)]-ß-glucopyranoside augmented the gene expression of human estrogen receptor α and human estrogen receptor ß by 1.5- and 3.4-fold, respectively. Prenylated derivatives of genistein (derrisisoflavone A, 6,8-diprenylgenistein, and lupalbigenin) significantly suppressed the gene expression of the human androgen receptor. The administration of the crude extract at 10 µg/mL significantly suppressed human androgen receptor (0.6-fold) and transmembrane protease serine 2 (0.1-fold) expression but did not significantly affect human estrogen receptor α and human estrogen receptor ß gene expression. This herbal medicine may be safe for estrogen-exposed breast cancer patients.

Nutrient allocation patterns of Picea crassifolia on the eastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

It can provide a basis for decision making for the conservation and sustainable use of forest ecosystems in mountains to understand the stoichiometric properties and nutrient allocation strategies of major tree species. However, the plant nutrient allocation strategies under different environmental gradients in forest systems of arid and semi-arid mountains are not fully understand. Therefore, three typical regions in the Qilian Mountains on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were selected based on precipitation and temperature gradients, and the stoichiometric characteristics and nutrient allocation strategies of Qinghai spruce (Picea crassifolia) of the dominant tree species under different environmental gradients were investigated. The results showed that (1) the stoichiometric characteristics of plant tissues were different in the three regions. (2) The importance of each tissue in the plant nutrient allocation varied in different regions, showing that the plant roots are more important in the warm-wet region, while the plant leaves, branches and trunks are more important in the transition and hot-dry regions. (3) The influencing factors affecting plant nutrient allocation strategies were inconsistent across regions, which showed that plant nutrient allocation strategies in the warm-wet and transition region were mainly influenced by soil factors, while they were more influenced by climatic factors in the hot-dry region. The patterns of plant nutrient allocation strategies and drivers under different environmental gradients could help us better understand the ecological adaptation mechanism and physiological adjustment mechanism of forest ecosystem in mountains.

Three neo-Clerodane Diterpenoids from Tinospora cordifolia Stems and Their Arginase Inhibitory Activities.

Three neo-clerodane diterpenoids, including two new tinocordifoliols A (1) and B (2) and one known tinopanoid R (3), were isolated from the ethyl acetate-soluble fraction of the 70% ethanol extract of Tinospora cordifolia stems. The structures were elucidated by various spectroscopic methods, including one dimensional (1D) and 2D-NMR, high resolution-electrospray ionization (HR-ESI)-MS, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data. The T. cordifolia extract and all isolated compounds 1-3 possessed arginase I inhibitory activities. Among them, 3 exhibited moderate competitive inhibition of human arginase I (IC50 = 61.9 µM). Furthermore, docking studies revealed that the presence of a ß-substituted furan in 3 may play a key role in the arginase I inhibitory activities.

Two New Benzoquinone Derivatives from Vietnamese Knema globularia Stems.

The chemical investigation of the stems of Knema globularia led to the isolation of two new benzoquinones derivatives, embenones A and B (1 and 2), along with three known compounds (3-5). The structures of the isolated compounds were determined using spectroscopic techniques, including HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR, in conjunction with comparison to existing literature data. Compounds 1 and 2 represent new carbon skeletons in nature. Furthermore, all isolated compounds were evaluated for their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, with compounds 1-3 exhibiting superior potency relative to the positive control (acarbose, IC50 331 µM). Their IC50 values ranged from 1.40 to 96.1 µM.

The First Comprehensive Chemical Profiling of Vachellia gummifera (Willd.) Kyal. & Boatwr., a Plant with Medicinal Value.

Vachellia gummifera (Willd.) Kyal. & Boatwr. is a medicinal plant endemic to Morocco that has no documented studies on its chemical composition. In this study, the chemical composition of the water/methanol (4 : 1) extracts of air-dried leaf and stem samples of Moroccan V. gummifera was determined using UHPLC-MS and NMR. In total, over 100 metabolites were identified in our study. Pinitol was the major compound in both the leaf and stem extracts, being significantly more abundant in the former. Asparagine and 3-hydroxyheteroendrin were the second most abundant compounds in the stem and leaf extracts, respectively, though both compounds were present in each tissue. The other compounds included flavonoids based on quercetin, and phenolic derivatives. Eucomic acid, only identified in the stems and was the major aromatic compound distinguishing the leaf and stem profiles. Quercetin 3-O-(6''-O-malonyl)-ß-D-glucopyranoside was identified as the major flavonoid in the leaves but was also present in the stems. Other malonylated derivatives that were all flavonol glycosides based on myricetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin in addition to quercetin were also identified. This is the first report of eucomic acid and malonylated compounds in Vachellia species. This report provides valuable insights into the chemotaxonomic significance of the Vachellia genus.

Effect of Fungicide Application and Corn Hybrid Class on the Presence of Fusarium graminearum and the Concentration of Deoxynivalenol in Ear and Stalk Parts of Corn (Zea mays) Used for Silage.

In Wisconsin, the use of brown midrib (BMR) corn (Zea mays) hybrids for ensiling and subsequent feeding to dairy cows is quite common. The overall milk production from cows fed silage from BMR hybrids is typically higher than those fed silage made from dual-purpose hybrids. Gibberella diseases (ear and stalk rot) caused by Gibberella zeae (anamorph; Fusarium graminearum) and the accompanying accumulation of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) can be significant issues during the field production of BMR hybrids. The work presented here aimed to understand the role of hybrid class on the distribution of F. graminearum DNA and DON in the ear and stalk parts of corn for silage. An ear and stalk partitioned sample experiment was conducted on silage corn from field trials in Arlington, Wisconsin, in 2020 and 2021. The trials were arranged in a randomized complete block design in both years, including one BMR hybrid, one dual-purpose hybrid, and seven fungicide application regimes. Paired ear and stalk samples were physically separated, dried, and ground at harvest before determining the concentration of F. graminearum DNA and DON in each sample. Across both years, the main effects of hybrid, treatment, and plant part were not significant (P > 0.1) on DON concentration. However, the hybrid-by-plant part interaction effect was significant (P < 0.01). Ears of the BMR hybrid accumulated the most DON, whereas the dual-purpose hybrid ears had the lowest DON concentration. The concentrations of DON and F. graminearum DNA were significantly (P < 0.01) and highly correlated in the ear (r = 0.73) but not in the stalk (r = 0.09, P = 0.33). These findings suggest that DON accumulation in the corn ear is a major contributor in the difference observed in the total DON between the hybrid classes. Therefore, growers and researchers are encouraged to focus production and breeding on hybrids in both classes that accumulate less DON in ears, resulting in lower total DON in corn chopped for silage.

Phytochemical Analysis, Antioxidant Potential and Antibacterial Activities of Different Anatomical Parts of Hypericum cordifolium Choisy.

The genus Hypericum comprises a large number of species. The flower, leaf, stem, and root of the Hypericum species are widely used in traditional medicine in different cultures. Many Hypericum species have been well investigated phytochemically and pharmacologically. However, only a few reports are available on the H. cordifolium native to Nepal. The present study aims to evaluate the phytochemical composition of different extracts, qualitative analysis of methanol extract of the flower and leaf using thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and the antioxidant properties of components by the TLC-DPPH. assay. The phenolic and flavonoid contents were estimated in different extracts of the leaf and stem, and their antioxidant and antibacterial activities were evaluated. In the phytochemical screening, phenolics and flavonoids were present in ethyl acetate, methanol, and 50% aq methanol extracts of both the leaf and stem. In TLC analysis, the methanol extract of flowers showed the presence of 11 compounds and the leaf extract showed the presence of 8 compounds. Both extracts contained chlorogenic acid and mangiferin. Hyperoside and quercetin were present only in the flower extract. In the TLC-DPPH. assay, almost all of the flower extracts and 5 compounds of the leaf extract showed radical scavenging potential. Estimation of phenolics and flavonoids showed that all the leaf extracts showed higher amounts of phenolics and flavonoids than stem extracts. Among leaf extracts, greater amounts of phenolics were detected in 50% aqueous methanol extract (261.25 ± 1.66 GAE/g extract) and greater amounts of flavonoids were detected in methanol extract (232.60 ± 10.52 CE/g extract). Among stem extracts, greater amounts of flavonoids were detected in the methanol extract (155.12 ± 4.30 CE/g extract). In the DPPH radical scavenging assay, the methanol extract of the leaf showed IC50 60.85 ± 2.67 µg/ml and 50% aq. methanol extract of the leaf showed IC50 63.09 ± 2.98 µg/ml. The methanol extract of the stem showed IC50 89.39 ± 3.23 µg/ml, whereas ethyl acetate and 50% aq. methanol extract showed IC50 > 100 µg/ml. In the antibacterial assay, the methanol extract of the leaf showed the inhibition zone of 12-13 mm and the stem extract showed the inhibition zone of 7-11 mm against S. aureus, E. coli, and S. sonnei, whereas both extracts were inactive against S. typhi. The findings of this study support the traditional use of this plant in Nepal for the treatment of diseases associated with bacterial infections. The present study revealed that the underutilized anatomical parts of H. cordifolium could be the source of various bioactive phytochemicals like other Hypericum species.

YOLOv8-G: An Improved YOLOv8 Model for Major Disease Detection in Dragon Fruit Stems.

Dragon fruit stem disease significantly affects both the quality and yield of dragon fruit. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an efficient, high-precision intelligent detection method to address the challenge of disease detection. To address the limitations of traditional methods, including slow detection and weak micro-integration capability, this paper proposes an improved YOLOv8-G algorithm. The algorithm reduces computational redundancy by introducing the C2f-Faster module. The loss function was modified to the structured intersection over union (SIoU), and the coordinate attention (CA) and content-aware reorganization feature extraction (CARAFE) modules were incorporated. These enhancements increased the model's stability and improved its accuracy in recognizing small targets. Experimental results showed that the YOLOv8-G algorithm achieved a mean average precision (mAP) of 83.1% and mAP50:95 of 48.3%, representing improvements of 3.3% and 2.3%, respectively, compared to the original model. The model size and floating point operations per second (FLOPS) were reduced to 4.9 MB and 6.9 G, respectively, indicating reductions of 20% and 14.8%. The improved model achieves higher accuracy in disease detection while maintaining a lighter weight, serving as a valuable reference for researchers in the field of dragon fruit stem disease detection.

Triterpenoids from the hook-bearing stems of Uncaria rhynchophylla.

An unprescribed nortriterpenoid with an aromatic E ring, uncanortriterpenoid A (1), together with fourteen known triterpenoids (2-15), were isolated from the hook-bearing stems of Uncaria rhynchophylla Miq. Based on extensive spectroscopic analyses, the NMR data of 2, 5, and 10 in CD3OD were assigned for the first time, and the wrongly assigned δC of C-27 and C-29 of 2 were revised. Among the known compounds, 7, 13, and 15 were isolated from this species for the first time, and 15 represents the first lanostane triterpenoid bearing an extra methylidene at C-24 for the Rubiaceae family. Additionally, compounds 6 and 14 exhibited moderate ferroptosis inhibitory activity, with an EC50 value of 14.74 ± 0.20 µM for 6 and 23.11 ± 1.31 µM for 14.

Glycoside constituents from Cayratia geniculata.

Using various chromatographic separations, six glycoside derivatives (1-6), including one new ent-labdane glucoside named cayratioside (1), were isolated from the methanol extract of Cayratia geniculata stems and leaves. Their structures were elucidated by detailed analysis of the 1D, 2D NMR, and HRESIQTOF mass spectra. The inhibitory effect of 1-6 on LPS-induced NO production in RAW264.7 cells was also evaluated. Among isolated compounds, 1 exhibited moderate activity with an IC50 value of 59.65 ± 1.85 µM.

New withanolides from leaves along with alkyl glucoside from roots and stem as well as variations in withanolide contents in leaves of accessions of Withania somnifera, Ashwagandha- the Indian ginseng$.

Based on the major components in the leaves, the ashwagandha has been found to exist in several chemotypic forms in India. From the leaves of various accessions of Withania somnifera, which were maintained in our institute, three new steroids namely, 4-acetoxy-20ß-hydroxy-1-oxo-witha-2,5,24-trienolide (7), 24,25-dihydro-14α-hydroxy withanolide D (9), 5α,6ß,17α,27-tetrahydroxy-1-oxo-witha-2,24-dienolide (12) together with thirteen known withanolides were identified by spectroscopic methods. From the roots and stem of one accession and leaves of another, a new alkyl ester glucoside (4) has also been isolated. The new withanolides 7, 9 and 12 have been tentatively named as withanolide 135 A, withanolide 135B and withanolide 108, respectively.

Two new oleanane triterpenes from Maytenus hookeri.

Two new triterpenes mayteneri A (1), mayteneri B (2), and seven known compounds (3-9) were isolated from stems of Maytenus hookeri Loes. The chemical structures of compounds 1 and 2 were established by 1D, 2D NMR, HRESIMS analysis, and calculating electronic circular dichroism (ECD). The structures of known compounds 3-9 were determined by comparison of their spectral with those reported. Compounds 4-7 showed significant inhibitory activity for NLRP3 inflammasome, with the IC50 values of 2.36-3.44 µM.

Excelxylin A: a new seco A-ring tirucallane triterpenoid from the stem bark of Dysoxylum excelsum.

A new seco-A tirucallane triterpenoid named excelxylin A (1), along with two known seco-A triterpenoids (2-3), were isolated from the n-hexane extract of Dysoxylum excelsum (Spreng.) Blume ex G.Don stem bark. The structure and stereochemistry configuration of compounds 1-3 was established by NMR, IR, and HR-ESI-MS spectroscopic data analyses and comparison of their NMR data with literatures. The compounds exhibited the carbon framework for seco-A ring tirucallane triterpenoid, first reported in the Dysoxylum genus. All compounds were tested for their cytotoxicity against human cervical HeLa cells.

Four new tirucallane-type triterpenoids from Aphanamixis polystachya.

Four new tirucallane-type triterpenoids, polystanins H-K (1-4), were obtained from the stems and leaves of Aphanamixis polystachya. Their structures were elucidated by analysis of the spectroscopic data and comparison with literature data. Compounds 1 and 2 showed week inhibitory effects against NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. All the isolates were investigated for their antifungal activities against drug-resistant Candida albicans.

From Stem to Spectrum: Phytochemical Characterization of Five Equisetum Species and Evaluation of Their Antioxidant Potential.

The Equisetaceae family, commonly known as horsetails, has been of scientific interest for decades due to its status as one of the most ancient extant vascular plant families. Notably, the corresponding species have found their place in traditional medicine, offering a wide array of applications. This study presents a comprehensive phytochemical analysis of polar secondary metabolites within the sterile stems of five distinct Equisetum species using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn. For this purpose, fresh plant material was extracted with acetone/water, and the resulting crude extracts were fractionated using dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol, respectively. The results reveal a complex array of compounds, including hydroxycinnamic acids, hydroxybenzoic acids, flavonoids, and other phenolic compounds. In addition, total phenolic contents (Folin-Ciocalteu assay) and antioxidant activities (DPPH assay) of the plant extracts were evaluated using spectrophotometric methods. The present comparative analysis across the five species highlights both shared and species-specific metabolites, providing valuable insights into their chemical diversity and potential pharmacological properties.

Effect of Organic Acid-Aided Extraction on Characteristics and Functional Properties of Pectin from Cannabis sativa L.

The extraction of cannabinoids from the inflorescence and leaves of Cannabis sativa L. is gaining interest from researchers, in addition to addressing the under-utilization of the by-products in the stems and roots of the trees. The present study investigated the recovery of pectin from the left-over parts of hemp tress using an eco-friendly method with the aid of organic acids. Different cannabis cultivars-Chalotte's Angels (CHA) and Hang-Krarog (HKR)-were used as plant materials. The stems of both cannabis cultivars contained more pectin than the roots, and tartaric acid-aided extraction provided higher yields than from citric acid. Extracting the acid solution affected some characteristics, thereby differentiating the functional properties of the derived pectin. Extraction using tartaric acid provided pectin with a higher galacturonic acid content, whereas pectin with a higher methylation degree could be prepared using citric acid. The pectin samples extracted from the stems of CHA (P-CHA) and HKR (P-HKR) had low methoxyl pectin. P-CHA had better free radical scavenging capability, whereas P-HKR showed more potent reducibility. Considering the functional properties, P-CHA showed greater emulsion formability and foaming activity, whereas P-HKR possessed a better thickening effect. The present work suggests the feasible utilization of P-CHA and P-HKR as food additives with bioactivity.