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Sauropus androgynus (S. androgynus) (2n = 4x = 52) is one of the most popular functional leafy vegetables in South and Southeast Asia. With its rich nutritional and pharmaceutical values, it has traditionally had widespread use for dietary and herbal purposes. Here, the genome of S. androgynus was sequenced and assembled, revealing a genome size of 1.55 Gb with 26 pseudo-chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis traced back the divergence of Sauropus from Phyllanthus to approximately 29.67 million years ago (Mya). Genome analysis revealed that S. androgynus polyploidized around 20.51 Mya and shared a γ event about 132.95 Mya. Gene function analysis suggested that the expansion of pathways related to phloem development, lignin biosynthesis, and photosynthesis tended to result in the morphological differences among species within the Phyllanthaceae family, characterized by varying ploidy levels. The high accumulation of ascorbic acid in S. androgynus was attributed to the high expression of genes associated with the L-galactose pathway and recycling pathway. Moreover, the expanded gene families of S. androgynus exhibited multiple biochemical pathways associated with its comprehensive pharmacological activity, geographic adaptation and distinctive pleasurable flavor. Altogether, our findings represent a crucial genomic asset for S. androgynus, casting light on the intricate ploidy within the Phyllanthaceae family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Herb Rhinacanthus nasutus (L.) Kurz, which is native to Thailand and Southeast Asia, has become known for its antioxidant properties. Neuronal loss in a number of diseases including Alzheimer's disease is thought to result, in part, from oxidative stress. Glutamate causes cell death in the mouse hippocampal cell line, HT-22, by unbalancing redox homeostasis, brought about by a reduction in glutathione levels, and amyloid-β has been shown to induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Here in, we show that ethanol extracts of R. nasutus leaf and root are capable of dose dependently attenuating the neuron cell death caused by both glutamate and amyloid-β treatment. We used free radical scavenging assays to measure the extracts antioxidant activities and as well as quantifying phenolic, flavonoid and sterol content. Molecules found in R. nasutus, lupeol, stigmasterol and β-sitosterol are protective against glutamate toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]