Ameliorative effect of Matricaria chamomilla .L on paraquat: Induced oxidative damage in lung rats.

BACKGROUND: Herbal medicines have been long used for antioxidant properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of hydroalcholic extract Matricaria chamomilla. L (M. chamomilla) against Paraquat (PQ) induced pulmonary injury in association with its antioxidant activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Effective doses of PQ (5 mg/kg/day) and M. chamomilla (50 mg/kg/day) were administered alone or in combination for 7 days. At the end of the experiment, lung tissue of the animals was separated. The activity of enzymatic scavengers such as glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), lipid peroxidation (LPO) and total antioxidant power (TAP) were measured. RESULTS: In these samples, the LPO, SOD, and GPx were higher in the PQ group as compared with controls. M. chamomilla extract ameliorated LPO, SOD, GPx and increased TAP in plasma and lung tissue of PQ induced changes. Co administration of PQ with M. chamomilla improved LPO and SOD, and GPx. CONCLUSION: M. chamomilla as natural antioxidant may be considered beneficial for the protection oxidative lung injury in PQ poisoning.

Biological removing of Cadmium from contaminated media by fungal biomass of Trichoderma species.

BACKGROUND: Environment pollution by heavy metals is a global disaster and there are several cleaning methods including bioremediation. Trichoderma species inhibit the growth of pathogenic fungi and play a useful role in agriculture and ecosystem management. METHODS: In this study, the removing of cadmium ions by three species of Trichoderma (T. asperellum, T. harzianum and T. tomentosum) were studied under different pH (5, 7, 9) and different concentrations of Cd (1, 100, 200 ppm) in liquid media containing potato extract and dextrose. Above mentioned fungal strains were cultured in the Cd-polluted media and the remaining amount of metal ions in the media was measured after two months growth, using atomic absorption. RESULTS: Results showed that all three fungal species were able to reduce the amount of Cd in the all three pH of the medias; but their removal ability varies depending on the species and cultural conditions. T. asperellum was showed maximum removal efficiency of cadmium (76.17%), (10.75 mg/g, at fungal dry weight). Based on our results, the most removal efficiency of Cd ions for the fungal species was evaluated in the alkaline pH. CONCLUSIONS: Trichoderma species are important fungi in decreasing of Cadmium ions. They have bioremediation potency under various pH and concentration conditions.

Essential oil variation in the populations of Artemisia spicigera from northwest of Iran: chemical composition and antibacterial activity.

CONTEXT: Artemisia spicigera C. Koch (Asteraceae) is a perennial shrubby herb and is generally distributed in Armenia, Iran, and Middle Anatolia. This species traditionally has been used in medicines. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research is to study the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oils from Artemisia spicigera populations in northwest of Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The essential oil of A. spicigera was obtained by hydrodistillation from eight populations collected from different regions of East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan provinces (Iran) and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antibacterial activity of the oils was investigated against four Gram-positive and four Gram-negative bacteria using MIC determinations and the agar-gel diffusion method. RESULTS: Fourteen compounds were identified as the main components of the essential oils and the most abundant constituents are 1,8-cineole, camphor, α-thujone, camphene, ß-thujone and p-cymene. Essential oil of population No. 1 showed the highest activity against Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Serratia marcescens and Staphylococcus aureus but the highest activity against St. saprophyticus, Bacillus megaterium, and B. cereus was found with population No. 6 and for Citrobacter amalonaficus with population No. 5. MIC values of essential oils ranged from 6 µg/mL against Bacillus megaterium to 12 µg/mL against Citrobacter amalonaficus. DISCUSSION: This study demonstrates the occurrence of 1,8-cineole/camphor/camphene chemotype of A. spicigera but there is also significant chemical variation between the studied populations. The findings showed the studied oils have good antibacterial activity, and thus potential to be used as natural health products.

Evaluation of oil removal efficiency and enzymatic activity in some fungal strains for bioremediation of petroleum-polluted soils.

BACKGROUND: Petroleum pollution is a global disaster and there are several soil cleaning methods including bioremediation. METHODS: In a field study, fugal strains were isolated from oil-contaminated sites of Arak refinery (Iran) and their growth ability was checked in potato dextrose agar (PDA) media containing 0-10% v/v crude oil, the activity of three enzymes (Catalase, Peroxidase and Phenol Oxidase) was evaluated in the fungal colonies and bioremediation ability of the fungi was checked in the experimental pots containing 3 kg sterilized soil and different concentrations of petroleum (0-10% w/w). RESULTS: Four fungal strains, Acromonium sp., Alternaria sp., Aspergillus terreus and Penicillium sp., were selected as the most resistant ones. They were able to growth in the subjected concentrations and Alternaria sp. showed the highest growth ability in the petroleum containing media. The enzyme assay showed that the enzymatic activity was increased in the oil-contaminated media. Bioremediation results showed that the studied fungi were able to decrease petroleum pollution. The highest petroleum removing efficiency of Aspergillus terreus, Penicillium sp., Alternaria sp. and Acromonium sp. was evaluated in the 10%, 8%, 8% and 2% petroleum pollution respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Fungi are important microorganisms in decreasing of petroleum pollution. They have bioremediation potency that is related to their enzymatic activities.

Effect of the heavy metals on developmental stages of ovule, pollen, and root proteins in Reseda lutea L. (Resedaceae).

Heavy metals are some of the most important environmental pollutants. Excessive amounts of heavy metals adversely affect plant growth and development. Also, the presence of elevated levels of heavy metal ions triggers a wide range of cellular responses including changes in gene expression and synthesis of metal-detoxifying peptides. The overall objective of this research was to elucidate some microscopic effects of heavy metals on the formation, development, and structure of pollen, ovule, and embryo and also root proteins in Reseda lutea L. For this purpose, the vicinity of Ahangaran lead-zinc mine (Hamedan, Iran) was chosen as a polluted area where amount of some heavy metals was several times higher than the natural soils. Flowers and young buds were collected from non-polluted and polluted plants, fixed in FAA(70), and studied during developmental stages by light microscopy. The results showed that heavy metals can cause some abnormalities during the pollen and ovule developmental process. The number of pollen grains was decreased, and their shape was changed. Increasing in thickness of the callosic wall and stabilizing of tapetum layer were observed in polluted plants. Asymmetrical formation of ovular integuments, degradation of egg apparatus, irregular formation of embryo sac, considerable vacuolation of embryonic cells, and degeneration of embryo in the late stage of heart-shaped embryo are the results of heavy metal pollution. For protein studies, young roots were harvested from plants exposed to pollution and non-exposed to pollution at the same time. Root proteins were extracted and studied by electrophoresis. The results revealed that some new proteins were synthesized in polluted samples that probably elevate plant tolerance to heavy metals.

Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oils of Tripleurospermum disciforme in three developmental stages.

CONTEXT: Tripleurospermum disciforme (C.A. Mey) Schultz Bip. (Asteraceae) is a widespread biennial species which also has traditional medicinal uses. According to the few recent studies, essential oils of this species exhibit anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antiseptic, antifungal, antiulcer, and antioxidant activity. OBJECTIVE: The chemical compositions of the hydrodistilled oils of T. disciforme of Iranian origin are studied in the stages of prior to flowering, flowering, and post flowering, for the first time. Also, we investigated the antibacterial activities of the oils. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The essential oils of air-dried T. disciforme were obtained by hydrodistillation in three different developmental stages and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antimicrobial activity of the isolated essential oil, in the three stages, was also investigated against four Gram-positive and four Gram-negative bacteria. RESULTS: Twenty-one components were identified in the essential oils of T. disciforme, and the highest amount of oil was extracted at the flowering stage. The main component of the species in the flowering stage was ß-farnesene (22.46%) and the other major components were ß-sesquiphellandrene (17.85%), p-methoxy-ß-cyclopropylstyrene (16.64%), heptadecane (10.6%), p-methoxy-humulene oxide (6.88%) and benzene acetaldehyde (9.3%). The MIC of essential oil was evaluated from 4 µL ml(-1) against Staphylococcus subtilis and Bacillus cereus to 22 µL ml(-1) against Citrobacter amalonaticus. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the occurrence of ß-farnesene/ß-sesquiphellandrene chemotype of T. disciforme in western regions of Iran that are different from previous reports. The findings also showed that the essential oils T. disciforme have excellent antibacterial activities and thus have great potentiality to be used as a resource for natural health products.

Phytoremediation of petroleum-polluted soils: application of Polygonum aviculare and its root-associated (penetrated) fungal strains for bioremediation of petroleum-polluted soils.

Petroleum-polluted soils are a common disaster in many countries. Bioremediation of oil contamination in soils is based on the stimulation of petroleum-hydrocarbon-degrading fungal and microbial communities. A field study was conducted in a petroleum-contaminated site to find petroleum-resistant plants and their root-associated fungal strains for use in bioremediation of petroleum-polluted soils. Results and observations showed that the amounts of petroleum pollution in nonvegetated soils were several times higher than in vegetated soils. Plants collected from petroleum-polluted areas were identified using morphological characters. Results indicated that seven plant species were growing on the contaminated sites: Alhaji cameleron L. (Fabaceae), Amaranthus retroflexus L. var. retroflexus (Amaranthaceae), Convolvulus arvensis L. (Convolvulaceae), Chrozophora hierosolymitana Spreg. (Euphorbiaceae), Noea mucronata L. (Boraginaceae), Poa sp. (Poaceae), and Polygonum aviculare L. (Polygonaceae). The root-associated fungi of each plant were determined and results showed the presence of 11 species that associated with and also penetrated the roots of plants growing in the polluted areas. Altenaria sp. was common to all of the plants and the others had species-specific distribution within the plants. The largest numbers of fungal species (six) were determined for P. aviculare and Poa sp. in polluted areas. However, the variation of fungal strains in the plants collected from petroleum-polluted areas was greater than for nonpolluted ones. Culture of fungi in oil-contaminated media showed that all the studied fungi were resistant to low petroleum pollution (1% v/v) and a few species, especially Fusarium species, showed resistance to higher petroleum pollution (10% v/v) and may be suitable for bioremediation in highly polluted areas. Bioremediation tests with P. aviculare, with and without fungal strains, showed that application of both the plant and its root-associated fungal strains was more effective than of the plant and fungi separately, and Fusarium species were the most effective. Results indicated that fungal strains had the main role in bioremediation of petroleum-polluted soils, but plant roots enhanced the process.