Bioactive phenolic compounds from the flowers of Farfugium japonicum (L.) Kitam. var. giganteum (Siebold et Zucc.) Kitam. (Asteraceae)

Rosmarinic acid mitigates intestinal inflammation and oxidative stress in bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeiana) fed high soybean meal diets

High proportions of soybean meal in aquafeed have been confirmed to induce various intestinal pathologies. This study aims to investigate the regulatory effects of rosmarinic acid (RA), an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, when added to high soybean meal feeds in different doses, (0, 0.5, 1, and 4 g/kg). During the 56-day feeding trial, results indicated that, compared to the control group without RA (0 g/kg), the 1 g/kg and 4 g/kg RA groups increased bullfrog survival rates and total weight gain while reducing feed coefficient. Additionally, these doses markedly suppressed the expression of key intestinal inflammatory markers (tlr5, myd88, tnfα, il1β, cxcl8, cxcl12) and the activity and content of intestinal antioxidants (CAT, MDA, GSH, GPX). Concurrently, RA significantly downregulated the transcription levels of antioxidant-related genes (cat, gpx5, cyba, cybb, mgst, gclc, gsta, gstp), suggesting RA's potential to alleviate intestinal inflammation and oxidative stress induced by high soybean meal and to help downregulate and restore normal expression of antioxidant enzyme genes. However, the 0.5 g/kg RA group did not show a significant improvement in survival rates; instead, it upregulated the transcription of some antioxidant genes (cat, gpx5, cyba, cybb), revealing the complexity and dose-dependency of RA's antioxidant action. Furthermore, RA supplementation significantly reshaped the intestinal microbial community structure and relative abundance in bullfrogs, particularly affecting the genera Hafnia, Phascolarctobacterium, and Lactococcus. Notably, high doses of RA (1 g/kg, 4 g/kg) were able to downregulate pathways associated with the enrichment of gut microbiota in diseases such as Parkinson's, Staphylococcus aureus infection, and Systemic lupus erythematosus, suggesting its potential in anti-inflammatory action and health maintenance to prevent potential diseases.

Effect of strong wind on laminas and petioles of Farfugium japonicum (L.) Kitam. var. japonicum (Asteraceae)

Farfugium japonicum (L.) Kitam. var. japonicum grows mainly in the coastal areas of Japan. Meteorological recording data from natural habitats were used to investigate the factors associated with the laminas and petioles of radical leaves of F. japonicum var. japonicum to avoid or resist higher wind stress. Our morphological and mechanical results indicated that petiole length and petiole cross-sectional area had a weak correlation with wind speed and breaking strength, and the petiole second area moment of inertia did not differ significantly among populations. However, both lamina area and petiole length per petiole cross-sectional area decreased with increasing wind speed, indicating that F. japonicum var. japonicum resisted or avoided an increase in wind speed outdoors by reducing the lamina area and petiole length per petiole cross-sectional area without qualitative changes in their petioles. The results of this study indicated that densely distributed recording stations of the Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System (AMeDAS) by the Japan Meteorological Agency can be used for environmental adaptation studies of plants in the field using nearby plant populations.

Application of Rosmarinic Acid with Its Derivatives in the Treatment of Microbial Pathogens

The emergence of the antimicrobial resistance phenomena on and the harmful consequences of the use of antibiotics motivate the necessity of innovative antimicrobial therapies, while natural substances are considered a promising alternative. Rosmarin is an original plant compound listed among the hydroxycinnamic acids. This substance has been widely used to fight microbial pathology and chronic infections from microorganisms like bacteria, fungi and viruses. Also, various derivatives of rosmarinic acid, such as the propyl ester of rosmarinic acid, rosmarinic acid methyl ester or the hexyl ester of rosmarinic acid, have been synthesized chemically, which have been isolated as natural antimicrobial agents. Rosmarinic acid and its derivatives were combined with antibiotics to obtain a synergistic effect. This review reports on the antimicrobial effects of rosmarinic acid and its associated derivatives, both in their free form and in combination with other microbial pathogens, and mechanisms of action.

A Comprehensive Review of Rosmarinic Acid: From Phytochemistry to Pharmacology and Its New Insight

Polyphenolic acids are the widely occurring natural products in almost each herbal plant, among which rosmarinic acid (RA, C18H16O8) is well-known, and is present in over 160 species belonging to many families, especially the Lamiaceae. Aside from this herbal ingredient, dozens of its natural derivatives have also been isolated and characterized from many natural plants. In recent years, with the increasing focus on the natural products as alternative treatments, a large number of pharmacological studies have been carried out to demonstrate the various biological activities of RA such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, anti-diabetes, anti-virus, anti-tumor, neuroprotection, hepatoprotection, etc. In addition, investigations concerning its biosynthesis, extraction, analysis, clinical applications, and pharmacokinetics have also been performed. Although many achievements have been made in various research aspects, there still exist some problems or issues to be answered, especially its toxicity and bioavailability. Thus, we hope that in the case of natural products, the present review can not only provide a comprehensive understanding on RA covering its miscellaneous research fields, but also highlight some of the present issues and future perspectives worth investigating later, in order to help us utilize this polyphenolic acid more efficiently, widely, and safely.