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Mück F, Scotti F, Mauvisseau Q, Thorbek BLG, Wangensteen H, de Boer HJ. Three-tiered authentication of herbal traditional Chinese medicine ingredients used in women's health provides progressive qualitative and quantitative insight. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1353434. [PMID: 38375033 PMCID: PMC10875096 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1353434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal products are increasingly used in Europe, but prevalent authentication methods have significant gaps in detection. In this study, three authentication methods were tested in a tiered approach to improve accuracy on a collection of 51 TCM plant ingredients obtained on the European market. We show the relative performance of conventional barcoding, metabarcoding and standardized chromatographic profiling for TCM ingredients used in one of the most diagnosed disease patterns in women, endometriosis. DNA barcoding using marker ITS2 and chromatographic profiling are methods of choice reported by regulatory authorities and relevant national pharmacopeias. HPTLC was shown to be a valuable authentication tool, combined with metabarcoding, which gives an increased resolution on species diversity, despite dealing with highly processed herbal ingredients. Conventional DNA barcoding as a recommended method was shown to be an insufficient tool for authentication of these samples, while DNA metabarcoding yields an insight into biological contaminants. We conclude that a tiered identification strategy can provide progressive qualitative and quantitative insight in an integrative approach for quality control of processed herbal ingredients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felicitas Mück
- Section for Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Francesca Scotti
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Helle Wangensteen
- Section for Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Ma L, Wei L, Chen X, Wang W, Lu J, Li Y, Yao L. Chemical composition, antioxidative and antimicrobial activities of essential oil of wild Artemisia annua from Ningxia, China. Nat Prod Res 2023:1-7. [PMID: 38008924 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2023.2281001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Artemisia annua is an essential aromatic medicinal plant endemic to China. Here, essential oil was extracted from wild A. annua from Ningxia, China. GC-MS analysis showed that A. annua essential oil was dominated by artemisia ketone, a characteristic compound accounting for 31.26%, followed by eucalyptol (14.89%), camphor (8.69%), myrcene (8.25%) and α-pinene (6.65%). The overall antioxidative potential represented by DPPH and ATBS free radical scavenging rates was weak. The essential oil exhibited good bactericidal activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and fungicidal activities against Trichophyton rubrum and Epidermophyton floccosum. The minimum inhibitory and microbicidal concentrations were 0.02 mg/mL and 5.12 mg/mL for both bacteria, 0.315% and 2.5% for E. floccosum, and 0.625% and 5% for T. rubrum. The results suggest that A. annua essential oil may be an antimicrobial adjuvant to be applied in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Ma
- School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Research and Development Center of Aromatic Plants, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Le Wei
- School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xueqin Chen
- College of Food Sciences & Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wencui Wang
- School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Research and Development Center of Aromatic Plants, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Lu
- School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuhong Li
- School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Research and Development Center of Aromatic Plants, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Yao
- School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Research and Development Center of Aromatic Plants, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Chen J, Wu W, Ding X, Zhang D, Dai C, Pan H, Shi P, Wu C, Zhang J, Zhao J, Liao B, Qiu X, Huang Z. Genome-wide characterization of regulator of chromosome condensation 1 (RCC1) gene family in Artemisia annua L. revealed a conservation evolutionary pattern. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:692. [PMID: 37980503 PMCID: PMC10657572 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09786-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Artemisia annua is the major source for artemisinin production. The artemisinin content in A. annua is affected by different types of light especially the UV light. UVR8, a member of RCC1 gene family was found to be the UV-B receptor in plants. The gene structures, evolutionary history and expression profile of UVR8 or RCC1 genes remain undiscovered in A. annua. RESULTS Twenty-two RCC1 genes (AaRCC1) were identified in each haplotype genome of two diploid strains of A. annua, LQ-9 and HAN1. Varied gene structures and sequences among paralogs were observed. The divergence of most RCC1 genes occurred at 46.7 - 51 MYA which overlapped with species divergence of core Asteraceae during the Eocene, while no recent novel RCC1 members were found in A. annua genome. The number of RCC1 genes remained stable among eudicots and RCC1 genes underwent purifying selection. The expression profile of AaRCC1 is analogous to that of Arabidopsis thaliana (AtRCC1) when responding to environmental stress. CONCLUSIONS This study provided a comprehensive characterization of the AaRCC1 gene family and suggested that RCC1 genes were conserved in gene number, structures, constitution of amino acids and expression profiles among eudicots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieting Chen
- Key Laboratory of Quality Evaluation of Chinese Medicine of the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, the Second Clinical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Wenguang Wu
- Artemisinin Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Xiaoxia Ding
- Key Laboratory of Quality Evaluation of Chinese Medicine of the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, the Second Clinical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Danchun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Quality Evaluation of Chinese Medicine of the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, the Second Clinical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Chunyan Dai
- Key Laboratory of Quality Evaluation of Chinese Medicine of the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, the Second Clinical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Hengyu Pan
- Key Laboratory of Quality Evaluation of Chinese Medicine of the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, the Second Clinical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Peiqi Shi
- Key Laboratory of Quality Evaluation of Chinese Medicine of the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, the Second Clinical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | | | - Jun Zhang
- Sunribio Co.Ltd, Shenzhen, 518101, China
| | | | - Baosheng Liao
- Key Laboratory of Quality Evaluation of Chinese Medicine of the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, the Second Clinical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Xiaohui Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Quality Evaluation of Chinese Medicine of the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, the Second Clinical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Zhihai Huang
- Key Laboratory of Quality Evaluation of Chinese Medicine of the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, the Second Clinical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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Zhu S, Liu Q, Qiu S, Dai J, Gao X. DNA barcoding: an efficient technology to authenticate plant species of traditional Chinese medicine and recent advances. Chin Med 2022; 17:112. [PMID: 36171596 PMCID: PMC9514984 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-022-00655-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays an important role in the global traditional health systems. However, adulterated and counterfeit TCM is on the rise. DNA barcoding is an effective, rapid, and accurate technique for identifying plant species. In this study, we collected manuscripts on DNA barcoding published in the last decade and summarized the use of this technique in identifying 50 common Chinese herbs listed in the Chinese pharmacopoeia. Based on the dataset of the major seven DNA barcodes of plants in the NCBI database, the strengths and limitations of the barcodes and their derivative barcoding technology, including single-locus barcode, multi-locus barcoding, super-barcoding, meta-barcoding, and mini-barcoding, were illustrated. In addition, the advances in DNA barcoding, particularly identifying plant species for TCM using machine learning technology, are also reviewed. Finally, the selection process of an ideal DNA barcoding technique for accurate identification of a given TCM plant species was also outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Zhu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Biotechnology Drug Candidates, School of Biosciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Qiaozhen Liu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Biotechnology Drug Candidates, School of Biosciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Simin Qiu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Biotechnology Drug Candidates, School of Biosciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Jiangpeng Dai
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Biotechnology Drug Candidates, School of Biosciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Xiaoxia Gao
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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Jiang R, Chen X, Liao X, Peng D, Han X, Zhu C, Wang P, Hufnagel DE, Wang L, Li K, Li C. A Chromosome-Level Genome of the Camphor Tree and the Underlying Genetic and Climatic Factors for Its Top-Geoherbalism. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:827890. [PMID: 35592577 PMCID: PMC9112071 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.827890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Camphor tree [Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J. Presl], a species in the magnoliid family Lauraceae, is known for its rich volatile oils and is used as a medical cardiotonic and as a scent in many perfumed hygiene products. Here, we present a high-quality chromosome-scale genome of C. camphora with a scaffold N50 of 64.34 Mb and an assembled genome size of 755.41 Mb. Phylogenetic inference revealed that the magnoliids are a sister group to the clade of eudicots and monocots. Comparative genomic analyses identified two rounds of ancient whole-genome duplication (WGD). Tandem duplicated genes exhibited a higher evolutionary rate, a more recent evolutionary history and a more clustered distribution on chromosomes, contributing to the production of secondary metabolites, especially monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, which are the principal essential oil components. Three-dimensional analyses of the volatile metabolites, gene expression and climate data of samples with the same genotype grown in different locations showed that low temperature and low precipitation during the cold season modulate the expression of genes in the terpenoid biosynthesis pathways, especially TPS genes, which facilitates the accumulation of volatile compounds. Our study lays a theoretical foundation for policy-making regarding the agroforestry applications of camphor tree.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rihong Jiang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Special Non-Timber Forest Crops, Guangxi Engineering and Technology Research Center for Woody Spices, Guangxi Forestry Research Institute, Nanning, China
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, China
| | - Xinlian Chen
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuezhu Liao
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dan Peng
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaoxu Han
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Changsan Zhu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Special Non-Timber Forest Crops, Guangxi Engineering and Technology Research Center for Woody Spices, Guangxi Forestry Research Institute, Nanning, China
| | - Ping Wang
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, China
| | - David E. Hufnagel
- Virus and Prion Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Ames, IA, United States
| | - Li Wang
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Kunpeng Institute of Modern Agriculture at Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Kaixiang Li
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Special Non-Timber Forest Crops, Guangxi Engineering and Technology Research Center for Woody Spices, Guangxi Forestry Research Institute, Nanning, China
| | - Cheng Li
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
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Distribution Analysis of Salvianolic Acids in Myocardial Ischemic Pig Tissues by Automated Liquid Extraction Surface Analysis Coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2020; 2020:8476794. [PMID: 33005204 PMCID: PMC7509547 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8476794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The distribution of active compounds of traditional Chinese medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Chinese name: Danshen) in vivo was determined by establishing a liquid extraction surface analysis coupled with the tandem mass spectrometry (LESA-MS/MS) method. Stability analysis and distribution analysis were designed in the present study using normal animals or a myocardial ischemia model. The model assessment was performed four weeks after surgery, and then three groups were created: a normal-dose group, a model-blank group, and a model-dose group. Meanwhile, Danshen decoction administration began in dose groups and lasted for four weeks. In stability analysis, four salvianolic acids—Danshensu (DSS), caffeic acid (CAA), rosmarinic acid (RA), and salvianolic acid A (SAA)—in kidney tissues from the normal-dose group were detected by LESA-MS/MS under four conditions, and then distribution analysis was conducted in different tissues using the same method. Ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) in animals from two model groups decreased significantly four weeks after surgery (P < 0.01) and were improved after four weeks of Danshen decoction administration (P < 0.01). Results of stability analysis demonstrated that this method was basically stable since there were no significant differences in signal intensities of DSS, CAA, and SAA under four conditions (P > 0.05). Distribution analysis showed the signal intensities of DSS in the liver and kidney and SAA in the heart were higher in the model-dose group than in the normal-dose group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Signal intensities of RA in the liver and kidney, and SAA in the liver were lower in the model-dose group compared with the normal-dose group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). In conclusion, Danshen decoction has the effect of improving the ischemic condition in a chronic myocardial ischemia model, and the content of two active compounds increased in the targets. These findings contribute to an understanding of the therapeutic role of Danshen in cardiovascular disease.
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Sun X, Pei J, Lin YL, Li BL, Zhang L, Ahmad B, Huang LF. Revealing the Impact of the Environment on Cistanche salsa: From Global Ecological Regionalization to Soil Microbial Community Characteristics. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2020; 68:8720-8731. [PMID: 32658471 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.0c01568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
To understand the regulatory relationship between the environment and Cistanche salsa, here we integrated the macro- and microdimension methods. From a macroperspective, the MaxEnt model indicated that countries along the Belt and Road Initiative, such as China, Egypt, and Libya, were particularly suitable for growth of C. salsa from ancient times (Last Glacial Maximum and mid-Holocene) to the future (2050 and 2070). The Jackknife test revealed that precipitation is an important ecological factor that affects C. salsa's distribution. From a microperspective, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data showed that the soil microbial communities of three ecotypes (desert-steppe, grassland, and gravel-desert) were significantly different (p < 0.001). Core microbiome analysis demonstrated that the bacterial genera Arthrobacter, Sphingomonas, and Bacillus were enriched core taxa of C. salsa. LEfSe and random forest were used to excavate the Gillisia (desert-steppe), Flavisolibacter (grassland), and Variibacter (gravel-desert) as biomarkers that can distinguish among microbial communities from the three ecotypes. The prediction profile showed that the metabolic function of the microbial community was enriched in metabolic pathways and environmental information processing. Correlation analyses revealed that the altitude, precipitation of the warmest quarter (bio18), mean diurnal range (bio2), and mean temperature of the warmest quarter (bio10) were important ecological factors that affect the composition of soil microbial communities. This work provided new insights into the regulatory relationship among the suitable distribution of C. salsa, soil microbial communities, and ecological drivers. Moreover, it deepened the understanding of the interaction between desert plants and ecological factors in arid environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Sun
- Key Research Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Resources Protection, Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jin Pei
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China
| | - Yu-Lin Lin
- Key Research Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Resources Protection, Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Bao-Li Li
- Key Research Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Resources Protection, Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Li Zhang
- College of Science, Sichuan Agriculture University, Ya'an, Sichuan 625014, China
| | - Bashir Ahmad
- Center for Biotechnology & Microbiology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
| | - Lin-Fang Huang
- Key Research Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Resources Protection, Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
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Yang CQ, Lv Q, Zhang AB. Sixteen Years of DNA Barcoding in China: What Has Been Done? What Can Be Done? Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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Marakli S. Transferability of Barley Retrotransposons (Sukkula and Nikita) to Investigate Genetic Structure of Pimpinella anisum L. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.7240/marufbd.395068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Ferreira JFS, Benedito VA, Sandhu D, Marchese JA, Liu S. Seasonal and Differential Sesquiterpene Accumulation in Artemisia annua Suggest Selection Based on Both Artemisinin and Dihydroartemisinic Acid may Increase Artemisinin in planta. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1096. [PMID: 30154807 PMCID: PMC6102481 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Commercial Artemisia annua crops are the sole source of artemisinin (ART) worldwide. Data on seasonal accumulation and peak of sesquiterpenes, especially ART in commercial A. annua, is lacking while current breeding programs focus only on ART and plant biomass, but ignores dihydroartemisinic acid (DHAA) and artemisinic acid (AA). Despite past breeding successes, plants richer in ART are needed to decrease prices of artemisinin-combination therapy (ACT). Our results show that sesquiterpene concentrations vary greatly along the growing season and that sesquiterpene profiles differ widely among chemotypes. Field studies with elite Brazilian, Chinese, and Swiss germplasms established that ART peaked in vegetative plants from late August to early September, suggesting that ART is related to the photoperiod, not flowering. DHAA peaks with ART in Chinese and Swiss plants, but decreases, as ART increases, in Brazilian plants, while AA remained stable through the season in these genotypes. Chinese plants peaked at 0.9% ART, 1.6% DHAA; Brazilian plants at 0.9% ART, with less than 0.4% DHAA; Swiss plants at 0.8% ART and 1% DHAA. At single-date harvests, seeded Swiss plants produced 0.55-1.2% ART, with plants being higher in DHAA than ART; Brazilian plants produced 0.33-1.5% ART, with most having higher ART than DHAA. Elite germplasms produced from 0.02-0.43% AA, except Sandeman-UK (0.4-1.1% AA). Our data suggest that different chemotypes, high in ART and DHAA, have complementary pathways, while competing with AA. Crossing plants high in ART and DHAA may generate hybrids with higher ART than currently available in commercial germplasms. Selecting for high ART and DHAA (and low AA) can be a valuable approach for future selection and breeding to produce plants more efficient in transforming DHAA into ART in planta and during post-harvest. This novel approach could change the breeding focus of A. annua and other pharmaceutical species that produce more than one desired metabolite in the same pathway. Obtaining natural variants with high ART content will empower countries and farmers who select, improve, and cultivate A. annua as a commercial pharmaceutical crop. This selection approach could enable ART to be produced locally where it is most needed to fight malaria and other parasitic neglected diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge F. S. Ferreira
- US Salinity Laboratory, Riverside, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Jorge F. S. Ferreira
| | - Vagner A. Benedito
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, United States
| | | | - José A. Marchese
- Biochemistry and Plant Molecular Physiology Laboratory, Agronomy Department, Federal University of Technology–Paraná, Pato Branco, Brazil
| | - Shuoqian Liu
- Department of Tea Science, College of Horticulture and Hardening, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
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