Molecular background of the diverse metabolic profiles in leaves and inflorescences of naked catmint ( L.).

L. shares a typical secondary chemistry with other species (fam. ), characterized by the tendency to intensively produce monoterpenoid iridoids, whereas the phenylpropanoid chemistry is steered towards the production of a caffeic acid ester, rosmarinic acid.

Chokeberry Products and By-Products as the Potential Pharmaceuticals for Kidney Protection-An Experimental Study in Rats.

The study aimed to investigate the protective effects of chokeberry fruit products and by-products against cisplatin-induced acute nephrotoxicity in rats. Potential mechanisms involving oxidative stress and inflammatory responses were examined through biochemical and histopathological analyses of kidney tissue. Chokeberry waste, along with the whole fruit extract and juice, was evaluated as a potential raw material for pharmaceutical use.

Maize Grain Metabolite Profiling by NMR: Effects of Growing Year, Variety, and Cropping System.

Considering that maize ( L.) is a staple food for a large segment of the population worldwide, many attempts have been made to improve the nutritional value of its grain and at the same time to achieve sustainable cropping systems. The present study aimed to characterize the composition and nutritional value of maize grain as influenced by cropping system, genetic background (variety), and growing year using untargeted NMR metabolomics.

Stress response in tomato as influenced by repeated waterlogging.

Introduction: Plants respond to water stress with a variety of physiological and biochemical changes, but their response varies among species, varieties and cultivars. Waterlogging in tomato reduces plant growth, degrade chlorophyll and increase concentration of oxidative parameters. Priming can alleviate stress in plants caused by waterlogging enabling plants to be more tolerant to an additional stress in the current or even subsequent generation.

Patterns of Genetic Variation of L. from the Central Balkans: Understanding Drivers of Chemical Diversity.

L., a notable medicinal species in the tradition of the Balkan region, is a rich source of bioactive iridoids and phenolics previously described as high-resolution taxonomical classifiers for the genus . However, their potential in investigating intra-species differentiation is here described for the first time.

Spasmolytic, Antimicrobial, and Antioxidant Activities of Spray-Dried Extracts of L. with In Silico Pharmacokinetic Analysis.

This study aimed to evaluate the spasmolytic activity of an underground parts extract of L. (Gentianaceae), assess its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, and explore the impact of extract encapsulation on the aforementioned bioactivities. An extract encapsulated by spray drying with whey protein, pure extract, and pure whey protein were comparatively tested.

Encapsulation of Fennel and Basil Essential Oils in β-Cyclodextrin for Novel Biopesticide Formulation.

β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) is a good host for the encapsulation of fennel and basil essential oils (FEO and BEO, respectively) and the formation of inclusion complexes (ICs) using the co-precipitation method. According to the results of the GC/MS analysis conducted in this study, monoterpenes and monoterpenoids were the dominant chemical groups in total FEO, while in BEO, these two groups occurred along with sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpenoids. The presence of dominant compounds from both EOs was validated using the FT-IR spectra of ICs, which indicated successful complexation.

Spasmolytic Activity of L. Root Extracts on the Rat Ileum: Underlying Mechanisms of Action.

The roots of L. are utilized in the preparation of various beverages and herbal remedies, serving as a traditional remedy for gastrointestinal ailments. The spasmolytic activity that could substantiate the traditional use of root had not been investigated.

Functional iridoid synthases from iridoid producing and non-producing species (subfam. Nepetoidae, fam. Lamiaceae).

Iridoids, a class of atypical monoterpenes, exhibit exceptional diversity within the genus (subfam. Nepetoidae, fam. Lamiaceae).

Solvent System-Guided Extraction of (L.) Fritch Provides Optimized Conditions for the Biological and Chemical Characteristics of the Herbal Extracts.

Spiked centaury () is a well-known medicinal plant from the Mediterranean region with various bioactivities, but there are no studies addressing the use of different solvent systems to improve its pharmacological potential. Nine extraction procedures were adapted to study the effects of solvent composition on the content of bioactive compounds in extracts and on corresponding bioactivities. Targeted metabolomics was performed to obtain information on the chemical composition of extracts.

An In Vitro and In Silico Characterization of L. Methanolic Extracts as Spasmolytic Agents.

The use of medicinal plant species and their products is widespread in the field of gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the traditional use of L., clary sage, finding the possible mechanisms of its spasmolytic and bronchodilator actions in in vitro conditions supported by molecular docking analysis, along with the antimicrobial effects.

Variation in the chemical profiles of three foxglove species in the central Balkans.

The aim of this study was to determine intra- and interspecies variation in the qualitative and quantitative composition of methanol-soluble metabolites in the leaves of three species (, , and ) from the central Balkans. Despite the steady use of foxglove constituents for human health as valuable medicinal products, populations of the genus () have been poorly investigated to describe their genetic and phenetic variation. Following untargeted profiling using UHPLC-LTQ Orbitrap MS, by which we identified a total of 115 compounds, 16 compounds were quantified using the UHPLC(-)HESI-QqQ-MS/MS approach.

L. Berries: A Convenient Model System to Study Redox Processes in Relation to Fruit Ripening.

The present study provides, for the first time, a physicochemical and biochemical characterization of the redox processes associated with the ripening of L. (bittersweet) berries. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (EPRS) and Imaging (EPRI) measurements of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were performed in parallel with the tissue-specific metabolic profiling of major antioxidants and assessment of antioxidant enzymes activity.

Functional Characterization of Genes Coding for Novel -D-Glucosidases Involved in the Initial Step of Secoiridoid Glucosides Catabolism in Rafn.

Secoiridoid glucosides (SGs) are monoterpenoids derived from the iridoid cyclopentane-C-pyran skeleton with -D glucose linked at C1 position. Coordinated metabolic processes, such as biosynthesis and catabolism of SGs, ensure constitutive presence of these bitter tasting compounds in plant tissues, which plays a decisive role in the defense against pathogens and herbivores. These compounds are susceptible to hydrolysis mediated by enzymes -glucosidases, and the resulting aglycones are subsequently directed toward different metabolic pathways in plants.

Plant Extracts Rich in Polyphenols as Potent Modulators in the Growth of Probiotic and Pathogenic Intestinal Microorganisms.

Medicinal plants and their extracts contain substantial quantities of polyphenols. As metabolically active plant metabolites, polyphenols are food components with a wide range of biological activities. Given their poor absorbability in the digestive tract their activity toward the human host is typically mediated through interaction with intestinal microbes.

Rehydration Process in Rustyback Fern ( L.): Profiling of Volatile Organic Compounds.

When exposed to stressful conditions, plants produce numerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that have different biological and environmental functions. VOCs emitted during the rehydration process by the fronds of desiccation tolerant fern L. were investigated.

Antagonistic Interaction between Phosphinothricin and Essential Oil Affected Ammonium Metabolism and Antioxidant Defense of Arabidopsis Grown .

Phosphinothricin (PPT) is one of the most widely used herbicides. PTT targets glutamine synthetase (GS) activity in plants, and its phytotoxicity is ascribed to ammonium accumulation and reactive oxygen species bursts, which drives rapid lipid peroxidation of cell membranes. In agricultural fields, PPT is extensively sprayed on plant foliage; however, a portion of the herbicide reaches the soil.

Chokeberry juice supplementation in type 2 diabetic patients - impact on health status.

Recent literature evidence indicates the potential use of chokeberry preparations in the prevention and treatment of some chronic noncommunicable diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the three months oral chokeberry juice supplementation in type 2 diabetic patients, as well as its influence on hematological parameters and certain parameters of the renal dysfunction. The study was designed as an open-label trial, which included 35 patients who have received the herbal supplement, polyphenol-rich chokeberry juice (150 ml/day, three times a day for 50 ml), in addition to their standard therapy.

Arabidopsis EMSY-like (EML) histone readers are necessary for post-fertilization seed development, but prevent fertilization-independent seed formation.

Seed development is a complex regulatory process that includes a transition from gametophytic to sporophytic program. The synchronized development of different seed compartments (seed coat, endosperm and embryo) depends on a balance in parental genome contributions. In the most severe cases, the disruption of the balance leads to seed abortion.

Nepetalactone-rich essential oil mitigates phosphinothricin-induced ammonium toxicity in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh.

Active ingredient of the commercial herbicide BASTA (B), phosphinothricin, acts as an inhibitor of glutamine synthetase (GS), a key enzyme in ammonium assimilation. The treatment with BASTA leads to an elevation of ammonium levels in plants and further to various physiological alterations, ammonium toxicity and lethality. Results of the present study emphasize the complexity underlying control mechanisms that determine BASTA interaction with essential oil (EO) from Nepeta rtanjensis (NrEO), bioherbicide inducing oxidative stress in target plants.

Arabidopsis Histone Reader EMSY-LIKE 1 Binds H3K36 and Suppresses Geminivirus Infection.

Histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs) impart information that regulates chromatin structure and activity. Their effects are mediated by histone reader proteins that bind specific PTMs to modify chromatin and/or recruit appropriate effectors to alter the chromatin landscape. Despite their crucial juxtaposition between information and functional outcome, relatively few plant histone readers have been identified, and nothing is known about their impact on viral chromatin and pathogenesis.

Biocontrol and plant stimulating potential of novel strain Bacillus sp. PPM3 isolated from marine sediment.

In the current study, the biocontrol potential of a novel strain Bacillus sp. PPM3 isolated from marine sediment from the Red Sea in Hurghada, Egypt is recognized. This novel strain was selected out of 32 isolates based on its ability to suppress the growth of four plant pathogenic fungi: Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium graminearum, Mucor sp.

Antispasmodic Effect of Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) Juice and Its Potential Use as Functional Food in Gastrointestinal Disorders.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relaxative effects of blackcurrant juice on the gastrointestinal smooth muscle in vitro.

Materials And Methods: Berries of the blackcurrant cultivar Ometa were used for the preparation of the juice used. The spasmolytic activity of blackcurrant juice was tested on rat ileum isolated from male Wistar rats by monitoring its influence on spontaneous contractions, as well as contractions induced by potassium chloride (KCl), barium chloride (BaCl2), calcium chloride (CaCl2), and acetylcholine (Ach).

Simultaneous UHPLC/DAD/(+/-)HESI-MS/MS analysis of phenolic acids and nepetalactones in methanol extracts of Nepeta species: a possible application in chemotaxonomic studies.

Introduction: Nepeta species contain a variety of secondary metabolites, including iridoid monoterpenes - nepetalactones and phenolic acids - that are considered the main bioactive constituents. This work represents the first attempt to comparatively explore variations in these two major groups of secondary metabolites within the genus.

Objective: To develop an efficient analytical methodology for simultaneous analysis of nepetalactones and phenolic acids in methanol extracts of selected Nepeta species, and to evaluate its potential application in chemotaxonomic studies.