Coronatine elicitation alters chemical composition and biological properties of cumin seed essential oil.

The present experiment evaluated how coronatine (COR) elicitation affects chemical and biological properties of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) seed essential oil (CSEO). Following isolation of the EO, its chemical composition was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; also, its bioactivities in terms of antimicrobial/antifungal, cytotoxic (measured by MTT assay) and antioxidant effects (evaluated by DPPH, ß-carotene bleaching (BCB) and TBARS methods) were evaluated. COR-elicitation significantly increased CSEO yield and the level of its chemical components, especially cumin aldehyde which is the main component of CSEO. Results showed that COR-elicitation significantly reduced the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of CSEO against 4 Gram-positive and 3 Gram-negative bacteria and 2 fungi. Moreover, elicitation markedly enhanced the antioxidant and in vitro cytotoxic activity of CSEO. Therefore, COR may be regarded as a useful biotic elicitor for improving EO chemical and biological properties.

Yield, growth and Fe uptake of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) affected by Fe-nano, Fe-chelated and Fe-siderophore fertilization in the calcareous soils.

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) from the Apiaceae family and as an important medicinal plant is greatly used for food production and medicinal purposes. The plant requires macro- and micro-nutrients including iron (Fe), which is not available under calcareous conditions. Accordingly, it was hypothesized the proper source (including the new methods of fertilization) and concentration of Fe can provide cumin with its required amounts of Fe under calcareous soils. The objectives were to determine: 1) the most efficient source of Fe fertilization (by spraying) on cumin yield and Fe uptake, and 2) the most optimum Fe concentration for cumin growth, yield production and seed fortification. A field experiment, as a completely randomized block design, with three replicates was conducted in the city of Aligudarz, Lorestan province, Iran. The cumin plants were sprayed twice during the season, before and after flowering (with a 10 day interval) according to the manufacturing Company. Three different types of Fe fertilization including Fe-nano-chelated (Fe-N), Fe-chelated (Fe-C) and Fe-siderophore (Fe-S) with the concentrations of 0 (control), 0.5 and 1 g/l were used for the experiment. Different plant parameters including grain Fe, crop yield, weight of 1000 grains, grain length, root length and stem length were determined. The highest yield of single plant was resulted by Fe-N1 (250 mg). Fe-N1 (3.8 g) and Fe-C1 (4.0 g) resulted in the highest weight of 1000 grains. However, the highest Fe concentration was related to treatment Fe-S1 (9.4 mg/kg). Plants treated with Fe-N (24.9 cm) and Fe-C (25.0 cm) treatments had the highest plant height. The highest root length was resulted by the Fe-N (8.9 cm) and Fe-C (9.1 cm) treatments. The control treatment resulted in the highest rate of root length/stem length (0.41). Treating the plants with Fe-C treatments resulted in the highest and significantly different grain length (6.8 mm). The concentration of 1 g/l of nano, chelated and siderophores were the most effective, significantly enhancing cumin yield and grain fortification. The results indicated the significant effects of Fe-N on plant yield and Fe uptake followed by the Fe-C method. The findings of this research work indicated that the Fe-N and the Fe-C methods were the most efficient methods enhancing cumin growth and yield. However, the most efficient method for seed fortification was the Fe-S method. The findings are of great nutritional, environmental and economical significance.

Novel lipoxygenase inhibitor, 1-ethenoxy-2-methylbenzene, from marine cyanobacteria Microcoleus chthonoplastes.

Lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibitors are considered to be important anti-inflammatory agents as it can control many inflammatory responses to some extent. Even though the marine bio-systems are not well explored, they are considered to be one of the promising repositories for drug lead molecules against variety of diseases. In the present study a new LOX inhibitor compound, 1-ethenoxy-2-methylbenzene, reported first time from a living system, Microcoleus chthonoplastes, has been isolated by activity guided fractionation and further structurally characterised by techniques such as FTIR, NMR and LC MS/MS. Further enzyme kinetics, isothermal titration calorimetry and molecular docking methods were used in order to get a better understanding of enzyme-ligand interactions. This exploration suggests its worthiness as a lead molecule for the development of a better anti-inflammatory drug. Its high structure-activity resemblance to cuminaldehyde from cumin seeds, which is earlier reported as a LOX inhibitor, is also established.

Effects of growth regulators on callus induction and secondary metabolite production in Cuminum cyminum.

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) is an annual plant from Apiaceae family that is cultivated in Iran as landraces. The most important chemical composition of the cumin essential oil was cuminaldehyde. In this research, the effect of different landraces and growth regulators was evaluated on callus induction, and best callus was used for amount of cuminaldehyde content. Node, root, leaf and hypocotyl explant from seedlings of Birjand and Qaen landraces were cultured on MS and MS5 medium supplemented with different concentrations of 2, 4-D and Kin. This experiment has been carried out in a completely randomised design with 3 replications. Percentage of callogenesis, callus volume, fresh and dry weight were measured. The best treatment for callus induction was 2.5 mg/L 2, 4-D and 0.5 mg/L Kin in MS5 medium. The best callus result was evaluated for cuminaldehyde content. An amount of 5.7% cuminaldehyde was measured using hydrodistillation method.