Latitude and Altitude Influence Secondary Metabolite Production in Peripheral Alpine Populations of the Mediterranean Species Lavandula angustifolia Mill

Tissue-specific variations of piperine in ten populations of Piper longum L.: bioactivities and toxicological profile

P. longum L., one of the most significant species of the genus Piperaceae, is most frequently employed in Indian-Ayurvedic and other traditional medicinal-systems for treating a variety of illnesses. The alkaloid piperine, is the key phytoconstituent of the plant, primarily responsible for its' pharmacological-impacts. The aim of the study is to analyse the intra-specific variation in piperine content among different chemotypes (PL1 to PL 30) and identify high piperine yielding chemotype (elite-chemotype) collected from 10 different geographical regions of West Bengal by validated HPTLC chromatography method. The study also focused on the pharmacological-screening to better understand the antioxidant activity of the methanol extracts of P. longum by DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activity and genotoxic activity by Allium cepa root tip assay. It was found that the P. longum fruit chemotypes contain high amount piperine (highest 16.362 mg/g in chemotype PL9) than the stem and leaf chemotypes. Both DPPH and ABTS antioxidant assays revealed that P. longum showed moderate radical-scavenging activity and the highest activity was found in PL9 (fruit) chemotype with IC50 values of 124.2 ± 0.97 and 104 ± 0.78 µg/ml respectively. The A. cepa root tip assay showed no such significant genotoxic-effect and change in mitotic-index. The quick, reproducible, and validated HPTLC approach offers a useful tool for determining quantitative variations of piperine among P. longum chemotypes from different geographical-regions and also according to the different tissues and choose elite genotypes with high piperine production for continued propagation and commercialization for the pharmaceutical sector. Additionally, the plant's in-vitro antioxidant property and lack of genotoxicity directly supports its' widespread and long history of use as a medicinal and culinary plant.

Environmental factors influencing potential distribution of Schisandra sphenanthera and its accumulation of medicinal components

Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus (SSF), the dry ripe fruit of Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd. et Wils., is a traditional Chinese medicine with wide application potential. The quality of SSF indicated by the composition and contents of secondary metabolites is closely related to environmental factors, such as regional climate and soil conditions. The aims of this study were to predict the distribution patterns of potentially suitable areas for S. sphenanthera in China and pinpoint the major environmental factors influencing its accumulation of medicinal components. An optimized maximum entropy model was developed and applied under current and future climate scenarios (SSP1-RCP2.6, SSP3-RCP7, and SSP5-RCP8.5). Results show that the total suitable areas for S. sphenanthera (179.58×104 km2) cover 18.71% of China's territory under the current climatic conditions (1981-2010). Poorly, moderately, and highly suitable areas are 119.00×104 km2, 49.61×104 km2, and 10.98×104 km2, respectively. The potentially suitable areas for S. sphenanthera are predicted to shrink and shift westward under the future climatic conditions (2041-2070 and 2071-2100). The areas of low climate impact are located in southern Shaanxi, northwestern Guizhou, southeastern Chongqing, and western Hubei Provinces (or Municipality), which exhibit stable and high suitability under different climate scenarios. The contents of volatile oils, lignans, and polysaccharides in SSF are correlated with various environmental factors. The accumulation of major secondary metabolites is primarily influenced by temperature variation, seasonal precipitation, and annual precipitation. This study depicts the potential distribution of S. sphenanthera in China and its spatial change in the future. Our findings decipher the influence of habitat environment on the geographical distribution and medicinal quality of S. sphenanthera, which could have great implications for natural resource conservation and artificial cultivation.

Effects of altitudes on secondary metabolite contents of Origanum majorana L

Altitude is an important ecological factor that significantly affects essential oil content, yield and composition. In this study, conducted to examine the effects of altitude on essential oil content and composition of O. majorana, plant samples were collected from the southern region of Türkiye at the beginning of flowering period from seven different altitudes (766 m, 890 m, 968 m, 1079 m, 1180 m, 1261 m and 1387 m) at 100 m intervals. The highest percentage of essential oil (6.50%) obtained by hydro-distillation was determined at 766 m altitudes. The GC-MS analyses revealed that low altitude affected some essential oil components positively. The linalool ratio, which is the major component of the essential oil of O. majorana species, was the highest at 766 m (79.84%) altitudes. Borneol, linalool oxide, trans-linalool oxide, caryophyllene, a-humulene, germacrene-D and bicyclogermacrene components yielded high values at 890 m altitudes. Thymol and α-terpineol, which have an important place in the essential oil composition, increased at 1180 m altitudes; a-terpinene, cis-sabinene hydrate, terpinene-4-ol and carvacrol increased at 1387 m altitudes.

Lavandula Species, Their Bioactive Phytochemicals, and Their Biosynthetic Regulation

Lavandula species are one of the most useful aromatic and medicinal plants and have great economic potential. The phytopharmaceutical contribution of the secondary metabolites of the species is unquestionable. Most recent studies have been focusing on the elucidation of the genetic background of secondary metabolite production in lavender species. Therefore, knowledge of not only genetic but especially epigenetic mechanisms for the regulation of secondary metabolites is necessary for the modification of those biosynthesis processes and the understanding of genotypic differences in the content and compositional variability of these products. The review discusses the genetic diversity of Lavandula species in relation to the geographic area, occurrence, and morphogenetic factors. The role of microRNAs in secondary-metabolites biosynthesis is described.

Comparative analyses of functional traits based on metabolome and economic traits variation of Bletilla striata: Contribution of intercropping

The intercropping practice has been regarded as a practical land-use selection to improve the management benefits of Bletilla striata plantations. The reports about the variety of economic and functional traits of Bletilla pseudobulb under intercropping systems were limited. The present study investigated the variation of economic and functional traits of Bletilla pseudobulb under different intercropping systems (the deep-rooted intercropping system: B. striata - Cyclocarya paliurus, CB; and the shallow-rooted intercropping system: B. striata - Phyllostachys edulis, PB). The functional traits were analyzed through non-targeted metabolomics based on GC-MS. The results indicated that the PB intercropping system significantly decreased the yield of Bletilla pseudobulb while significantly increasing the total phenol and flavonoids compared with the control (CK). However, there were no significant differences in all economic traits between CB and CK. The functional traits among CB, PB, and CK were separated and exhibited significant differences. Under different intercropping systems, B. striata may adopt different functional strategies in response to interspecific competition. The functional node metabolites (D-galactose, cellobiose, raffinose, D-fructose, maltose, and D-ribose) were up-regulated in CB, while the functional node metabolites (L-valine, L-leucine, L-isoleucine, methionine, L-lysine, serine, D-glucose, cellobiose, trehalose, maltose, D-ribose, palatinose, raffinose, xylobiose, L-rhamnose, melezitose, and maltotriose) were up-regulated in PB. The correlation between economic and functional traits depends on the degree of environmental stress. Artificial neural network models (ANNs) accurately predicted the variation in economic traits via the combination of functional node metabolites in PB. The correlation analysis of environmental factors indicated that Ns (including TN, NH₄ ⁺-, and NO₃ ^--), SRI (solar radiation intensity), and SOC were the main factors that affected the economic traits (yield, total phenol, and total flavonoids). TN, SRI, and SOC were the main factors affecting the functional traits of the Bletilla pseudobulb. These findings strengthen our understanding of the variation of economic and functional traits of Bletilla pseudobulb under intercropping and clarify the main limiting environmental factors under B. striata intercropping systems.

Current Trends for Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) Crops and Products with Emphasis on Essential Oil Quality

Lavender is in the research spotlight due to its increasing economic importance, while market demand is expected to continue to grow. Among the hundreds of essential-oil-bearing plants, Lavandula angustifolia Mill. remains one of the most valuable. This paper explores the lavender chain timeline from crop to products, examining the expanding knowledge on the characteristics, phytochemical profile and functional potential of lavender that could lead to new products and uses. Lavender crops can be expanded without competing for productive land, instead using marginal, contaminated or unproductive land. A novel cultivation trend proposes leveraging agri-background biodiversity, arbuscular mycorrhiza and the natural enemies of pests for healthy crops. Together with breeding efforts targeting highly performant genotypes with complex volatile profiles coupled with resistance to specific biotic (particularly Phytoplasma) and abiotic (salt, heavy metals) stressors, industry could have a steady supply of high-quality raw material. Besides the expansion of the uses of essential oil in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food and environmental and agri-applications, novel channels have appeared for the use of the solid by-product, which is rich in polyphenols and polysaccharides; these channels have the potential to create additional streams of value. The stabilization and optimization of techno-functional delivery systems through the encapsulation of essential oil can extend shelf-life and enhance biological activity efficiency.

Unlocking the genetic diversity of Indian turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) germplasm based on rhizome yield traits and curcuminoids

Turmeric is an important commercial crop widely grown in Asia due to its pharmacological and nutritional value. India is the centre of turmeric diversity and many turmeric accessions have good rhizome yield, varying curcuminoids content and are well-adapted to various agro-climatic zones. In the present study, we unravel the diversity among 200 Indian turmeric accessions based on rhizome yield traits and curcuminoids content. Clustering and correlation studies were also performed to group the turmeric accessions and to observe the relationship between the traits. Results revealed the presence of large variability among turmeric accessions including the major traits such as yield (24.77 g p^-1 to 667.63 g p^-1), dry recovery percentage (13.42% to 29.18%), curcumin (0.41% to 2.17%), demethoxycurcumin (0.38% to 1.45%), bisdemethoxycurcumin (0.37% to 1.24%) and total curcuminoid content (1.26% to 4.55%). The superior germplasm identified for curcuminoids content were as follows; curcumin (CL 157 - 2.17% and CL 272 - 2.13%), demethoxycurcumin (CL 253 - 1.45% and CL 157 - 1.31%), bisdemethoxycurcumin (CL 216 - 1.24% and CL 57 - 1.11%) and total curcuminoid content (CL 157 - 4.55% and CL 272 - 4.37%). Clustering based on dendrogram, grouped 200 accessions into seven clusters. Among seven clusters, the maximum number of accessions were grouped into cluster II while cluster VII showed maximum mean value for majority of the traits. Correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between the traits where the total curcuminoid content is significantly and positively correlated with the primary rhizome core diameter and length of the secondary rhizome. The selection of these particular traits may result in the identification of germplasm with high total curcuminoid content. Taken together, it is the first report on the large screening of turmeric accessions for variation in the rhizome yield traits and curcuminoids content. The genetic diversity revealed in this study could be useful for further crop improvement programs in turmeric to develop new varieties with high rhizome yield coupled with high curcuminoids content.

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Endemic Plants of the Australian Wet Tropics

Plants have been a vital source of natural antioxidants since ancient times. Plants growing under various abiotic stress conditions often produce more defensive secondary metabolites such as phenolics, flavonoids, and terpenoids during adaptation to the environment. Many of these secondary metabolites are known to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study tested seven plants sourced from the mountaintop areas (above 1000 m elevation) of Mount Lewis National Park (falls under the Wet Tropics of Queensland), Australia, for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Of the seven studied plants, hydroethanolic extracts of six plants (Leptospermum wooroonooran, Ceratopetalum hylandii, Linospadix apetiolatus, Garcinia brassii, Litsea granitica, and Polyscias willmottii) showed high 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)-free radical scavenging activity in a dose-dependent (25–1000 μg/mL) manner. At the highest concentration of 1 mg/mL, the DPPH free radical scavenged percentage varied between 75.4% and 92.3%. Only the species Alyxia orophila was inactive in the DPPH free radical scavenging assay. Pseudo-IC₅₀ values of the extracts’ ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) based on dose-response curves showed a significant positive correlation with total phenolic content. Five out of the seven plants, namely G. brassii, C. hylandii, L. apetiolatus, L. wooroonooran, and A. orophila, showed inhibitory effects on the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, tumour necrosis factor (TNF), and interleukins (IL)-23 in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) assay. The results of this study demonstrate the value of tropical mountaintop plants in the biodiscovery of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory lead compounds.

Metabolomic Study of Dactylis glomerata Growing on Aeolian Archipelago (Italy)

The Aeolian Islands (Italy) are a volcanic archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea comprising seven main islands, among which are two active volcanoes. The peculiar geological features and the wide variety of environments and soils have an important impact on native plants, and in particular, the Aeolian populations of Dactylis glomerata (a perennial cool-season bunchgrass) exhibit remarkable phenotypic variability. Considering that environmental drivers also strongly affect the production of plant metabolites, this work aimed at comparing the metabolomic profiles of D. glomerata (leaves) harvested at different altitudes on four islands of the Aeolian archipelago, namely: Lipari, Vulcano, Stromboli and Panarea. Samples were analyzed by ¹H NMR profiling, and data were treated by PCA. Samples collected on Stromboli were very different from each other and from the samples collected in the other islands. Through an Orthogonal Partial Least Squares (OPLS) model, using altitude as the y variable, it emerged that the concentration of proline, glycine betaine, sucrose, glucose and chlorogenic acid of D. glomerata growing on Stromboli decreased at increasing altitude. Conversely, increasing altitude was associated with an increment in valine, asparagine, fumaric acid and phenylalanine.

The ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and biological properties of Nigella damascena - A review

This review is a systematic scientific work on medicinal and traditional use, on the chemical composition of specialized metabolites, volatile and non-volatile, on aspects related to toxicology and phytotherapy of Nigella damascena L. The genus Nigella (Ranunculaceae) is distributed throughout the Mediterranean basin, extending to northern India, and has been divided into three sections. Nigella damanscena L. is traditionally used as an ingredient in food, for example, as flavouring agents in bread and cheese, but is also known in folk medicine, used to regulate menstruation; for catarrhal affections and amenorrhea; as a diuretic and sternutatory; as an analgesic, anti-oedematous, and antipyretic; and for vermifuge and its disinfectant effects. This paper reviews the most dated to the latest scientific research on this species, highlighting the single isolated metabolites and exploring their biological activity. Fifty-seven natural compounds have been isolated and characterised from the seeds, roots, and aerial parts of the plant. Among these constituents, alkaloids, flavonoids, diterpenes, triterpenes, and aromatic compounds are the main constituents. The isolated compounds and the various extracts obtained with solvents of different polarities presented a diverse spectrum of biological activities such as antibacterial, antifungal, antitumour, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, anti-oedema, and antiviral activities. Various in vitro and in vivo tests have demonstrated the pharmacological potential of β-elemene and alkaloid damascenin. Unfortunately, the largest number of biological studies on this species and its metabolites have been conducted in vitro; therefore, further investigation is necessary to evaluate the toxicological aspects and real mechanisms of action of crude extracts to confirm the therapeutic potential of N. damascena.

Exploitation of Marginal Hilly Land in Tuscany through the Cultivation of Lavandula angustifolia Mill.: Characterization of Its Essential Oil and Antibacterial Activity

Lavandula angustifolia Mill., known as one of the best essential oil-bearing plants, is an aromatic plant that is well cultivated in many Mediterranean regions due to its adaptability to variations in climatic and edaphic conditions. Therefore, its essential oil (EO) composition and its antimicrobial activity change as a consequence of abiotic and biotic factors. The chemical composition of L. angustifolia EO collected during four consecutive years of growth was one of the aims of this work. The volatile profile evidenced the prevalence of linalool and linalool acetate even though they switched their positions according to age. Plants in their first year were characterized by a high amount of sesquiterpene compounds (22.1% of the identified fraction). This percentage decreased during plant growth, not representing more than 5.3% in the fourth year. It is interesting to note that both the third- and fourth-year plants showed a content of monoterpenes that exceeded 90% of the total identified constituents. The EO extracted from the oldest plants evidenced higher activity on the studied strains, with more sensitivity on the Gram-positive ones. Tuscan lavender EO, especially that obtained from the four-year-old plants, is of great interest for its potential industrial applications and constitutes an example for the valorization of marginal Tuscan land and good-quality production.

Formulation and Testing of Antioxidant and Protective Effect of Hyalurosomes Loading Extract Rich in Rosmarinic Acid Biotechnologically Produced from Lavandula angustifolia Miller

Culture of plant cells or tissues is a scalable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly approach to obtain extracts and secondary metabolites of uniform quality that can be continuously supplied in controlled conditions, independent of geographical and seasonal variations, environmental factors, and negative biological influences. In addition, tissues and cells can be extracted/obtained from the by-products of other industrial cultivations such as that of Lavandula angustifolia Miller (L. angustifolia), which is largely cultivated for the collection of flowers. Given that, an extract rich in rosmarinic acid was biotechnologically produced starting from cell suspension of L. angustifolia, which was then loaded in hyalurosomes, special phospholipid vesicles enriched with sodium hyaluronate, which in turn are capable of both immobilizing and stabilizing the system. These vesicles have demonstrated to be good candidates for skin delivery as their high viscosity favors their residence at the application site, thus promoting their interaction with the skin components. The main physico-chemical and technological characteristics of vesicles (i.e., mean diameter, polydispersity index, zeta potential and entrapment efficiency of extract in vesicles) were measured along with their biological properties in vitro: biocompatibility against fibroblasts and ability to protect the cells from oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide. Overall, preliminary results disclosed the promising properties of obtained formulations to be used for the treatment of skin diseases associated with oxidative stress and inflammation.

Chemotaxonomic Classification of Peucedanum japonicum and Its Chemical Correlation with Peucedanum praeruptorum, Angelica decursiva, and Saposhnikovia divaricata by Liquid Chromatography Combined with Chemometrics

The roots of Peucedanum japonicum (Apiaceae) have been used as an alternative to the roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata (Apiaceae) to treat common cold-related symptoms in Korea. However, a variety of Peucedanum species, including the roots of P. praeruptorum or Angelica decursiva (=P. decursivum), have been used to treat phlegm-heat-induced symptoms in China. Hence, as there are differences in the medicinal application of P. japonicum roots between Korea and China, chemotaxonomic classification of P. japonicum was evaluated. Sixty samples derived from P. japonicum, P. praeruptorum, A. decursiva, and S. divaricata were phylogenetically identified using DNA barcoding tools, and chemotaxonomic correlations among the samples were evaluated using chromatographic profiling with chemometric analyses. P. japonicum samples were phylogenetically grouped into the same cluster as P. praeruptorum samples, followed by S. divaricata samples at the next cluster level, whereas A. decursiva samples were widely separated from the other species. Moreover, P. japonicum samples showed higher chemical correlations with P. praeruptorum samples or A. decursiva samples, but lower or negative chemical correlations with S. divaricata samples. These results demonstrate that P. japonicum is more genetically and chemically relevant to P. praeruptorum or A. decursiva and, accordingly, the medicinal application of P. japonicum might be closer to the therapeutic category of these two species than that of S. divaricata.

A comparison of artificial intelligence techniques for predicting hyperforin content in Hypericum perforatum L. in different ecological habitats

Hyperforin, a major bioactive constituent of Hypericum concentration, is impacted by various phenological phases and soil characteristics. We aimed to design a model predicting hyperforin content in Hypericum perforatum based on different ecological and phenological conditions. We employed artificial intelligence modeling techniques including multilayer perceptron (MLP), radial basis function (RBF), and support vector machine (SVM) to examine the factors critical in predicting hyperforin content. We found that the MLP model (R 2 = .9) is the most suitable and precise model compared with RBF (R 2 = .81) and SVM (R 2 = .74) in predicting hyperforin in H. perforatum based on ecological conditions, plant growth, and soil features. Moreover, phenological stages, organic carbon, altitude, and total N are detected in sensitivity analysis as the main factors that have a considerable impact on hyperforin content. We also report that the developed graphical user interface would be adaptable for key stakeholders including producers, manufacturers, analytical laboratory managers, and pharmacognosists.

Topical Emulsion Containing Lavandula stoechas Essential Oil as a Therapeutic Agent for Cutaneous Wound Healing

Background and objectives: The present research was designed to evaluate the chemical composition of Lavandula stoechas essential oil (EOLS) as well as the in vivo wound-healing property. The chemical composition of EOLS was identified by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Nineteen compounds of EOLS were reported. Linalool was identified as the major chemical compound (24.87%), followed by linalyl acetate (19.10%). EOLS showed a high content of oxygenated compounds (63.54%). In vivo wound healing activity of the topical cream prepared from EOLS (0.5% w/w) was assessed using a circular excision wound model. The wound area (mm2) in all animal groups was estimated and measured on day 0, 4, 8, 11, and 16. Results: The EOLS formulation cream (0.5% v/w) showed the highest effect on wound models when compared to reference Madecassol® (Asiaticoside). On days 4, 11, and 16, wound contractions were 26.4%, 78%, and 96.3% for the EOLS-treated group, and 8.5%, 64.1%, and 86.1% for the vehicle cream-treated group. Animals treated with EOLS cream showed a significant decrease in the epithelization period, wound area, and scar thickness, whereas the rate of wound contraction significantly increased. This is the first such report to be published. Histological analyses were also consistent with the results of the excision experimental method. Treatment with EOLS cream formulation resulted in decreased inflammation and an increased rate of tissue perfusion and proliferation as well as remodeling, along with re-epithelization. Conclusions: Our results support the use of EOLS in the development of pharmaceuticals for the management of wounds, and/or inflammatory-related diseases. Additional studies are needed to elucidate and explain the exact mechanism of its pharmacological activity.

Microevolution in the pansecondary metabolome of Aspergillus flavus and its potential macroevolutionary implications for filamentous fungi

Fungi produce a wealth of pharmacologically bioactive secondary metabolites (SMs) from biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). It is common practice for drug discovery efforts to treat species' secondary metabolomes as being well represented by a single or a small number of representative genomes. However, this approach misses the possibility that intraspecific population dynamics, such as adaptation to environmental conditions or local microbiomes, may harbor novel BGCs that contribute to the overall niche breadth of species. Using 94 isolates of Aspergillus flavus, a cosmopolitan model fungus, sampled from seven states in the United States, we dereplicate 7,821 BGCs into 92 unique BGCs. We find that more than 25% of pangenomic BGCs show population-specific patterns of presence/absence or protein divergence. Population-specific BGCs make up most of the accessory-genome BGCs, suggesting that different ecological forces that maintain accessory genomes may be partially mediated by population-specific differences in secondary metabolism. We use ultra-high-performance high-resolution mass spectrometry to confirm that these genetic differences in BGCs also result in chemotypic differences in SM production in different populations, which could mediate ecological interactions and be acted on by selection. Thus, our results suggest a paradigm shift that previously unrealized population-level reservoirs of SM diversity may be of significant evolutionary, ecological, and pharmacological importance. Last, we find that several population-specific BGCs from A. flavus are present in Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus minisclerotigenes and discuss how the microevolutionary patterns we uncover inform macroevolutionary inferences and help to align fungal secondary metabolism with existing evolutionary theory.

Phytonutritional Content and Aroma Profile Changes During Postharvest Storage of Edible Flowers

Edible flowers are niche horticultural products, routinely used as cooking ingredients in the food industry. Currently, new species are required with the aim of enlarging the number of species with a long shelf-life, healthy nutraceutical compounds, and new fragrance and tastes. Ageratum houstonianum Mill, Tagetes lemmonii A. Gray, Salvia dorisiana Standl, and Pelargonium odoratissimum (L.) L'Hér "Lemon" were selected for their different morphological characteristics and color. Fresh flowers were analyzed to characterize their phytonutritional content and aroma profile. Postharvest was determined up to 6 days of cold storage at 4°C in transparent polypropylene boxes. Visual quality and cellular membrane damage were observed. The relative content of different antioxidant constituents (e.g., polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, ascorbic acid), nutritional compounds (soluble sugars, crude proteins), the antioxidant scavenging activity, and the volatile profile were determined and correlated to the quality of shelf-life of the different species. The yellow T. lemmonii freshly picked flowers showed the highest ascorbic acid and flavonoids content, which was maintained during the cold storage, as well as the best visual quality. Limited changes in metabolites were detected in the light blue A. houstonianum during postharvest, although the visual quality is severely compromised. Magenta S. dorisiana and light pink P. odoratissimum showed similar changes in antioxidant constituents during cold storage. For the first time, the volatile compounds have been identified in the four species. Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons are the main class in fresh flowers of A. houstonianum, S. dorisiana, and P. odoratissimum, while monoterpene hydrocarbons are abundant in T. lemmonii. The cold storage influenced mainly P. odoratissimum and S. dorisiana flavor initially dominated by the increase in total monoterpenes at 6 days, reaching a relative content of 90%. Both A. houstonianum and T. lemmonii conserved the prevalence of the same class of constituents in all the analyzed conditions, even though the cold storage influenced the major compound abundance. On the basis of the results, T. lemmonii was the most interesting species with the longest shelf-life due to its phytonutritional and aromatic constituents. Results indicated the peculiar metabolic and physiological attitude of flowers species to cold storage.

Effect of Jasmonic Acid and Salicylic Acid on Growth and Biochemical Composition of In-Vitro-Propagated Lavandula angustifolia Mill

This study assessed the effect of jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) on the in vitro development and production of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. plant material, and the accumulation of polyphenols, chlorophylls, and carotenoids in explants. Results were compared with explants grown in control media and with in-vivo-grown mature and young L. angustifolia plants. After 21 days of incubation, all explants propagated on low-SA-concentration or elicitor-free media produced a greater number of shoots than explants cultivated on media with higher elicitor concentrations. Shoots grew taller when activated charcoal (AC) was added to the elicitor-supplemented media, while AC negatively affected or had no effect on the phytochemical composition of plants. Explants grown in the presence of elicitors had higher polyphenolic and chlorophyll content than the controls, demonstrating the beneficial impact of elicitors on the secretion of secondary metabolites. Lutein and β-carotene were the dominating carotenoids in all samples. Culture media supplemented with 0.5 mg/L JA and 1.5 mg/L SA + AC proved the most suitable to produce plant material with high polyphenol and carotenoid content, comparable with in-vivo-grown plants.

Effects of essential oils on central nervous system: Focus on mental health

Essential oils have been used as remedies since ancient times for the treatment of numerous illnesses on account of their wide range of biological activities. Recent preclinical and clinical studies have shown varying pharmacological responses in the nervous system leading to anxiolytic, antidepressant, sedative, and anticonvulsant effects. Experimentation in animal models has evidenced the involvement of multiple neurotransmitter systems in the mode of action of essential oils, resulting in measurable physiological effects in the brain. Additionally, clinical trials have demonstrated the influence of essential oils in physiological parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, brain waves composition, and cortisol serum levels with concomitant psychological effects. Although there is growing evidence of measurable effects of essential oils in animal brains, more clinical research is required to validate their influence in the human central nervous system. This will enable the development of essential oil-based drugs for the treatment of mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety and dementia.

The Effects of Lavender Essential Oil on Wound Healing: A Review of the Current Evidence

Background: The commercialization of essential oils has expanded their presence in the United States, and emerging studies demonstrate that they may have a place in Western medicine. One oil with a significant body of evidence is lavender essential oil, which may have benefits in wound healing. Objectives: This review aims to present the scientific literature on therapeutic lavender essential oil with the goal of expanding the current repertoire of cost-effective wound healing options available to physicians and patients. Methods: A review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase from June 2018 through March 2019 to identify articles related to lavender essential oil in the context of wound healing. Results: This search yielded 36 unique studies, 20 of which remained after screening. This review utilizes human clinical trials (n = 7), animal trials (n = 5), in vitro studies (n = 2), and previously conducted reviews (n = 6). Overall, these studies demonstrated a faster rate of wound healing, increased expression of collagen, and enhanced activity of proteins involved in the tissue remodeling process in wounds treated with lavender essential oil. Conclusions: The current body of literature suggests a potential therapeutic benefit of lavender essential oil in wound healing. However, standardization of the chemical composition and additional high-quality human clinical trials are needed to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of lavender essential oil in clinical practice.

Profiling of Volatile Organic Compounds in Wild Indigenous Medicinal Ginger (Zingiber barbatum Wall.) from Myanmar

The emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) strongly depend on the plant species and are differently represented in specific taxa. VOCs have a degree of chemical diversity and also can serve as chemotaxonomic markers. Zingiber barbatum Wall. is a wild medicinal ginger plant endemic to Myanmar whose VOC composition has never been screened before. In this study, we screened the rhizome of Z. barbatum to identify the VOC composition by the application of gas chromatography combined with time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS). The resulting VOC profile of Z. barbatum showed that it consists mainly of monoterpenes (21%) and sesquiterpenes (30%). Intraspecific similarities and dissimilarities were found to exist between Z. barbatum genotypes in terms of VOC composition. Four accessions (ZO191, ZO223, ZO217, and the control accession ZO105) collected from the Shan State and Mandalay region of Myanmar were found to share a similar VOC profile, while two accessions (ZO64 and ZO160) collected from the Bago region were found to vary in their VOC profiles compared with the control accession. The two identified compounds, i.e., α-bergamotene and β-(E)-guaiene may serve as discriminative chemical markers for the characterization of Z. barbatum species collected in these three geographical regions of Myanmar. This study represents a first attempt to identify and describe the VOCs in the medicinal species Z. barbatum that have not been reported to date.

Altitude impact on the chemical profile and biological activities of Satureja thymbra L. essential oil

BACKGROUND

Several agricultural or environmental factors affect plants' chemical and pharmacological properties.

METHODS

In this study, the essential oil of Libyan Satureja thymbra was isolated from plants collected during two successive years at two different altitudes; Wasita (WEO) and Safsaf (SEO), 156 and 661 m above sea level, respectively.

RESULTS

GC/MS allowed the identification of 21 and 23 compounds, respectively. Thymol prevailed in WEO (26.69%), while carvacrol prevailed in SEO (14.30%). Antimicrobial activity was tested by agar-well diffusion method, and MIC/MLC values were determined by broth dilution method. Values of MIC/MLC were 0.125/0.25 μg/ml for SEO against S. aureus, P. mirabilis and K. pneumonia and for WEO against B. subtilus. It was observed that plants growing at lower altitude in Wasita locality had better antifungal activity, while those growing at higher altitude at Safsaf locality had better antibacterial activity. Both essential oils had a better anthelmintic activity than the standard piperazine citrate against a tested earthworm. However, SEO oil had a significantly higher anthelmintic activity than WEO. Cytotoxicity of the oils tested using SRB assay on human breast cancer (MCF-7) and colon cancer cell lines (HCT-116) showed better activity for SEO, especially against HCT-116 with IC₅₀ 2.45 ± 0.21 μg/ml.

CONCLUSIONS

Thus, altitude is an important factor that should be considered as it affected the yield, composition and biology of the plant extracts.

Comparative Analyses of Phytochemical Variation Within and Between Congeneric Species of Willow Herb, Epilobium hirsutum and E. parviflorum: Contribution of Environmental Factors

The plants in the Epilobium genus are considered to have several important medicinal properties due to their unique chemical composition. Although metabolic profiles of medicinal plants are mainly controlled by genetic factors, their production is also to some degree influenced by environmental factors, thus, variations in the levels of phytochemicals may represent long-term ecological and evolutionary interactions. In order to depict the magnitude of natural variation in level of chemical compounds among conspecific populations of Epilobium hirsutum (n = 31) and E. parviflorum (n = 16), metabolite profiling of aerial parts of plants was performed with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis. Putative identification and structure annotation revealed the presence of 74 compounds including 46 compounds considered secondary metabolites categorized into flavonoids (n = 8), phenolic acids (n = 26), steroids (n = 3), and terpenes (n = 5) across all populations. Although there was a considerable natural variation among conspecific populations, principal component analysis revealed a clear separation of populations of each species based on the second main principal component which was highly correlated with eight secondary metabolites. The level of secondary metabolites was significantly correlated between species (r = 0.91), suggesting shared metabolic pathways underlying the production of chemical compounds. In addition, redundancy and variance partitioning analyses by including bioclimatic variables and altitude revealed a significant contribution of elevation in explaining the total variation of secondary metabolites in E. hirsutum. Two-thirds of all secondary metabolites were significantly correlated with altitude in E. hirsutum. The large-scale geographic analyses of populations revealed additionally detected flavonoids and terpenes (E. hirsutum and E. parviflorum) and steroids (E. hirsutum) for the first time. This study provides significant information on additional chemical compounds found across the distribution range of the two ecologically important species of willow herb and emphasizes the importance of geographic-wide sampling as a valuable strategy to depict intraspecific and interspecific variability in chemical traits.

Variation of Secondary Metabolite Profile of Zataria multiflora Boiss. Populations Linked to Geographic, Climatic, and Edaphic Factors

Geographic location and connected environmental and edaphic factors like temperature, rainfall, soil type, and composition influence the presence and the total content of specific plant compounds as well as the presence of a certain chemotype. This study evaluated whether geographic, edaphic, and climatic information can be utilized to predict the presence of specific compounds from medicinal or aromatic plants. Furthermore, we tested rapid analytical methods based on near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) coupled with gas chromatography/flame ionization (GC/FID) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analytical methods for characterization and classification metabolite profiling of Zataria multiflora Boiss. populations. Z. multiflora is an aromatic, perennial plant with interesting pharmacological and biological properties. It is widely dispersed in Iran as well as in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Here, we studied the effect of environmental factors on essential oil (EO) content and the composition and distribution of chemotypes. Our results indicate that this species grows predominantly in areas rich in calcium, iron, potassium, and aluminum, with mean rainfall of 40.46 to 302.72 mm·year^-1 and mean annual temperature of 14.90°C to 28.80°C. EO content ranged from 2.75% to 5.89%. Carvacrol (10.56-73.31%), thymol (3.51-48.12%), linalool (0.90-55.38%), and p-cymene (1.66-13.96%) were the major constituents, which classified 14 populations into three chemotypes. Corresponding to the phytochemical cluster analysis, the hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) based on NIR data also recognized the carvacrol, thymol, and linalool chemotypes. Hence, NIR has the potential to be applied as a useful tool to determine rapidly the chemotypes of Z. multiflora and similar herbs. EO and EO constituent content correlated with different geographic location, climate, and edaphic factors. The structural equation models (SEMs) approach revealed direct effects of soil factors (texture, phosphor, pH) and mostly indirect effects of latitude and altitude directly affecting, e.g., soil factors. Our approach of identifying environmental predictors for EO content, chemotype or presence of high amounts of specific compounds can help to select regions for sampling plant material with the desired chemical profile for direct use or for breeding.

Variations of Secondary Metabolites among Natural Populations of Sub-Antarctic Ranunculus Species Suggest Functional Redundancy and Versatility

Plants produce a high diversity of metabolites which help them sustain environmental stresses and are involved in local adaptation. However, shaped by both the genome and the environment, the patterns of variation of the metabolome in nature are difficult to decipher. Few studies have explored the relative parts of geographical region versus environment or phenotype in metabolomic variability within species and none have discussed a possible effect of the region on the correlations between metabolites and environments or phenotypes. In three sub-Antarctic Ranunculus species, we examined the role of region in metabolite differences and in the relationship between individual compounds and environmental conditions or phenotypic traits. Populations of three Ranunculus species were sampled across similar environmental gradients in two distinct geographical regions in îles Kerguelen. Two metabolite classes were studied, amines (quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence spectrophotometry) and flavonols (quantified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry). Depending on regions, the same environment or the same trait may be related to different metabolites, suggesting metabolite redundancy within species. In several cases, a given metabolite showed different or even opposite relations with the same environmental condition or the same trait across the two regions, suggesting metabolite versatility within species. Our results suggest that metabolites may be functionally redundant and versatile within species, both in their response to environments and in their relation with the phenotype. These findings open new perspectives for understanding evolutionary responses of plants to environmental changes.