Poly(vinyl alcohol) /Alginate nanofibrous mats containing Malva Sylvestris extract: Synthesis, characterization, in vitro and in vivo assessments for burn wound applications.

An important part of wound healing is providing effective wound care, coupled with preventing wound infection, which slows or disrupts healing. There are currently many herbal plants that have historical supernatural properties that show remarkable wound healing abilities. These herbal extracts have shown promising results when applied to electrospun nanofibrous mats platforms for wound healing. Accordingly, Malva Sylvestris extract (MS) was electrospun into polyvinyl alcohol/alginate nanofibrous mats (PVA/ALG). Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) demonstrated that the fiber diameter ranged from approximately 100-200 nm in nanofibrous mats, with a uniform appearance without beads. MS extract was detected in nanofibrous mats by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). A major benefit of incorporating MS extract into PVA/ALG nanofibrous mats is that their alterations have resulted in enhanced mechanical characteristics. The nanofibrous mats containing MS extracts showed significantly increased antibacterial efficacy against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Based on the findings from in vivo experiments, the PVA/ALG/MS1 (M2) dressing demonstrated a wound closure rate of 93-94 % within 21 days of treatment in rats, indicating its significant potential for use as a wound dressing agent in the treatment of burn injuries. The combination of PVA, ALG, and MS1 in this nanofibrous mats exhibited beneficial properties, including biocompatibility, suitable mechanical strength, and the ability to promote cellular proliferation and angiogenesis, further validating its effectiveness as a wound healing dressing.

Potential benefits of Malva sylvestris in dry-eye disease pathology in vitro based on antioxidant, wound-healing and anti-inflammatory properties.

Dry eye disease (DED) is a common chronic ocular surface disease. Available therapies are effective but often associated with side effects. This study investigates the potential of a Malva sylvestris L. flower extract and two defined preparations, a mucilage and a polyphenol rich fraction, on cells that are essential for the DED pathology. Furthermore, single compounds were isolated and characterised out of the polyphenol fraction. The M. sylvestris extract and its two fractions reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in an ultraviolet-induced model and promoted wound healing capacity of HCE-T cells, but only the polyphenol fraction and the flower extract exhibited significant radical scavenging activity. The flower extract and the polyphenol fraction inhibited cytokine secretion (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8) from HCE-T cells and THP-1 cells. In contrast, the mucilage fraction led to an increase in mediator secretion. The NF-κB activity and calcium influx in THP-1 and Jurkat cells, respectively was decreased by treatment with the flower extract and the polyphenol fraction, whereas the mucilage fraction had no influence on these parameters. Moreover, the flower extract and the mucilage fraction at low concentration could stimulate meibomian gland cells' lipid accumulation. The isolated single compounds showed no effect on analysed parameters, except a coumarin derivative and malvin which showed ROS inhibition effects.

Profile and potential bioactivity of the miRNome and metabolome expressed in Malva sylvestris L. leaf and flower.

Malva sylvestris L. (common mallow) is a plant species widely used in phytotherapy and ethnobotanical practices since time immemorial. Characterizing the components of this herb might promote a better comprehension of its biological effects on the human body but also favour the identification of the molecular processes that occur in the plant tissues. Thus, in the present contribution, the scientific knowledge about the metabolomic profile of the common mallow was expanded. In particular, the phytocomplex of leaves and flowers from this botanical species and the extraction capacity of different concentrations of ethanol (i.e., 95%, 70%, 50%, and 0%; v/v in ddH2O) for it were investigated by spectrophotometric and chromatographic approaches. In detail, 95% ethanol extracts showed the worst capacity in isolating total phenols and flavonoids, while all the hydroalcoholic samples revealed a specific ability in purifying the anthocyanins. HPLC-DAD system detected and quantified 20 phenolic secondary metabolites, whose concentration in the several extracts depended on their own chemical nature and the percentage of ethanol used in the preparation. In addition, the stability of the purified phytochemicals after resuspension in pure ddH2O was also proved, considering a potential employment of them in biological/medical studies which include in vitro and in vivo experiments on mammalian models. Here, for the first time, the expressed miRNome in M. sylvestris was also defined by Next Generation Sequencing, revealing the presence of 33 microRNAs (miRNAs), 10 typical for leaves and 2 for flowers. Then, both plant and human putative mRNA targets for the detected miRNAs were predicted by bioinformatics analyses, with the aim to clarify the possible role of these small nucleic acids in the common mallow plant tissues and to try to understand if they could exert a potential cross-kingdom regulatory activity on the human health. Surprisingly, our investigations revealed that 19 miRNAs out of 33 were putatively able to modulate, in the plant cells, the expression of various chromosome scaffold proteins. In parallel, we found, in the human transcriptome, a total of 383 mRNAs involved in 5 fundamental mammalian cellular processes (i.e., apoptosis, senescence, cell-cycle, oxidative stress, and invasiveness) that theoretically could be bound and regulated by M. sylvestris miRNAs. The evidence collected in this work would suggest that the beneficial properties of the use of M. sylvestris, documented by the folk medicine, are probably linked to their content of miRNAs and not only to the action of phytochemicals (e.g., anthocyanins). This would open new perspectives about the possibility to develop gene therapies based on miRNAs isolated from medicinal plants, including M. sylvestris.

An edible coating utilizing Malva sylvestris seed polysaccharide mucilage and postbiotic from Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii for the preservation of lamb meat.

Currently, microbial bioactive substances (postbiotics) are considered a promising tool for achieving customer demand for natural preservatives. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of an edible coating developed by Malva sylvestris seed polysaccharide mucilage (MSM) and postbiotics from Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii ATCC MYA-796 (PSB) for the preservation of lamb meat. PSB were synthesized, and a gas chromatograph connected to a mass spectrometer and a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer were used to determine their chemical components and main functional groups, respectively. The Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminium chloride techniques were utilized to assess the total flavonoid and phenolic levels of PSB. Following that, PSB has been incorporated into the coating mixture, which contains MSM, and its potential radical scavenging and antibacterial activities on lamb meat samples were determined after 10 days of 4 °C storage. PSB contains 2-Methyldecane, 2-Methylpiperidine, phenol, 2,4-bis (1,1-dimethyl ethyl), 5,10-Diethoxy-2,3,7,8- tetrahydro-1H,6H-dipyrrolo[1,2-a:1',2'-d] pyrazine, and Ergotaman-3',6',18-trione, 12'-hydroxy-2'-methyl-5'-(phenylmethyl)-, (5'alpha) as well as various organic acids with significant radical scavenging activity (84.60 ± 0.62 %) and antibacterial action toward Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria innocua as foodborne pathogens. The edible PSB-MSM coating effectively reduced microbial growth and increased meat shelf life (> 10 days). When PSB solutions were added to the edible coating, the moisture content, pH value, and hardness of the samples were also more successfully maintained (P < 0.05). The PSB-MSM coating inhibited lipid oxidation in meat samples considerably and diminished the formation of primary as well as secondary oxidation intermediates (P < 0.05). Additionally, when MSM + 10 % PSB edible coating was utilized, the sensory properties of the samples were maintained more well during preservation. As a significance, the use of edible coatings based on PSB and MSM is efficient in decreasing microbiological and chemical degradation in lamb meat during preservation.

Effects of Malva parviflora Leafs as the Herbal Additives on Broilers Productivity.

Malva parviflora is a leafy vegetable belonging to the family Malvaceae. Medicinal plants have had several vital chemical compounds, with some biological functions. Supplementation of these plants to the animals diets lead to significant betterments in the animals' productivity and health status. This study was designed to investigate the effects of Malva parviflora as a substitute for commercial premix carrier in the poultry diets to see the response on some of the productive and economic traits in broilers. 576 one day old Ross 308 chicks were randomly divided into eight groups with three replicate (24 bird /replicate) per group. Each group was subjected to the one of the following treatments: Tr 1. (Control) contained 2.5% of diet supplemented with homemade premix (with carrier Malva parviflora weed leaves meal), Tr 2. 2.5% provimi premix, Tr 3. 2.5% Turkis hpremix, Tr 4. Dutch premix, Tr 5. 50% homemade premix + 50% provimi premix, Tr 6. 50% homemade premix + 50% Turkish, Tr 7. Homemade premix + 50% Dutch 50% Tr 8. 25% from each four types premixes. Live body weight, feed consumption, feed conversion, growth rate، Production Index، economic indicator and mortality rate averages were measured to the 5 weeks of age. Result showed that there were significant differences (P<0.05) among treatments in weight gains at all periods. Treatment 1،26،5 ،4، showed the highest weight gain at 5 weeks of age;however, Tr.3،7 showed the lowest value. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in the rate of feed consumption among treatments during the different periods. Birds in Tr.3 consumed the highest amount of feed compared with control, Also there was significant differences in feed conversion ratio among all treatment groups at all periods where, the highest value was found in (Tr.3), and the lowest value was recorded in Tr.1.At least there was large differences in cost of locally premix which recorded the cheapest and lowest value about 1300 U.S.A$ less in every ton compared with the commercial premixes.

Partial Purification of Glutathione S-transferase Enzyme From the Seed of Mallow (Malva Slyvestris L.) and Investigation of the Inhibition Kinetics of Some Heavy Metals.

Glutathione S-Transferase (GST) enzyme is abundant in mammals, insects, fish and microorganisms, as well as in various tissues of these species, particularly in tissues exposed to xenobiotics from the environment. As a result, the enzyme execute detoxifying function by scavenging a diverse range of xenobiotics, such as chemotherapeutic medicines, environmental carcinogens and endogenous compounds. In this study, GST enzyme was partially purified from mallow (Malva slyvestris L.) seed for the first time and the kinetic parameters were determined. The optimum ionic intensity was found in 400 mM Tris-Buffer, optimum pH: 7.0, and optimum substrate concentration was determined as 0.2 mM. One of the biggest reasons for deterioration of ecological balance in nature is heavy metal accumulation in soil, air and water which becomes a major threat to the vital activities of living things. In this study, inhibitory effects of Cd+ 2, Ag+, Zn+ 2 and Fe+ 3 heavy metals, which are common in nature, on mallow seed glutathione S-transferase enzyme were investigated. Each heavy metal showed micromolar inhibitory effects on enzyme activity. IC50 values of the metals were calculated as 60.93, 74.602, 178.22 and 369 µM, respectively.

Globularia arabica Methanolic Leaf Extract Has Higher Efficacy on Burn Wound Healing in Diabetic Rats Compared to Malva slyvestries Methanolic Leaf Extract.

This study aimed to see how effective Globularia arabica and Malva slyvestries-based cream formulations were at healing scald burn wounds in rats. Depending on ointment, preparations of 1%, 5%, and 10% w/w were created. For comparison, an ointment base and a regular burn cream composed soframycine were utilized. Rats introduced a burn by solidifying equipment at 100°C on a 14-mm2 shaved dorsal region. A deep second-degree burn was created, and the percentage of wound contraction was measured over the next 15 days. The rats were euthanized on days 8 and 15, and histological slides were prepared using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Compared to the control group, there was a substantial increase in wound contraction and a significant decrease in the duration of epithelialization in the based ointment-treated groups. However, as paralleled to Globularia arabica, significant (P < .05) results were observed with 10% Globularia arabica cream, whereas Malva slyverstries indicate minimal healing. Soframycine causes a substantial increase in wound contraction (P < .05). Soframycine cream with 10% Globularia arabica therapy resulted in practically complete re-epithelialization and re-structuring of wound tissue on histological examination, whereas Malva slyversries treatment resulted in low epithelization during treatment days. The findings suggest that Globularia arabica-based cream has the wound-healing capability.

The phytochemical profiling, pharmacological activities, and safety of malva sylvestris: a review.

Malva sylvestris is a plant commonly found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. The leaves and flowers of this plant have been used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat various ailments such as cough, cold, diarrhoea, and constipation. Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were used to search for relevant material on the phytochemical profiling and pharmacologic activities of Malva sylvestris. The techniques used in phytochemical profiling and the pharmacologic activity of each compound were extracted from the included studies, including in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. The phytochemical analysis of Malva sylvestris revealed that the leaves and flowers are the most commonly used parts of the plant and contain various bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, mucilages, terpenoids, phenol derivatives, coumarins, sterols, tannins, saponins, and alkaloids. These phytochemicals are responsible for the many pharmacological activities of Malva sylvestris, such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, laxative, antiproliferative and antioxidant properties. This review has presented an overview of the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities and the cytotoxic effects of Malva sylvestris on different types of cancer cells. It has also summarised the work on developing copper oxide nanoparticles using Malva sylvestris leaf extract and its potential use in food and medicine. This review aims to highlight the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and safety of Malva sylvestris.

The Phytochemical Profile and Biological Activity of Malva neglecta Wallr. in Surgically Induced Endometriosis Model in Rats.

Leaves and aerial parts of Malva neglecta Wallr. have been traditionally used in Anatolia for the treatment of pain, inflammation, hemorrhoids, renal stones, constipation, and infertility. This study investigated the effects of M. neglecta leaves in a rat endometriosis model. The dried plant material was extracted with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol, successively. Experimental endometriosis was surgically induced in six-week-old female, non-pregnant, Wistar albino rats by autotransplant of endometrial tissue to the abdominal wall. After twenty-eight days, rats were evaluated for a second laparotomy. Endometrial foci areas were assessed, and intraabdominal adhesions were scored. Rats were divided into five groups as control, n-hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol, and aqueous extracts, as well as reference. At the end of the treatment, all rats were sacrificed and endometriotic foci areas and intraabdominal adhesions were re-evaluated and compared with the previous findings. Moreover, peritoneal fluid was collected to detect tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF-α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, and cDNA synthesis, and a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was done. The phytochemical content of the most active extract was determined using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Both endometrial volume and adhesion score decreased significantly in the group treated with methanol extract. In addition, significant decreases were observed in TNF-α, VEGF, and IL-6 levels in animals administered methanol extract. HPLC results showed that the activity caused by the methanol extract of M. neglecta was due to the polyphenols. Taken together, these novel findings indicate that M. neglecta may be a promising alternative for the treatment of endometriosis.

Optimization of process parameters for fabrication of electrospun nanofibers containing neomycin sulfate and Malva sylvestris extract for a better diabetic wound healing.

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most concerning conditions, and its chronic consequences are almost always accompanied by infection, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Reducing excessive reactive oxygen species and the wound's inflammatory response is a necessary treatment during the acute inflammatory phase of diabetic wound healing. Malva sylvestris extract (MS) containing nanofibers containing neomycin sulfate (NS) were synthesized for this investigation, and their impact on the healing process of diabetic wounds was assessed. Using Design Expert, the electrospinning process for the fabrication of NS nanofibers (NS-NF) was adjusted for applied voltage (X1), the distance between the needle's tip and the collector (X2), and the feed rate (X3) for attaining desired entrapment efficacy [EE] and average nanofiber diameter (ND). The optimal formulation can be prepared with 19.11 kV of voltage, 20 cm of distance, and a flow rate of 0.502 mL/h utilizing the desirability approach. All the selected parameters and responses have their impact on drug delivery from nanofibers. In addition, M. sylvestris extracts have been added into the optimal formulation [MS-NS-NF] and assessed for their surface morphology, tensile strength, water absorption potential, and in vitro drug release studies. The NS and MS delivery from MS-NS-NF has been extended for more than 60 h. M. sylvestris-loaded nanofibers demonstrated superior antibacterial activity compared to plain NS nanofibers. The scaffolds featured a broad aspect and a highly linked porous fibrous network structure. Histomorphometry study and the in vitro scratch assay demonstrate the formulation's efficacy in treating diabetic wound healing. The cells treated with MS-NS-NF in vivo demonstrated that wound dressings successfully reduced both acute and chronic inflammations. To improve the healing of diabetic wounds, MS-NS-NF may be regarded as an appropriate candidate for wound dressing.

The Effect of Malva Sylvestris Cream on Episiotomy Pain and Healing: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Background: Episiotomy is one of the common procedures during childbirth in Iran, which causes pain, discomfort, and scar in the perineum. This study aimed to pursue the effect of Malva Sylvestris cream on episiotomy pain and healing. Methods: This study was a double-blinded randomized-controlled clinical trial that was conducted from April to December 2021 at the Sina hospital in Ahvaz, Iran. Sixty women were selected and randomly assigned to control and intervention groups using block randomization. The main outcomes included pain assessment and episiotomy wound healing that are assessed by the Visual analog scale (VAS), and perineal healing scale included redness, edema, ecchymosis/bruising, discharge, approximation (REEDA). The cream was used twice a day for up to 14 days. The participants were followed on the first, seventh, and fourteenth days postpartum. Independent T-test, Mann-Whitney, and Chi-square, and Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) model were used by SPSS software version 22 for data analysis. Statistically significant level was considered less than 0.05. Results: There were no significant statistical differences between the two groups in demographic characteristics (P>0.05). No significant statistical differences were found in both groups in terms of perineal healing (B=-0.05; P=0.89) and pain scores (B=0.15; P=0.56). However, the chance of external dysuria in the intervention group decreased by 77% (P=0.01). Conclusion: Despite showing the positive effect of Malva Sylvestris extract on wound healing in animal and in-vitro studies, this clinical study failed to show the positive effect of this extract on wound healing and pain relief of episiotomy. However, future clinical trials are needed to substantiate the above findings.Trial Registration Number: IRCT20190826044621N1.

Genetic Differentiation and Migration Fluxes of Viruses from Melon Crops and Crop Edge Weeds.

Weeds surrounding crops may act as alternative hosts, playing important epidemiological roles as virus reservoirs and impacting virus evolution. We used high-throughput sequencing to identify viruses in Spanish melon crops and plants belonging to three pluriannual weed species, Ecballium elaterium, Malva sylvestris, and Solanum nigrum, sampled at the edges of the crops. Melon and E. elaterium, both belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae, shared three virus species, whereas there was no virus species overlap between melon and the other two weeds. The diversity of cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus (CABYV) and tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV), both in melon and E. elaterium, was further studied by amplicon sequencing. Phylogenetic and population genetics analyses showed that the CABYV population was structured by the host, identifying three sites in the CABYV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase under positive selection, perhaps reflecting host adaptation. The ToLCNDV population was much less diverse than the CABYV one, likely as a consequence of the relatively recent introduction of ToLCNDV in Spain. In spite of its low diversity, we identified geographical but no host differentiation for ToLCNDV. Potential virus migration fluxes between E. elaterium and melon plants were also analyzed. For CABYV, no evidence of migration between the populations of the two hosts was found, whereas important fluxes were identified between geographically distant subpopulations for each host. For ToLCNDV, in contrast, evidence of migration from melon to E. elaterium was found, but not the other way around. IMPORTANCE It has been reported that about half of the emerging diseases affecting plants are caused by viruses. Alternative hosts often play critical roles in virus emergence as virus reservoirs, bridging host species that are otherwise unconnected and/or favoring virus diversification. In spite of this, the viromes of potential alternative hosts remain largely unexplored. In the case of crops, pluriannual weeds at the crop edges may play these roles. Here, we took advantage of the power of high-throughput sequencing to characterize the viromes of three weed species frequently found at the edges of melon crops. We identified three viruses shared by melon and the cucurbit weed, with two of them being epidemiologically relevant for melon crops. Further genetic analyses showed that these two viruses had contrasting patterns of diversification and migration, providing an interesting example on the role that weeds may play in the ecology and evolution of viruses affecting crops.

Alignment-Free Genotyping of Known Variations with MALVA.

The discovery and characterization of sequence variations in human populations are crucial in genetic studies. Standard methods for addressing this problem are computationally expensive and highly time consuming, thus impractical for clinical applications, where time is often an issue. When the task is to genotype variations that have been previously annotated, alignment-free methods come to the aid. Here, we describe MALVA, an alignment-free approach for genotyping a set of known variations. MALVA is the first mapping-free tool which is able to genotype multi-allelic SNPs and indels, even in high-density genomic regions, and to effectively handle a huge number of variations.

Ameliorating Effect of Malva neglecta Wallr on Obesity and Diabetes in Wistar Rats: A Mechanistic Study.

A high caloric food causes deposition of fats that may progress to obesity. Obesity is a risk factor for various metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, including but limited to diabetes mellitus. This study is aimed at determining the ameliorating effect of Malva Neglecta wallr aqueous-methanolic extract (MNME) on obesity and diabetes in Wistar rats. The MNME was chemically characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The plant extract was evaluated by in vitro α-amylase inhibition and DPPH scavenging activities. Obesity was induced by administering high sugar and fat diet (HSFD) to rats for six weeks, followed by intraperitoneal injection of alloxan monohydrate (150 mg/kg) to induce diabetes. Oral treatments with MNME 250, 500, and 750 mg/kg/day were given to diabetic obese rats for 14 days. The HPLC analysis showed the presence of phenolic acids and flavonoids. The plant extract showed significant antioxidant (P < 0.001) and alpha-amylase (P < 0.0001) inhibition activities. The administration of MNME displayed a considerable decrease in fasting blood glucose, body weight, liver function tests, urea, cholesterol, leptin, and insulin levels in diabetic obese rats as compared to the disease control group and maximum effect were observed at 750 mg/kg/day of MNME. The MNME significantly increased (P < 0.05 - 0.001) the levels of GSH, SOD, and CAT in the liver, kidney, and pancreas while notably (P < 0.05 - 0.001) reduced the malondialdehyde level in kidney and pancreas of diabetic obese rats in contrast to disease control rats. This experimental study concludes that the MNME had exhibited antiobesity and antidiabetic activities through reduction of oxidative stress, leptin, α-amylase activity, and insulin resistance due to the presence of phenolic acid and flavonoid compounds.

Self-Adhesive and Antioxidant Poly(vinylpyrrolidone)/Alginate-Based Bilayer Films Loaded with Malva sylvestris Extracts as Potential Skin Dressings.

Malva sylvestris (MS) is a medicinal herb known worldwide for its beneficial effects due to the several active molecules present in its leaves and flowers. These compounds have shown antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and thus can be helpful in treatments of burns and chronic wounds, characterized mainly by high levels of free radicals and impairments of the inflammatory response. In this work, we propose bilayer films as wound dressings, based on poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and sodium alginate loaded with M. sylvestris extracts from leaves and flowers and fabricated by combining solvent-casting and rod-coating methods. The top layer is produced in two different PVP/alginate ratios and loaded with the MS flowers' extract, while the bottom layer is composed of PVP and MS leaves' extract. The bilayers were characterized morphologically, chemically, and mechanically, while they showed superior self-adhesive properties on human skin compared to a commercial skin patch. The materials showed antioxidant activity, release of the bioactive compounds, and water uptake property. Moreover, the anthocyanin content of the flower extract provided the films with the ability to change color when immersed in buffers of different pH levels. In vitro tests using primary keratinocytes demonstrated the biocompatibility of the MS bilayer materials and their capacity to enhance the proliferation of the cells in a wound scratch model. Finally, the best performing MS bilayer sample with a PVP/alginate ratio of 70:30 was evaluated in mice models, showing suitable resorption properties and the capacity to reduce the level of inflammatory mediators in UVB-induced burns when applied to an open wound. These outcomes suggest that the fabricated bilayer films loaded with M. sylvestris extracts are promising formulations as active and multifunctional dressings for treating skin disorders.

Complete genome sequence of malva-associated soymovirus 1: a novel virus infecting common mallow.

In this work, a novel viral genomic sequence with a gene organization typical of members of the genus Soymovirus was identified using high-throughput sequencing data from common mallow. This species is a vigorous wild weed native to the Mediterranean region, commonly found in borders and edges of cultivated fields, making it a suitable reservoir for plant pests and pathogens. Indeed, plant viruses belonging to different genera have been previously found infecting common malva. This new viral genome consists of a single molecule of circular double-stranded DNA of 8391 base pairs and contains eight open reading frames encoding polymerase, movement, coat, translational transactivator protein typical of caulimoviruses, and four hypothetical proteins. Phylogenetic and pairwise distance analyses showed its close relationship with soybean chlorotic mottle virus. Interestingly, a small intergenic region was detected between ORFs Ib and II. Based on the demarcation criteria of the genus Soymovirus, the new virus, provisionally named malva-associated soymovirus 1, could be a member of a new species Soymovirus masolus. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a soymovirus infecting common mallow.

Taxonomic significance of palynological studies for identification of two morphologically similar Malva species.

Pollen studies can assist in distinguishing different plant taxa on the basis of pollen diameter, exine thickness, spines length, spine shape, number of rows of spines between colpi, shape of pollen, P/E ratio, pollen class and aperture type. Light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to compare and differentiate two Malva species on the basis of different pollen characteristics. Pollen in Malva neglecta and Malva parviflora had punctate and subpsilate, and, granulate and verrucate sculpturing between spines respectively. Both species pollen had bulbous spine base, but were more swollen in M. parviflora. M. neglecta had more pollen size, spine length and distance between spine base and spine apex, except spine base and pore diameter. The scatterplot matrix showed a wide variation among sculpturing types and other pollen attributes of both species. In PCA biplot, pore diameter and spine length were linked to M. parviflora while other pollen attributes were clearly linked to M. neglecta, indicating the taxonomic significance of the observed characters. It was concluded that the palynological studies can act as an identification tool and are of great significance in delimiting Malva and different plant taxa. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Taxonomic identifications is a big problem in morphologically identical Malva neglecta and Malva parviflora. The usefulness of pollen morphology (pollen diameter and exine thickness) and wall ornamentation in identification through light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was confirmed. Pollen of M. neglecta can be differentiated from M. parviflora by its sculpturing patterns. Spine base and pore diameter of M. parviflora is a taxonomically important feature.

Characterization of cinnamon essential oil and its application in Malva sylvestris seed mucilage edible coating to the enhancement of the microbiological, physicochemical and sensory properties of lamb meat during storage.

AIMS: Firstly, Cinnamomum zeylani essential oil (CZEO) was isolated and characterized. Secondly, CZEO was used in Malva sylvestris mucilage (MSM) coating and its antioxidant and antimicrobial effects on lamb meat slices were evaluated in 10 days at 4°C. METHODS AND RESULTS: The main chemical compounds and functional groups of the CZEO were identified and quantified by a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer and by an Fourier transform infrared spectrometer respectively. The total phenol and flavonoid contents of CZEO were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent-based and aluminium chloride methods respectively. Various microbiological, physicochemical analyses and sensory evaluations were also utilized regarding the coated lamb meat slices. CZEO contains benzyl benzoate (40.93%), caryophyllene oxide (26.07%) and (E)-cinnamaldehyde (13.01%), with strong radical scavenging activity and antibacterial effect against investigated pathogenic microorganisms. The CZEO-loaded MSM edible coating greatly postponed the growth of microorganisms and extended the product life (>10 days). The pH value, moisture content and hardness of the samples were also preserved more efficiently when high concentrations of the essential oil were incorporated into the edible coating (p < 0.05). The CZEO-rich MSM coating was also able to possess considerable activity against lipid oxidation in lamb meat samples, and significantly decreased the production of primary and secondary oxidation products (p < 0.05). Moreover, sensory parameters of the samples were preserved more efficiently during cold storage when the CZEO-enriched edible coating, particularly MSM + 2% CZEO was used. CONCLUSIONS: The use of edible coating based on MSM and CZEO is therefore effective in reducing microbial growth and chemical reactions in lamb meat during the storage period. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The importance of the results of this study is in order to increase the use of natural preservatives, maintain food safety and of course the health of the people in the community.

A network pharmacology approach to assess Reno-protective and -curative effects of methanolic extract of Malva neglecta Wallr in gentamicin induced renal toxicity rat model

Abstract The aim of present study was to explore protective and curative effects of Malve neglecta on kidneys. In silco study with network pharmacology was performed to find out potential target organs, genes and cellular cell lines which confirmed kidneys as target organ of phyto-constituents present in Malva neglecta extract. Gentamicin (40 mg/kg, i.p) was given to induce renal toxicity. Prophylactic study was performed with 300-, 600- and 900 mg/kg doses to find out nephro-protective and -curative effects and curative potential was evaluated at 900 mg/kg dose. Renal function biomarkers, blood urea, BUN, serum creatinine and uric acid, and oxidative stress measuring biomarkers, SOD, CAT, GSH and MDA levels in kidney homogenate were quantified at the end of study. Treatment groups showed decrease in blood urea, BUN, serum creatinine and uric acid levels dose dependently and curative group also showed decline in these biomarkers. SOD, CAT, GSH levels were increased and MDA level decreased in treatment groups significantly as compared to toxic control which revealed the role of oxidative stress in renal damage and anti-oxidant power of MN. Data suggested that use of MN along with drugs causing renal toxicity may prove beneficial due to its nephro- protective and curative effects.

Antibacterial, antifungal and enzyme inhibitory effects of selected plants from Turkey.

In this study, antibacterial, antifungal, antihyaluronidase, anticollagenase and antielastase activity of Hypericum bithynicum, Malva neglecta, Morus alba, Rubus discolor, Sambucus ebulus and Smilax excelsa were investigated. Methanol extracts of M. neglecta and R. discolor and all extracts of H. bithynicum were more active against Staphylococcus epidermidis. Similarly, water extracts of M. alba and S. ebulus were more active against Streptococcus pneumonia. Additionally, S. ebulus and S. excelsa had prominent antifungal activity on Candida albicans. Besides, methanol extract of M. neglecta and n-hexane extract of H. bithynicum were determined to have significant antihyaluronidase activity. Only R. discolor showed significant antielastase effect.