Infraspecific variation of some brown Parmeliae (in Poland) - a comparison of ITS rDNA and non-molecular characters

Infraspecific variation of the ITS rDNA region of some brown Parmeliae occurring in Poland is studied and compared with non-molecular characters. Haplotype networks are used to illustrate the variability within the species. Both newly-produced sequences from Central Europe and from all over the world, downloaded from the GenBank, are used.

The number of haplotypes found for each taxon ranged from five in Melaneliastygia to 12 in Melaneliahepatizon and Montaneliadisjuncta; however, their numbers correlate with the number of specimens tested. New haplotypes for Melaneliaagnata, M.hepatizon and Cetrariacommixta are found. Based on our 169-sample dataset, we could not infer any geographical correlation, either locally or world-wide. Many of the analysed haplotypes were widely distributed and the same haplotype was often shared between temperate and polar populations. A comparison of molecular, morphological, anatomical and chemical characters also shows no correlation.

Chemotype variations among lichen ecotypes of Umbilicaria aprina as revealed by LC-ESI-MS/MS: a survey of antioxidant phenolics

In the present study, we characterized the phytochemical properties, which were specifically associated with phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities in six distinct ecotypes of Umbilicaria aprina Nyl. from Iran (including Kivarestan, Mishan, Takht-e Nader, Tochal, Sabalan, and Sahand) to detect diversities within the species. Total phenolic concentration (TPC) and radical scavenging capacities of U. aprina ecotypes were evaluated. Moreover, qualitative differences between chemical profiles were surveyed using liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). Relatively moderate TPCs (Kivarestan = 36.12 ± 2.1, Mishan = 41.59 ± 2.2, Takht-e Nader = 31.85 ± 1.3, Tochal = 37.55 ± 2.3, Sabalan = 28.91 ± 2.5, and Sahand = 31.59 ± 2.2) were observed for ecotypes, but a very strong correlation (r = -0/842) was obtained between TPCs and IC₅₀ values. Based on the results of LC-ESI-MS/MS, the following chemical substances were identified: orsellinic acid (1), lecanoric acid (2), evernic acid (3), gyrophoric acid (4), umbilicaric acid (5), hiascic acid (6), stictic acid (7) methyl hiascic acid (8), and an unknown substance (9). The MS/MS fragmentation scheme for each substance was determined and proposed. Wide discrepancies were observed in the chemical profiles of lichen ecotypes, which may corroborate the influence of ecological locality conditions, for example, altitude and slope aspects on secondary metabolism of lichen species U. aprina. The north-facing and east-facing ecotypes (Sabalan and Mishan, respectively) lacked depsidones (stictic acid) mainly because they receive the least direct radiation. Mishan ecotype, as the only east-facing ecotype, showed the most different chemical profile.

Depigmenting potential of lichen extracts evaluated by in vitro and in vivo tests

Melanin is the main pigment of human skin, playing the primary role of protection from ultraviolet radiation. Alteration of the melanin production may lead to hyperpigmentation diseases, with both aesthetic and health consequences. Thus, suppressors of melanogenesis are considered useful tools for medical and cosmetic treatments. A great interest is focused on natural sources, aimed at finding safe and quantitatively available depigmenting substances. Lichens are thought to be possible sources of this kind of compounds, as the occurrence of many phenolic molecules suggests possible effects on phenolase enzymes involved in melanin synthesis, like tyrosinase. In this work, we used four lichen species, Cetraria islandica Ach., Flavoparmelia caperata Hale, Letharia vulpina (L.) Hue, and Parmotrema perlatum (Hudson) M. Choisy, to obtain extracts in solvents of increasing polarity, viz. chloroform, chloroform-methanol, methanol, and water. Cell-free, tyrosinase inhibition experiments showed highest inhibition for L. vulpina methanol extract, followed by C. islandica chloroform-methanol one. Comparable results for depigmenting activities were observed by means of in vitro and in vivo systems, such as MeWo melanoma cells and zebrafish larvae. Our study provides first evidence of depigmenting effects of lichen extracts, from tyrosinase inhibition to cell and in vivo models, suggesting that L. vulpina and C. islandica extracts deserve to be further studied for developing skin-whitening products.