Karrikinolide1 (KAR), a Bioactive Compound from Smoke, Improves the Germination of Morphologically Dormant L. Seeds by Reducing Indole-3-Acetic Acid (IAA) Levels.

Smoke-water (SW) and Karrikinolide1 (KAR) release dormancy and improve seed germination in many plant species. Therefore, we tested SW (1:2500 /) and KAR (10 M) to break the morphological dormancy of celery cultivar ( L.).

Anti-inflammatory Principles of the Plant Family Amaryllidaceae.

There is considerable interest in the utilisation of plants against inflammation. Over 50 species of the plant family Amaryllidaceae are known for such usage in traditional medicine. This review was undertaken to identify the chemical principles responsible for these anti-inflammatory effects.

Anti-inflammatory effects of the plant family Amaryllidaceae.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Members of the plant family Amaryllidaceae are widely recorded in traditional systems of medicine. Their usage for inflammatory conditions is most prominent, with substantive evidence emerging from several locations around the world.

Aim Of The Study: This survey was undertaken to identify such plant taxa, highlight the countries from which they originate and afford details of the ailments against which they are utilized.

Comparison of plant biostimulating properties of Chlorella sorokiniana biomass produced in batch and semi-continuous systems supplemented with pig manure or acetate.

Microalgae-derived biostimulants provide an eco-friendly biotechnology for improving crop productivity. The strategy of circular economy includes reducing biomass production costs of new and robust microalgae strains grown in nutrient-rich wastewater and mixotrophic culture where media is enriched with organic carbon. In this study, Chlorella sorokiniana was grown in 100 l bioreactors under sub-optimal conditions in a greenhouse.

Validation of a Monte Carlo simulated cardiac phantom for planar and SPECT studies.

Purpose: This work aimed to validate Monte Carlo (MC) simulated cardiac phantoms for the evaluation of planar- and SPECT-gated-blood-pool (GBP-P and GBP-S) studies.

Methods: A comparison of gamma camera system performance criteria measurements (energy resolution, spatial resolution, sensitivity) with MC simulations was conducted. Furthermore, the accuracy of measured and simulated volumes of two stereolithography-printed cardiac phantoms (based on 4D-XCAT phantoms) was assessed.

Propagation of Medicinal Plants for Sustainable Livelihoods, Economic Development, and Biodiversity Conservation in South Africa.

South Africa is blessed with vast plant resources and unique vegetation types. Indigenous South African medicinal plants have been well-harnessed to generate income in rural communities. Many of these plants have been processed into natural products to heal a variety of diseases, making them valuable export commodities.

Growth-Promoting Characteristics of Fungal and Bacterial Endophytes Isolated from a Drought-Tolerant Mint Species (E. Mey. ex Benth.) N. E. Br.

Endophytes are primarily endosymbiotic bacteria and fungi that colonize the interior tissues of their host plant. They enhance the host plant's growth and attenuate adverse effects of biological stress. Endophytic species of many indigenous plants are an untapped resource of plant growth-promoting microorganisms that can mitigate abiotic stress effects.

Antiviral alkaloid principles of the plant family Amaryllidaceae.

Background: Viral-borne diseases are amongst the oldest diseases known to mankind. They are responsible for some of the most ravaging effects wrought on human health and well-being. The use of plants against these ailments is entrenched in both traditional and secular medicine around the globe.

Accuracy of two dosimetry software programs for Lu radiopharmaceutical therapy using voxel-based patient-specific phantoms.

Purpose: Virtual dosimetry using voxel-based patient-specific phantoms and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations offer the advantage of having a gold standard against which absorbed doses may be benchmarked to establish the dosimetry accuracy. Furthermore, these reference values assist in investigating the accuracy of the absorbed dose methodologies from different software programs. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the accuracy of the absorbed doses computed using LundADose and OLINDA/EXM 1.

Carbon dioxide expanded liquid: an effective solvent for the extraction of quercetin from South African medicinal plants.

Background: Quercetin is one of the most important bioflavonoids having positive effects on the biological processes and human health. Typically, it is extracted from plant matrices using conventional methods such as maceration, sonication, infusion, and Soxhlet extraction with high solvent consumption. Our study aimed to optimize the environmentally friendly carbon dioxide-based method for the extraction of quercetin from quince fruit with an emphasis on extraction yield, repeatability, and short extraction time.

Bioprospecting for bioactive compounds in microalgae: Antimicrobial compounds.

While there are many opportunities to use microalgae as antimicrobial agents, little has been done to develop them beyond the characterization phase to the biotechnology phase. One challenge when screening microalgae for antimicrobial activity is their ability to synthesize biologically active secondary metabolites in response to environmental triggers. In order to identify potential strains with good antimicrobial activity and to advance the development of microalgae as antimicrobial agents, a rigorous scientific approach is required.

Insights to the tribe Haemantheae of the South African Amaryllidaceae.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The family Amaryllidaceae has been documented in traditional systems of medicine around the globe. Its member tribe Haemantheae occurs chiefly in South Africa, where around twenty of its species are identifiable with a wide variety of functions in such practices.

Aim Of The Study: This account details work published from 2013 to 2020 on the tribe Haemantheae involving Clivia, Cryptostephanus, Haemanthus, Scadoxus and Gethyllis.

Chemical Principles of Boophone, Nerine, Crossyne, Clivia, Cryptostephanus, Haemanthus and Scadoxus of the South African Amaryllidaceae and Their Biological Properties.

The Amaryllidaceae features prominently amongst bulbous flowering plant families. Accommodating about a third of its species, South Africa affords a sound basis for Amaryllidaceae plant research. and have been well-represented in such endeavors.

Effect of storage on plant biostimulant and bioactive properties of freeze-dried biomass.

Unlabelled: Microalgae are potential plant biostimulants and biocontrol agents. A major hurdle towards their commercialization is the production of large volumes of biomass at the correct time of year. Secondary metabolites are unstable and the "shelf-life" of bioactive microalgal biomass needs to be investigated.

Chemical Composition and Cytotoxic Activity of the Essential Oil and Oleoresins of In Vitro Micropropagated Lindl: A Vulnerable Medicinal Orchid of Africa.

Orchids are rich treasure troves of various important phytomolecules. Among the various medicinal orchids, stands out prominently in the preparing of various herbal medicines due to its high therapeutic importance. The nodal explants of were sampled from asymbiotically germinated seedlings on basal Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium and were micropropagated in MS medium supplemented with 3% sucrose and 10 µM topolin (T) + 5 µM naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) +15 µM indole butyric acid (IBA) + 30 µM phloroglucinol (PG).

Interactive effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and a seaweed extract on the growth and physiology of Allium cepa L. (onion).

Detrimental effects caused by the overuse of synthetic agrochemicals have led to the development of natural biostimulants such as seaweed extracts and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) being used as an alternative, environmentally-friendly technology to improve crop growth and increase agricultural yields. The present study aimed to investigate the interactions between PGPR and a commercial seaweed extract on the growth and biochemical composition of onion (Allium cepa). A pot trial was conducted under greenhouse conditions where onion plants were treated individually with the two PGPR, namely Bacillus licheniformis (BL) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (PF) and a seaweed extract Kelpak® (KEL) and combinations of KEL + BL and KEL + PF.

A stable isotope dilution method for a highly accurate analysis of karrikins.

Background: Karrikins (KARs) are recently described group of plant growth regulators with stimulatory effects on seed germination, seedling growth and crop productivity. So far, an analytical method for the simultaneous targeted profiling of KARs in plant tissues has not been reported.

Results: We present a sensitive method for the determination of two highly biologically active karrikins (KAR and KAR) in minute amounts of plant material (< 20 mg fresh weight).

Natural product remedies for COVID-19: A focus on safety.

Infection by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 causing the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), is currently a global pandemic with more than two million deaths to date. Though a number of vaccines have recently been approved against the virus, availability remains a big challenge, and also acceptance by most people has become a big debate. This review discusses possible/proposed natural product remedies and some major conventional treatment options used to manage the infection and, safety concerns on the use of unproven or unapproved health products against COVID-19.

The effect of calibration factors and recovery coefficients on Lu SPECT activity quantification accuracy: a Monte Carlo study.

Background: Different gamma camera calibration factor (CF) geometries have been proposed to convert SPECT data into units of activity concentration. However, no consensus has been reached on a standardised geometry. The CF is dependent on the selected geometry and is further affected by partial volume effects.

Cytotoxic Agents in the Minor Alkaloid Groups of the Amaryllidaceae.

Over 600 alkaloids have to date been identified in the plant family Amaryllidaceae. These have been arranged into as many as 15 different groups based on their characteristic structural features. The vast majority of studies on the biological properties of Amaryllidaceae alkaloids have probed their anticancer potential.

Cytokinin-Facilitated Plant Regeneration of Three Species with Different Conservation Status.

In Africa and Asia, members of the genus are well-known for their diverse uses, especially their medicinal and nutritional values. However, the use of many species as a valuable resource is generally accompanied by the concern of over-exploitation attributed to their slow growth and general small size. The aim of the current study was to establish efficient micropropagation protocols for three species, namely (endangered), (vulnerable) and (least concern), as a means of ensuring their conservation and survival.

Antibacterial, Mutagenic Properties and Chemical Characterisation of Sugar Bush ( Meisn.): A South African Native Shrub Species.

is used as a diarrhoeal remedy in South African herbal medicine, however, its pharmacological properties remain largely unknown. In the present study, extracts from different organs were screened against drug-sensitive and -resistant diarrhoeagenic pathogens using the microdilution assay (minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC). Twig extracts (70% methanol, MeOH) of the plant were purified and the resultant fractions screened for antibacterial properties (MIC).