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The Sierra de las Nieves National Park, declared by the Spanish Government in July 2021, is part of the Serranía de Ronda (Western Baetic mountains), which is considered one of the main centres of biodiversity and endemicity of the southern Iberian Peninsula (Andalusia, Spain) and the Mediterranean Basin. The park and its surroundings have an important diversity of vascular plants, mainly due to the orographic, climatic and geological diversity of the area, which is divided into three biogeographical sectors: Rondeño sector (limestones, dolomites and clays), Bermejense sector (peridotites and serpentines) and Aljíbico sector (gneisses and micaschists). This contribution presents the first catalogue of the vascular flora of this national park and its surrounding area, with 1,387 taxa distributed in 104 families and 542 genera. An amount of 79 taxa are endemic to Andalusia and 57 are endangered: 4 are Critically Endangered (CR), 17 are Endangered (EN) and 36 are Vulnerable (VU).

Corydalis microflora and C. lidenii are recognised as separate species in “Flora of China” and the latest plant list. However, based on the examination of type specimens and field investigations, C. lidenii is shown to be conspecific with C. microflora. As a result, C. lidenii is synonymised with C. microflora in this study.

Chromosome numbers (2n) of 15 invasive and potentially invasive plant species from the families Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Malvaceae, Onagraceae, Papaveraceae, Plantaginaceae, Poaceae, Polygonaceae, Portulacaceae, and Rosaceae are reported on the samples collected in the Republic of Altai. To determine the chromosome number (ploidy level), the method of direct counting was used. Among studied species, chromosome complements for Persicaria orientalis (2n = 22), Potentilla norvegica (2n = 42), Veronica persica (2n = 28) were first examined from Russia; for Papaver rhoeas (2n = 14) and Rumex obtusifolius (2n = 20) – from Asian part of Russia; for Bromus squarrosus (2n = 14), Cosmos bipinnatus (2n = 24), and Eriochloa villosa (2n = 54) – from Siberia. Abutilon theophrasti (2n = 42) and Lepidium densiflorum (2n = 32) were first studied from Western Siberia; Epilobium ciliatum subsp. adenocaulon (2n = 36), Portulaca oleracea (2n = 36), Spergularia rubra (2n = 36), and Xanthium strumarium (2n = 36) – from the Republic of Altai. Common distribution and the history of floristic findings of these species in the Republic of Altai are given. Previously published data on chromosome numbers from Russia are cited., Приводятся данные о числах хромосом (2n) для 15 инвазивных и потенциально инвазивных видов из семейств Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Malvaceae, Onagraceae, Papaveraceae, Plantaginaceae, Poaceae, Polygonaceae, Portulacaceae, Rosaceae, полученные на материале из Республики Алтай. Для определения чисел хромосом (уровня плоидности) использован метод прямого подсчета. Впервые для России определено число хромосом у Persicaria orientalis (2n = 22), Potentilla norvegica (2n = 42) и Veronica persica (2n = 28); впервые для Азиатской части России – у Papaver rhoeas (2n = 14) и Rumex obtusifolius (2n = 20); впервые для Сибири – у Bromus squarrosus (2n = 14), Cosmos bipinnatus (2n = 24) и Eriochloa villosa (2n = 54); впервые для Западной Сибири – у Abutilon theophrasti (2n = 42) и Lepidiumdensiflorum (2n = 32); впервые для Республики Алтай – у Epilobium ciliatum subsp. adenocaulon (2n = 36), Portulaca oleracea (2n = 36),Spergularia rubra (2n = 36) и Xanthium strumarium (2n = 36). Для всех исследованных видов приводятся сведения по общему распространению, истории флористических находок и расселению на территории Республики Алтай, а также литературные данные по числам хромосом с территории России.

In this study, UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS/MS was used to rapidly analyze the chemical constituents of Meconopsis quintupli-nervia, and the anti-liver fibrosis mechanism of M. quintuplinervia was preliminarily analyzed by network pharmacology, molecular docking, and cell experiments. The chemical constituents of M. quintuplinervia were identified according to the information of MS~1 and MS~2, as well as the data in the literature and databases. SwissTargetPrediction and TargetNet were used to predict the potential targets. The targets related to liver fibrosis were collected from GeneCards and OMIM. The protein-protein interaction(PPI) network was constructed by STRING. Cytoscape 3.6.1 was used to construct and analyze thequot;constituent-target-diseasequot; network to obtain key targets and their corresponding constituents in the network. DAVID 6.8 was used for GO analysis and KEGG signaling pathway enrichment analysis. Finally, the preliminary verification was carried out by molecular docking and cell experiments. As a result, 106 chemical constituents were identified from M. quintuplinervia, including 66 flavonoids, 16 alkaloids, 18 phenolic acids, 1 anthocyanin, and 5 other constituents. Among them, 3 constituents were identified as potential new compounds, and 59 constituents were reported in M. quintuplinervia for the first time. Network pharmacology analysis showed that M. quintuplinervia presumably acted on AKT1, SRC, JUN, EGFR, STAT3, HSP90 AA1, MAPK3, and other core targets through luteolin, isorhamnetin, quercetin, apigenin, kaempferide, amurine, 2-methylflavinantine, allocryptopine, the multi and other active compounds, thereby regulating the PI3 K/AKT signaling pathway, pathways in cancer, proteoglycans in cancer, FoxO signaling pathway, and other pathways to exert anti-liver fibrosis effects. M. quintuplinervia extract(MQE) could significantly down-regulate PI3 K and AKT protein levels in the HSC-T6 cell model induced by TGF-β1, suggesting that MQE may have the ability to regulate the PI3 K/AKT signaling pathway. The findings of this study indicated that the anti-liver fibrosis effect of M. quintuplinervia had multi-constituent, multi-target, and multi-pathway characteristics, which may provide a scientific basis for the research on the pharmacodynamic materials, action mechanism, and quality markers of M. quintupli-nervia.

Corydalis subjenisseensis (Antipova) is a tuberous ephemeroid characterized by a high morphological diversity. During the research work genetic polymorphism of 7 populations Corydalis subjenisseensis s. l., growing in the southof the Yenisei Siberia were analyzed using ISSR markers. The amplification of genomic DNA with 8 ISSR primers yielded100 DNA amplicons of which 78 were polymorphic. The number of amplified DNA fragments, depending on the primer,varied from 9 (ISSR-17) to 21 (HB14). The maximum level of genetic variation was observed for Western Sayan populations growing in aspen and fir forests. The genetic differentiation among populations (Gst) was 0.2415, indicating a highlevel of differentiation. The similarity dendrogram performed in the TFPGA program shows a division into 2 groups: thefirst group includes the Krasnoyarsk and Khakass populations of C. subjenisseensis, the second group includes the Tanzybei populations, which are characterized by a high level of polymorphism. A similar structure is observed when buildingclusters using the Bayesian approach. 69 genotypes are divided into a maximum of 7 genetic clusters. Among the populations of the Tanzybei, individuals of presumably hybridogenic origin are found, grouped around two centers of “attraction”.

19 compounds, including seven previously undescribed alkaloids ((-)-macleayin K (1), (+)-macleayin K (2), macleayin M (3), macleayin N (4), macleayin L (5), macleayin O (6), oxohydrastinine A (7), one new natural product (8), and 11 known compounds, were isolated from the fruit pods of Macleaya microcarpa. Their structures were defined based on NMR, HRESIMS, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data. A network pharmacology approach combined with molecular docking and in vitro validation was performed to determine the bioactivity, key targets of the 19 compounds against breast cancer (BC) and cervical cancer (CC). EGFR and PIK3CA could become potential therapeutic targets based a network pharmacology. Moreover, molecular docking suggested that the 19 compounds combined well with EGFR and PIK3CA, respectively. Their cytotoxicity of selected compounds was tested against the MCF-7 and HeLa cells, and the preliminary structure-activity relationship is discussed. Compounds 1 (IC

Background and Aims: Chelidonium majus is known as “kirlangic otu” in Turkey and the different plant parts, especially the latex and aerial parts have been used as folk medicines for different purposes such as digestion, hemorrhoids, jaundice, liver, eye, and skin diseases. Despite the traditional uses of Chelidonium, there have been no detailed anatomical studies related to this species. Methods: The description and distribution map of C. majus was expended according to herbarium materials and an anatomical study was made using fresh materials. The information related to traditional uses and local names of this species was evaluated from ethnobotanical literature in Turkey. For anatomical studies freehand sections were prepared using razor blades and sections were double-stained with Astra blue and safranin. Results: In the anatomical study, epidermal sections containing trichome and stomata characters were elucidated. The leaves are bifacial and hypostomatic. The stomata are anomocytic in the paradermal section. The cross-section of the stem showed multi-layered parenchymatous cells in the cortex and a single-layered endodermis with simple eglandular trichomes. The cross-section of the root showed that the epidermis was replaced with the periderm. Under the phloem, which had few lay ers, the xylem was composed of tracheary elements surrounded by sclerenchymatous cells. Conclusion: Our results indicated that the morphological and anatomical characters alongside articulated laticifers and latex properties provide useful tools for the identification of this taxon from the other genera in the Papaveraceae family.

F. judaica subsp. insignis is a rare taxon in Europe. So far, this taxon has been reported only in Croatia, from a few localities along the Eastern Adriatic coast. F. judaica subsp. insignis is now reported for the first time for the flora of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and its distribution is extended to three new localities in Dalmatia.

The increasingly wide application of chloroplast (cp) genome super‐barcode in taxonomy and the recent breakthrough in cp genetic engineering make the development of new cp gene resources urgent and significant. Corydalis is recognized as the most genotypes complicated and taxonomically challenging plant taxa in Papaveraceae. However, there currently are few reports about cp genomes of the genus Corydalis. In this study, we sequenced four complete cp genomes of two endangered lithophytes Corydalis saxicola and Corydalis tomentella in Corydalis, conducted a comparison of these cp genomes among each other as well as with others of Papaveraceae. The cp genomes have a large genome size of 189,029–190,247 bp, possessing a quadripartite structure and with two highly expanded inverted repeat (IR) regions (length: 41,955–42,350 bp). Comparison between the cp genomes of C. tomentella, C. saxicola, and Papaveraceae species, five NADH dehydrogenase‐like genes (ndhF, ndhD, ndhL, ndhG, and ndhE) with psaC, rpl32, ccsA, and trnL‐UAG normally located in the SSC region have migrated to IRs, resulting in IR expansion and gene duplication. An up to 9 kb inversion involving five genes (rpl23, ycf2, ycf15, trnI‐CAU, and trnL‐CAA) was found within IR regions. The accD gene was found to be absent and the ycf1 gene has shifted from the IR/SSC border to the SSC region as a single copy. Phylogenetic analysis based on the sequences of common CDS showed that the genus Corydalis is quite distantly related to the other genera of Papaveraceae, it provided a new clue for recent advocacy to establish a separate Fumariaceae family. Our results revealed one special cp genome structure in Papaveraceae, provided a useful resources for classification of the genus Corydalis, and will be valuable for understanding Papaveraceae evolutionary relationships., Our results revealed one special cp genome structure in Papaveraceae, provided a useful resources for classification of the genus Corydalis, and will be valuable for understanding Papaveraceae evolutionary relationships.

Meconopsis punicea Maxim. (Papaveraceae) is an alpine perennial herb endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in southwestern China. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed its whole chloroplast genome using an Illumina HiSeq platform. This represents the second complete chloroplast genome for a species of Meconopsis after the recent publication of a first one (M. racemosa) in 2018. Our result shows that the chloroplast genome of M. punicea is 153 260 bp in length with a relatively high A + T content (61.5%), and has a standard quadripartite structure with the large (LSC, 84 122 bp) and small (SSC, 17 730 bp) single copy regions separated by two copies of an inverted repeat (IRs, 25 704 bp each). The chloroplast genome encodes a total of 110 genes, including 78 protein-coding genes, 29 tRNAs genes and three rRNAs genes. The majority (94) of genes occur within the single copy regions. When comparing these results to the previously published chloroplast genome of M. racemosa, both species share similar gene type, number and G + C content. In addition, the maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis based on 33 chloroplast genomes suggested that M. punicea is basal in the Meconopsis clade within Papaveraceae.

The plants of the Papaveraceae family are used for ornamental purposes because of their varicolored flowers, and are known as medicinal crops. Some species of poppy are used in foods such as salads or sorbets, utilizing the seeds, leaves, pedicels, and petals. There are several morphological similarities among the species of this family, which make it difficult to distinguish the seeds of different species or identify opium poppies. The family is known to contain about 100 species. The leaves of Iceland poppy (Papaver nudicaule) cultivars with five different flower colors (white, yellow, pink, orange, and scarlet) were sequenced to obtain transcriptome data. Sequencing was done on plants in three different developmental growth stages (leaf rosette, branching and elongation of internodes, and blossom and seed formation). Systematic bioinformatics analysis was conducted to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) unique to the five Papaver nudicaule cultivars and two other Papaver species (Papaver rhoeas and Papaver somniferum). A 739-Mb reference transcriptome (94.6% BUSCO completeness score) from a 566-Gb RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) dataset was obtained. Likewise, 18 significant SNPs were identified to authenticate the three species and five cultivars of Papaver. This study will facilitate future Papaver research, including evaluation of the results for more detailed characterization.

The following supporting information can be downloaded at https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/plants12071570/s1, This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, CGL2015-70290-P, and IM-A was supported by a predoctoral grant (F.P.I. program) from the Spanish Government., In the last decade, certain genes involved in pollen aperture formation have been discov- ered. However, those involved in pollen aperture shape remain largely unknown. In Arabidopsis, the interaction during the tetrad development stage of one member of the ELMOD protein fam- ily, ELMOD_E, with two others, MCR/ELMOD_B and ELMOD_A, can change the morphology of apertures from colpus (elongated) to pore (round). Here, comparative transcriptome analysis is used to identify candidate genes involved in the determination of pollen aperture morphology in Papaveraceae (order Ranunculales). Furthermore, the role of ELMOD genes in the genetic determin- ism of aperture shape was tested by comparative analysis of their expression levels using RNA-seq data and RT-qPCR. Two pairs of species belonging to two different subfamilies were used. Within each pair, one species has colpate pollen and the other porate (Fumarioideae—Dactylicapnos torulosa, 6-colpate, and Fumaria bracteosa, pantoporate; Papaveroideae—Eschsholzia californica, 5–7 colpate, and Roemeria refracta, 6-porate). The transcriptomes were obtained at the tetrad stage of pollen develop- ment. A total of 531 DEGs were found between the colpate and porate pollen species groups. The results from RNA-seq and RT-qPCR indicate that pollen aperture shape is not determined by the relative expression levels of ELMOD family genes in Papaveraceae. However, genes related to callose wall formation or cytoskeleton organisation were found, these processes being involved in pollen aperture formation. In addition, transcriptomes from anthers with pollen during the tetrad stage of three species (D. torulosa, R. refracta, and F. bracteosa) were obtained for the first time. These data will be available for further studies in the field of floral evolution and development., Spanish Government CGL2015-70290-P, Predoctoral grant (F.P.I. program) from the Spanish Government

The complete chloroplast (cp) genome of Corydalis fangshanensis W.T. Wang ex S.Y. He, a Chinese endemic plant with limestone-specific distribution was first reported. The cp genome was circular in structure and 192,554 bp in length, consisting of a large single copy region (LSC, 98,393 bp), two inverted repeat regions (IRs, 42,263 bp), and a small single copy region (SSC, 9,635 bp). The overall GC content of the genome was 40.26%. It encoded 112 unique genes, including 78 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis resolved C. fangshanensis was closely related to C. saxicola G.S. Bunting within Corydalis sect. Thalictrifoliae (Fedde) Lidén, in line with morphological character-based taxonomy. Our result provides informative data for studying the taxonomy, phylogeny and ecology of Corydalis, especially species with specific-limestone distribution and also for studying the adaptive evolution in plants.

Two new tetrahydroprotoberberine N-oxides, 7R,14S-cis-tetrahydrocoptisine N-oxide (1) and 7R,14R-trans-tetrahydrocoptisine N-oxide (2) along with fourteen known compounds (3–16) were isolated from the aerial parts of Chelidonium majus. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic and spectrometric methods, such as 1D and 2D-NMR (HSQC, HMBC, NOESY) and HRESIMS. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were established by comparison of their experimental and calculated ECD data. All isolates were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on the nitric oxide production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages, and compounds 2, 6–10, 13, and 15 showed significant inhibitory effects with the IC50 values ranging from 1.1–31.9 μM.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a widespread infectious disease caused by

Corydalis mildbraedii Fedde — Habit: Herb. Habitat: LMWF, LMDF, BZ, UMF, HZ, AZ; 2 000–3 700 m. Distribution: II. Voucher: Near Meru Mount Kenya Lodge, Alt. 2 958 m, 26 Jan. 2015, SAJIT 002862 (HIB). References: Fries & Fries (1927b), Lucas (1962), Bussmann (1993, 1994), Agnew (2013)., Published as part of Zhou, Ya-Dong, Mwachala, Geoffrey, Hu, Guang-Wan & Wang, Qing-Feng, 2022, Annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Mount Kenya, East Africa, pp. 1-108 in Phytotaxa 546 (1) on page 40, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.546.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6550464, {"references":["Fries, R. E. & Fries, T. C. E. (1927 b) Beitrage zur Kenntnis der Flora des Kenia, Mt. Aberdare und Mt. Elgon. X. Notizblatt des Koniglichen Botanischen Gartens und Museums zu Berlin 10 (91): 69 - 101. https: // doi. org / 10.2307 / 3994819","Lucas, G. L. (1962) Fumariaceae. In: Hubbard, C. E. & Milne-Redhead, E. (Eds.) Flora of Tropical East Africa. Crown Agents, London, 5 pp.","Bussmann, R. W. (1993) The forest of Mt. Kenya (Kenya): A phytosociological approach with special reference to ecological problems. Ph. D. Thesis, Eberhard Karls Universitat Tubingen, Tubingen, 119 pp.","Bussmann, R. W. (1994) The forest of Mt. Kenya (Kenya): Vegetation, ecology, destruction and management of a tropical mountain forest ecosystem. Ph. D. dissertation, Universitat Bayreuth Startseite, Bayreuth, 252 pp.","Agnew, A. D. Q. (2013) Upland Kenya wild flowers and ferns, 3 rd edn. Nature Kenya Publications, Nairobi, 733 pp."]}

Aerangis luteoalba (Kraenzl.) Schltr. var. rhodosticta (Kraenzl.) J.Stewart — Habit: Herb. Habitat: LMWF; up to 2 400 m. Distribution: II. Voucher: East Mount Kenya Forest, Alt. 1 524–1 829 m, Battiscombe K692 (EA, K). References: Blundell (1987), Cribb (1989b), Stewart & Campbell (2003), Agnew (2013)., Published as part of Zhou, Ya-Dong, Mwachala, Geoffrey, Hu, Guang-Wan & Wang, Qing-Feng, 2022, Annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Mount Kenya, East Africa, pp. 1-108 in Phytotaxa 546 (1) on page 25, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.546.1.1

Fumaria abyssinica Hammar — Habit: Herb. Habitat: LMWF, LMDF, BZ, UMF, HZ; up to 3 400 m. Distribution: II. Voucher: Sirimon Track, Alt. 3000– 3400 m, 17 Sep. 1970, Kokwaro et al. 2417 (EA). References: Fries & Fries (1927b), Lucas (1962), Bussmann (1993, 1994), Agnew (2013)., Published as part of Zhou, Ya-Dong, Mwachala, Geoffrey, Hu, Guang-Wan & Wang, Qing-Feng, 2022, Annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Mount Kenya, East Africa, pp. 1-108 in Phytotaxa 546 (1) on page 40, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.546.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6550464, {"references":["Fries, R. E. & Fries, T. C. E. (1927 b) Beitrage zur Kenntnis der Flora des Kenia, Mt. Aberdare und Mt. Elgon. X. Notizblatt des Koniglichen Botanischen Gartens und Museums zu Berlin 10 (91): 69 - 101. https: // doi. org / 10.2307 / 3994819","Lucas, G. L. (1962) Fumariaceae. In: Hubbard, C. E. & Milne-Redhead, E. (Eds.) Flora of Tropical East Africa. Crown Agents, London, 5 pp.","Bussmann, R. W. (1993) The forest of Mt. Kenya (Kenya): A phytosociological approach with special reference to ecological problems. Ph. D. Thesis, Eberhard Karls Universitat Tubingen, Tubingen, 119 pp.","Bussmann, R. W. (1994) The forest of Mt. Kenya (Kenya): Vegetation, ecology, destruction and management of a tropical mountain forest ecosystem. Ph. D. dissertation, Universitat Bayreuth Startseite, Bayreuth, 252 pp.","Agnew, A. D. Q. (2013) Upland Kenya wild flowers and ferns, 3 rd edn. Nature Kenya Publications, Nairobi, 733 pp."]}

An important strategy for treating neurodegenerative disorders is to maintain the levels of acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft by blocking the cholinesterases. Searching for new effective compounds with inhibited acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activity is one of the most significant challenges of the modern scientific research. The aim of this study was the optimization of the condition for cholinesterase activity determination by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) in terms of concentrations of enzymatic reaction mixture components, temperature of incubation, and incubation time. In vitro investigation of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activity inhibition by some isoquinoline alkaloids and extracts obtained from the aerial part and roots of

Drought, salinization and heavy metal pollution of soils are main stress factors with an increasing impact on the deterioration of soil quality, yield and crop quality. Seed priming shows good results in improving seed germination, seedling growth and plant development. Proline (Pro) and metyl jasmonate (MeJA) show stimulating activity and help plants overcome stress. The study investigated the effect of Pro, MeJA and hydropriming on seeds sown on water agar supplemented with different concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Zn) (HM), NaCl or Polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000). Chelidonium majus is a medicinal species which is grown as a crop in some parts of Europe. It is an ingredient in some remedies and is becoming an increasingly popular object of research regarding its biological activities. The low concentrations of all heavy metals applied increased the germination of all variants of seeds – control, hydroprimed and those which were Pro and MeJA primed. Seed priming with Pro and MeJA promoted high germination percentage of seeds germinated on water agar with NaCl. PEG 6000 at its higher concentration (5%) slightly increased the seed germination of all variants. The growth of roots and hypocotyls was inhibited by HM and NaCl. However, PEG 6000 slightly influenced their growth.

Bocconia arborea S. Watson (Papaveraceae) is known as "palo llora sangre" and is used in Mexican traditional medicine for the treatment of infections, it is also used as anxiolytic, analgesic, and antidiabetic, among others.to evaluate the antinociceptive and gastroprotective activities of extracts from B. arborea and dihydrosanguinarine (DHS) in murine models.Organic extracts [hexane (HEX), dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol (MeOH)] were obtained by maceration. DHS was isolated and purified from HEX and DCM by precipitation and chromatographic column, respectively. Organic extracts and DHS were evaluated to determine their antinociceptive effect using formalin test in murine model. Also, the ambulatory effect of the HEX and DHS was determined in Open field test. The possible mechanism of action of DHS was explored in the presence of naltrexone (NTX, 1 mg/kg, i.p.), and picrotoxin (PTX, 1 mg/kg, i.p.). Gastric damage as possible adverse effect or gastroprotection were also investigated. Whereas DHS acute toxicological study was done, and 100 mg/kg of DHS was examined by electroencephalographic (EEG) analysis to discard neurotoxic effects.The B. arborea extracts significantly showed effects in both neurogenic and inflammatory phases of the formalin test, where the HEX extract reached the major antinociceptive effect. A significant and dose-response (10, 30, and 100 mg/kg) antinociceptive activity was observed with the HEX (EDHEX, DCM, and MeOH extracts showed significant antinociceptive activity, and DHS was identified as one of bioactive compounds without producing sedative, neurotoxic or gastric damage effects, as possible adverse effects reported for analgesic drugs. A role of opioid and GABA

Argemone subfusiformis Ownbey (Papaveraceae), a less known invasive species, hitherto recorded only from Udaipur, Rajasthan state, is reported here for the first time from Madhya Pradesh with detailed description, color photographs and relevant notes.

Opium poppy, belonging to the family Papaveraceae, is grown for its alkaloid compounds of pharmaceutical value. Downy mildew caused by Peronospora somniferi and Pe. meconopsidis, substantially impacts crop production. The present study was conducted to identify the host range of Pe. somniferi and Pe. meconopsidis within selected weed and ornamental members of the Papaveraceae family. Nine Papaver spp., Meconopsis cambrica and a nonhost control (tomato, Solanum lycopersicum) were challenged with both pathogens under controlled glasshouse or laboratory conditions using infested soil or foliar applied sporangia as inocula. Peronospora somniferi and Pe. meconopsidis induced disease symptoms, including sporulation, in at least one trial for all tested species except for Pa. atlanticum and tomato. Species‐specific PCR testing of foliage of challenged plants confirmed infections by both pathogen species of symptomatic plants, identifying these as hosts. Positive PCR tests were also obtained from Pa. atlanticum plants for both pathogens. However, in the absence of pathogen sporulation structures as further evidence of infection, the host status of Pa. atlanticum remains inconclusive. Testing of seeds collected from Pe. somniferi and Pe. meconopsidis infected plants of Pa. somniferum, Pa. dubium, Pa. rhoeas and Pa. nudicaule showed presence of both pathogens, indicating likely ability for seed transmission in these species. We identified new hosts of these pathogens and discuss potential implications of these alternative hosts in pathogen survival, dissemination and epidemic initiation.

Information on the optimal conditions to promote the germination of Lamprocapnos spectabilis (L.) Fukuhara seeds is limited; consequently, this study was conducted to establish the requirements to break seed dormancy and promote germination. The selected seeds had morphophysiological dormancy and had not begun embryo development. To study the dormancy breaking and embryo development processes, seeds were subjected to constant or changing temperature treatments during moist stratification. High temperature and humidity resulted in vigorous embryo growth, with the longest embryos occurring after 1 month of incubation at 20 °C. At 4 °C, the seeds required incubation period of at least 3 months to germinate. Embryo growth and germination were higher with changing high and low temperatures than under a constant temperature, and changing temperatures also considerably changed the endogenous hormone levels, embryo development and germination. Bioactive gibberellin (GA) content was higher in seeds incubated at 20 °C for 1 month, then at 4 °C for 2 months. The content of endogenous abscisic acid in seeds subjected to the same treatment decreased by 97.6% compared with that of the untreated seeds. Embryo growth and seed germination require changing high and low temperatures; however, exogenous GA3 could substitute for high temperatures, as it also causes accelerated germination. In this study, the seeds of L. spectabilis were identified as an intermediate simple type, a sub-level of morphophysiologically dormant seeds.

An online high-pH reversed-phase liquid chromatography× low-pH reversed-phase liquid chromatography tandem electrospray ionization mass spectrometry combined with pulse elution gradient in the first dimension was constructed to separate and identify alkaloids from Macleaya cordata (willd.) R. Br. The modulation was performed by using a dual second dimensional columns interface combined with a make-up dilution pump, which is responsible for dilution and neutralization of the first dimensional effluent, and the dual second dimensional columns integrated the trapping and the separation function to reduce the second dimension system dead volume. Taking advantage of the dissociable characteristics of alkaloids, mobile phases with different pH values were applied in the first dimension (pH 9.0) and the second dimension (pH 2.6) to improve the orthogonality of two-dimension separation. Besides, the pulse elution gradient in first dimension and second dimensional gradient were carefully optimized and much better separation was achieved compared to the separation with the traditional two-dimensional liquid chromatography approach. Finally, mass measurement was performed for alkaloids in M. cordata (willd.) R. Br. by coupling proposed two-dimensional liquid chromatography system with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, and 39 alkaloids were successfully identified by comparing the obtained result with the former reported results.

Sanguinarine and chelerytrine have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects and is the main active ingredients of growth promoters in animals. Currently, Sanguinarine and chelerytrine were extracted from the capsules of the medicinal plant Macleaya cordata. However, the biomass of M. cordata nonmedicinal parts (leaves) accounted for a large proportion and contained a rich presentation of protopine and allocryptopine which are the precursor compounds of sanguinarine and chelerytrine. The aim of this study was to develop a new method for producing sanguinarine and chelerytrine through yeast transformation of protopine and allocryptopine in M. cordata leaves. First, we isolated different genes from Papaver somniferum (PsP6H, PsCPR, PsDBOX), Eschscholtzia californica (EcP6H), Cucumis sativus (CuCPR), Arabidopsis thaliana (AtCPR) and M. cordata (Mc11229, Mc11218, Mc6408, Mc6407, Mc19967, Mc13802). Additionally, some of the gene sequences were codon optimized. Then, we transformed these genes into yeast cells to compare the catalytic efficiency. Second, we used the most efficient strains to biotransform the leaves of M. cordata. Finally, we obtained 85.415 ± 11.887 ng mL

Seed shape in the order Ranunculales is described with the objective of characterizing the morphological seed types in the families of this order and to establish a correlation between seed shape, plant structure and life style. Based on previous work in model plants (Arabidopsis thaliana, Lotus japonicus, Medicago truncatula), we have used the J index to estimate the percentage of similarity of the image of a seed with a geometric shape. The images of seeds of model plants resemble cardioid or cardioid-derived models, while seeds from other species with rapid life cycles resemble other, also simple geometrical figures. In general, seed shape may help establishing the relationships between taxonomic groups. Three types of seed morphology are distinguished in the Ranunculales based on values of J index. In the first type, seeds in the Berberidaceae, Euptelaceae and Lardizabalaceae, adjust well to an oval. The second type, seeds in the Papaveraceae, adjust well to the cardioid model, and the third type, seeds in the Ranunculaceae, adjust well to diverse geometric shapes, including the oval, truncated cardioid, Fibonacci spiral and ellipse. In the Ranunculales, seed shape is varied and often related to geometrical figures. The presence of cardioid derived models in the Papaveraceae supports our hypothesis that seeds resembling the cardioid are frequent in plants with rapid life cycles.Ranunculales

An ABCB-type transporter for sanguinarine, a benzophenanthridine alkaloid, was isolated from Argemone mexicana seeds. An ABCB-type transporter, AmABCB1, was identified in a transcriptome from unfolding seedlings of A. mexicana by its amino acid sequence identity to previously characterized alkaloid transporters from Coptis japonica and Thalictrum minus. Expression analysis revealed mature seeds as its main location; meanwhile, in vitro assays in yeast cells showed that AmABCB1 had uptake and efflux activities for sanguinarine and berberine, respectively.

The placental passage of humulone and protopine was investigated with a human ex vivo placental perfusion model. The model was first validated with diazepam and citalopram, 2 compounds known to cross the placental barrier, and antipyrine as a positive control. All compounds were quantified by partially validated U(H)PLC-MS/MS bioanalytical methods. Only a small portion of humulone initially present in the maternal circuit reached the fetal circuit. The humulone concentration in the maternal circuit rapidly decreased, likely due to metabolization in the placenta. Protopine was transferred from the maternal to the fetal circuit, with a steady-state reached after 90 min. None of the study compounds affected placental viability or functionality, as glucose consumption, lactate production, beta-human chorionic gonadotropin, and leptin release remained constant. Histopathological evaluation of all placental specimens showed unremarkable, age-appropriate parenchymal maturation with no pathologic findings.

The STORR gene fusion event is considered a key step in the evolution of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid (BIA) metabolism in opium poppy as the resulting bi-modular protein performs the isomerization of (S)- to (R)-reticuline which is required for morphinan biosynthesis. Our previous analysis of the opium poppy genome suggested the STORR gene fusion event occurred before a whole genome duplication event 7.2 million years ago. Here we use a combination of phylogenetic, transcriptomic, metabolomic, biochemical and genomic analysis to investigate the origin of the STORR gene fusion across the Papaveraceae family. The pro-morphinan/morphinan subclass of BIAs was present in a subset of 10 Papaver species including P. somniferum (opium poppy) and this correlated with the presence of the STORR gene fusion with one important exception. P. californicum does not produce morphinans but it does contain a STORR gene fusion that epimerizes (S)- to (R)-reticuline when heterologously expressed in yeast. The high similarity of the amino acid sequence linking the two modules of STORR along with phylogenetic gene tree analysis strongly suggests the gene fusion occurred only once and between 17-25 million years ago before the separation of P. californicum from the other Papaver species. We discovered that the most abundant BIA in P. californicum is (R)-glaucine, a member of the aporphine subclass of BIAs. Only the (S) isomer of this compound has previously been reported from nature. These results lead us to conclude that the function of the STORR gene fusion is not exclusive to morphinan production in the Papaveraceae.

Seeds of Argemone mexicana L. accumulate significative amounts of sanguinarine. The analysis of the distribution of this alkaloid through the tissues of mature seeds revealed that up to 60 % of its contents was found tightly fixed to the different components of the seed external covers where it persisted during seedling germination. Contrastingly, sanguinarine contents in cotyledon accounted for the remaining 40 % and it could have been, at least partially, mobilized to the newly formed hypocotyls during emergence from seeds. Berberine was only detected in immature seeds and in seedlings once cotyledons were totally displayed. These results are discussed as a possible sanguinarine role in the chemical protection during seedlings germination. Resumen. Semillas de Argemone mexicana L. acumulan cantidades elevadas de sanguinarina. Un análisis de la distribución de alcaloides en los diferentes tejidos que componen la semilla reveló que hasta un 60 % del contenido se encontraba fuertemente unido en las capas que forman la cubierta exterior, donde se retuvieron durante la emergencia del hipocótilo. En contraste, los cotiledones presentaron el 40 % restante y parte de ello pudo haber sido movilizado al hipocótilo al emerger. Berberina sólo se observó en semillas inmaduras y en plántulas en desarrollo con los cotiledones desplegados. Estos resultados se discuten en función del posible papel defensivo de la sanguinarina durante la germinación.

Six undescribed protoberberine derivatives including two pairs of enantiomers, named yanhusanines G-L, along with fifteen reported protoberberine alkaloids, were isolated from the tubers of Corydalis yanhusuo. Among them, yanhusanines H-L feature a unique 13,13a-seco skeleton which is rare in nature. Their structural elucidations were achieved by extensive spectroscopic analysis and quantum chemistry calculations. A biogenetic route for yanhusanines H-L was proposed. Bioassay results showed that yanhusanine J exhibited potent inhibitory effect against the nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced RAW 264.7 cells (IC50 = 2.25 ± 1.32 μM). Western blot analysis demonstrated that yanhusanine J exerted its anti-inflammatory effect via suppressing the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway, together with the decrease of the inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β. Furthermore, molecular simulation docking indicated that yanhusanine J had strong interaction with the active site of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein.

The biosynthetic origins of the structurally related racemic isoxazolidine Papaveraceae alkaloids Setigerumine I, Dactylicapnosinine and Dactylicapnosine have remained elusive since their original isolation over two decades ago. Herein we report the first biosynthetic hypothesis for their formation and, inspired by it, the first synthesis of (±)-Setigerumine I with accompanying computational rationale. Based on the results, these isoxazolidine alkaloids arise from racemizing oxidative rearrangements of prominent isoquinoline alkaloids Noscapine and Hydrastine. The key steps featured in this synthesis are a room temperature Cope elimination and a domino oxidation/inverse-electron demand 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of an axially chiral, yet configurationally unstable, intermediate. The work opens this previously inaccessible family of natural products for biological studies.

It is urgent to obtain targeted drugs that selectively bind to pathological targets rather than physiological targets in the early stage of drug screening. G-Quadruplex has become one of the important targets in the development of anti-tumor drugs. However, drugs that target quadruplexes may also bind to dsDNA, which may lead to adverse reactions. In this study, a new three-phase laminar flow chip was constructed to enable the multi-components of a traditional Chinese medicine extract to dynamically and competitively bind with G-quadruplex DNA (on target) and double-stranded DNA (off target), so as to select high-efficiency and low-toxicity anti-tumor drugs. The results showed that there were five compounds in the extracts of Macleaya cordata seeds that exhibited obvious differences in binding to the two targets. Furthermore, the binding constants and modes of four identified alkaloids as they bound to two DNA targets were verified by fluorescence spectra and molecular docking methods. The toxicity to HepG2 and LO2 cells from the four alkaloids was also compared. The results showed that sanguinarine and chelerythrine could be used as candidate drugs with stronger binding to HT24 than DNA26. The chip can also be used for other types of double-target screening of other traditional Chinese medicine extracts or compound libraries.

Corydalis nanchuanensis S.R. Yi, sp. nov. (Figs. 1���4 A1���G1). Type:��� CHINA. Chongqing: Nanchuan district, Sanquan town, Dumatou, Jinfo Shan, 29��03���23���N, 107��12���14���E, in rocky crevices, elev. 950 m, 16 March 2019, YSR 8126 (holotype KUN; isotypes KUN, PE). Diagnosis: ��� Corydalis nanchuanensis is morphologically similar to C. sheareri Moore (1875: 225), a species mainly distributed in south China and Vietnam in having tubers, divided lower bracts, conical corolla spurs, rounded stigmas, and larger elaiosomes (usually longer than seeds), but differs by having tapering-to-base (vs. uniformly sized) stems; entire (vs. usually crenate) leaf lobes, straight (vs. declined) pedicels in fruit, concave (vs. subacute) apices of outer petals, white (vs. usually purple) abaxial surface of inner petals, and reticulate (vs. tuberculate) seeds.A morphological comparison between C. nanchuanensis and C. sheareri in detail is given in Table 1. Description: ���Perennial herb. Newly formed tubers of seedlings subglobose or subellipsoid, subsequent tubers forming on old tubers, ellipsoid, constricted in the middle, 0.5���1.9 �� 1.0��� 2.9 cm, pale yellow; fibrous roots filamentous, slender, 5���10 cm long. Stems 1 or 2, arising from the top of tubers, green with pale purple spots, prismatic, juicy. Basal leaf usually 1, often gradually withering during anthesis, petiole 6���20 cm long, leaf blade triangular-ovate, 10���15 �� 10���30 cm, 2���4-pinnate; petioles of primary pinnules 3���5 cm long; petioles of the second pinnules shorter and the third pinnules subsessile; ultimate pinnules entire or divided, cuneate at base, sometimes slightly concave at apex; cauline leaves 1 or 2, similar to basal leaves but smaller. Racemes 5���15 cm long, 8���20-flowered; lower bracts broadly obovate, palmately lobed, 1.5���2.3 �� 1.5���2.5 cm; upper bracts obovate to elliptic, 4.5���6.0 �� 3.2���3.6 mm, short-mucronate at apex, cuneate at base. Pedicles 8���15 mm long; elongating to 1.5���3.0 cm long in fruit. Sepals scaly, irregularly lobed, ca. 2 �� 1 mm. Flowers greenish white; outer petal limbs entire to slightly sinuous with purplish red tips, slightly concave, mucronate, crest ca. 1 mm high; upper petals 2.7���3.0 cm long; corolla spurs tapering to tip, straight or slightly curved downward, 1.4���1.7 cm long; nectary extended through ca. 1/3 of spur, obtuse at apex; lower petals spatulate, 1.4���1.8 cm long, with a spurlet at base (ca. 0.5 mm long); inner petals pandurate, 5���7 mm long, crests exceeding apices by ca. 1 mm; pistil 1.2���1.5 cm long, ovary linear, 0.9���1.2 cm long, 0.8���1.1 mm in diam.; style ca. 3 mm long, stigma rounded, with 12 papillae (two pairs of papillae of the base commissural respectively). Capsule narrowly oblong, slightly flat, 2.5���3.5 cm long. Seeds up to 50 in 2 rows, obliquely ovate, 1.0���1.3 �� 0.7���0.8 mm, reticulate, black, lustrous, slightly concave in ventral surface; elaiosome larger, 1.5���2.0 �� 1.0��� 1.4 mm. Etymology: ���The specific epithet of the new species refers to its type locality, i.e. Nanchuan district in Chongqing, China. Phenology: ���Flowering March to April; fruiting April to May. Distribution and habitat: ���The new species is currently known only from Nanchuan district in south-west Chongqing, China. It grows in rocky crevices at elevations between 900���1,600 m above sea level (Fig. 5). Common name (assigned here): ���Nan Chuan Zi Jin (Chinese name: *���Ā��). Additional specimens examined (paratypes): ��� CHINA. Chongqing: Nanchuan district, Sanquan town, Mazui, 29��03���14���N, 107��17���22���E, in rocky crevices, elev. 1,150 m, 23 March 2018, YSR 8004 (KUN, PE); Chongqing: Nanchuan district, Sanquan town, Huangcaoping, 29��02���37���N, 107��11���15���E, in rocky crevices, elev. 1,370 m, 30 March 2018, YSR 8014 (KUN, PE); Chongqing: Nanchuan district, Sanquan town, Huangcaoping, on moist rocks, elev. 960m, 27 February 2020, YSR 8014 (KUN); Chongqing: Nanchuan district, Sanquan town, Huilongsi, 29��04���27���N, 107��12���14���E, in rocky crevices, elev. 1,170 m, 9 April 2020, YSR 842 3 (KUN); Chongqing: Nanchuan district, Sanquan town, Huilongsi, 29��04���27���N, 107��12���14���E, in rocky crevices, elev. 1,170 m, 9 April 2020, YSR 8470 (KUN); Chongqing: Nanchuan district, Delong Town, on rocks, elev. 1,300 m, 16 April 1980, Z. Y . Liu 0144-01 (IMC), Z. Y . Liu 0144-02 (IMC), Z. Y . Liu 0144-03 (IMC), Z. Y . Liu 0144-04 (IMC), Z. Y . Liu 0144-05 (IMC); Chongqing: Nanchuan district, 13 April 1982, S . X. Tan, Z. L. Li & J. L. Zhang 3084 (IMC); Chongqing: Nanchuan district, Sanquan Town, Jinfo Mountain, roadside, elev. 1,600 m, 12 March 1999, Z. Y . Liu 973488-01 (IMC), Z. Y . Liu 973488-02 (IMC), Z. Y . Liu 973488-03 (IMC), Z. Y . Liu 973480 (IMC). Notes:���Specimens of this new species were first collected by Zheng-Yu Liu in 1980 and deposited at IMC. They were identified as ��� Corydalis nanchuanensis Z.Y. Liu ��� by Zheng-Yu Liu and Bai-Quan Shi on the determination slips. Specimens of the new species were later collected also by other collectors. Corydalis nanchuanensis may belong to Corydalis sect. Asterostigma Wu & Chuang (1999: 103) by having rounded stigmas and narrowly oblong capsules. However, its tapering-to-base stems and tubers with the new ones formed directly on old ones correspond to the characters of C. sect. Duplotuber Ryberg (1960: 223). Further studies are needed to confirm the sectional placement of this species., Published as part of Zhang, Bu-Yun, Xiao, Jin-Fei & Yi, Si-Rong, 2021, Corydalis nanchuanensis (Papaveraceae), a new species from Chongqing, China, pp. 163-170 in Phytotaxa 510 (2) on pages 164-169, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.510.2.5, http://zenodo.org/record/5426370, {"references":["Moore, S. (1875) Description of some new Phanerogamia collected by Dr. Shearer, at Kiukiang, China. Journal of Botany, British and Foreign 13: 225 - 226.","Wu, C. Y., Chuang, H. & Su, Z. Y. (1999) Corydalis DC. In: Wu, Z. Y. (Ed.) Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae, vol. 32. Science Press, Beijing, pp. 96 - 481.","Ryberg M. (1960) A morphological study of Fumariaceae and the taxonomic significance of the characters examined. Acta Horti Bergiani 19: 121 - 248."]}

Corydalis nanchuanensis (Papaveraceae), a new species from Nanchuan district in south-west Chongqing, China, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, the new species is similar to C. sheareri, a species mainly distributed in south China and Vietnam, in having conical corolla spurs, divided lower bracts, rounded stigmas, larger elaiosomes (usually longer than seeds), and tubers, but differs by having tapering-to-base (vs. uniformly sized) stems; entire (vs. usually crenate) leaf lobes, straight (vs. declined) pedicels in fruit, concave (vs. subacute) apices of outer petals, white (vs. usually purple) abaxial side of inner petals, and reticulate (vs. tuberculate) seeds.

Corydalis bungeana Turcz. is a perennial herb belonging to the family Papaveraceae. Its chloroplast genome was sequenced and characterized. The cp genome of C. bungeana is 167,629 bp long with a GC content of 36.52%. A total of 144 genes were identified in this cp genome, including 79 protein-coding genes, 31 tRNAs and four rRNAs. A phylogenetic tree based on the complete nucleic acid sequence indicated that C. bungeana was classified into Corydaleae and had a close relationship with Lamprocapnos spectabilis.

An ABCB-type transporter for sanguinarine, a benzophenanthridine alkaloid, was isolated from Argemone mexicana seeds. An ABCB-type transporter, AmABCB1, was identified in a transcriptome from unfolding seedlings of A. mexicana by its amino acid sequence identity to previously characterized alkaloid transporters from Coptis japonica and Thalictrum minus. Expression analysis revealed mature seeds as its main location; meanwhile, in vitro assays in yeast cells showed that AmABCB1 had uptake and efflux activities for sanguinarine and berberine, respectively.

Thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs, osmotins) form a protein family which shares a significant sequence homology to the sweet-tasting thaumatin from the plant Thaumatococcus daniellii. TLPs are not sweet-tasting and are involved in response to biotic stresses and developmental processes. Recently it has been shown using a proteomic approach that the tuber extract from Corydalis cava (Papaveraceae) contains a TLP protein. The aim of this work was to characterize the structure and expression of TLP from C. cava tubers. The results obtained using a PCR approach with degenerate primers demonstrated a coding sequence of a novel protein, named CcTLP1. It consists of 225 aa, has a predicted molecular weight of 24.2 kDa (NCBI GenBank accession no. KJ513303 ) and has 16 strictly conserved cysteine residues, which form 8 disulfide bridges and stabilize the 3D structure. CcTLP1 may be classified into class IX of plant TLPs. The highest CcTLP1 expression levels were shown by qPCR in the stem of the plant compared to other organs and in the medium-size plants compared to other growth phases. The results confirm that CcTLP1 is expressed during plant growth and development until flowering, with a possible defensive function against different stress conditions.

Hypecoum pendulum L., a rare, herbaceous angiosperm plant is being reported here as a new record for the flora of Haryana State. In the present communication, a detailed account of the plant along with coloured photographic plates has been provided to facilitate its easy identification. Keywords: New record, wild herb

Meconopsis Vig. is a genus possessing important medicinal and ornamental values in the Papaveraceae. Many species in this genus are commonly used in traditional Tibetan medicines over thousands of years. In this study, we sequenced complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequences of two species, namely Meconopsis punicea and M. henrici to investigate their phylogenetic relationships in Papaveraceae. Total lengths of the chloroplast genomes were 153,281 bp and 153,388 bp, respectively. Both of the two genomes had typical quadripartite structure, LSC region (83,999 bp and 83,698 bp) and SSC region (17,730 bp and 17,822 bp) were separated by a pair of IRs (25,776 bp and 26,107 bp), respectively. Moreover, they were composed of 112 genes, including 78 protein coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, three rRNA genes and one pseudogene. Phylogenetic analysis based on complete chloroplast genomes showed that M. henrici had closer relationship with M. racenosa than M. punicea; meanwhile, Meconopsis was closely related to Papaver in Papaveraceae.

Cases of honey poisoning have been reported widely, meaning there is a need for methods that detect "mad honey" or honey contaminated with plant-derived toxins to protect human health. In this study, we compared whole flower extracts and honey from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f. (TwHf) and Macleaya cordata (Willd) R. Br (McRB) using QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/Q-TOF-MS). The results revealed several compounds common to whole flowers and honey samples. Triptolide and protopine were selected as potential markers for identifying "mad honeys" from these plants. The developed method can easily detect different honey varieties that were spiked with 5% TwHf and McRB honey samples. Additionally, 90 commercial honey samples were analyzed and determined as free from contamination. The method described in this report could be useful for studies on honey from other poisonous nectar and pollen plants.

During the induction process of an in vitro callus culture of Argemone mexicana L. (Papaveraceae), the levels of two benzylisoquinoline alkaloids known as berberine and sanguinarine displayed opposing trends. While the berberine levels steadily decreased from the initial explant stage up to the early proliferation of unorganized parenchymatous cell masses, the sanguinarine content increased. Once the callus culture was established, sanguinarine was the primary alkaloid present and berberine could no longer be detected. However, upon shoot regeneration, the berberine accumulation recovered, but sanguinarine was found in the newly formed leafy tissue. After root formation, sanguinarine was relocated to this organ, whereas berberine was evenly distributed between both tissues. Explants from stem internodes did not form callus, and berberine—plus sanguinarine—containing axillary shoots emerged from lateral buds in the induction medium. In contrast to callus-derived shoots, no root formation was observed. Therefore, alkaloid synthesis in A. mexicana in vitro cultures is related to the level of tissue organization in different ways, and while berberine accumulation seems to require the presence of differentiated organs, this is not the case for sanguinarine. Moreover, leafy parts of rootless shoots acquired the capacity to accumulate sanguinarine, which is usually absent in aerial tissues of mature plants. However, when these shoots were rooted, sanguinarine was mainly located in the newly formed roots, while berberine was detected in the shoots at similar levels found in the roots.

Sanguinarine (SAN), a quaternary benzophenanthridine alkaloid extracted from the root of Papaveraceae plants, has shown antitumour effects in multiple cancer cells. However, the therapeutic effects and the underlying mechanisms of SAN in gastric cancer (GC) remain elusive. In this study, the in vitro proliferation inhibition effect of SAN in GC cells was determined using CCK-8 assay, the in vivo antitumor effect of SAN was evaluated in mice with xenotransplanted tumor. The mechanism underlying the antitumor activity of SAN was explored by gene microarray assay and bioinformatics analysis. The levels of differentially expressed miRNAs and target genes were verified by real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. SAN inhibited the proliferation of BGC-823 cells in a concentration-dependent manner in vitro and in vivo. The miR-96-5p and miR-29c-3p were significantly upregulated in untreated BGC-823 cells and significantly downregulated in SAN treated cells. The mRNA and protein expression of their target gene MAP4K4 were upregulated in SAN treated xenotransplanted tumors, and pMEK4 and pJNK1 proteins in the MAPK/JNK signaling pathway were also upregulated by SAN. These indicate that SAN may inhibit the proliferation of BGC-823 cells through the inhibition of miR-96-5p and miR-29c-3p expression, and subsequent activation of the MAPK/JNK signaling pathway.

Chelidonium majus L. (family Papaveraceae), commonly known as greater celandine or tetterwort, has been reported to have antibacterial and anticancer effects and chelidonine is known as a functional metabolite extracted from C. majus. In this study, we observed the cytotoxicity of the alkaloid, chelidonine, and investigated its functional mechanism in T98G glioblastoma cell line. Chelidonine induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner, which was accompanied by decreased antiapoptotic protein Mcl-1. Caspase-3 and -9 were activated by treatment with chelidonine, but chelidonine-mediated apoptosis was only partially inhibited by a pan-caspase inhibitor. Chelidonine also induced the translocation of AIF into the nucleus; therefore, it is likely that chelidonine induces T98G cell death through both caspase-dependent and caspase-independent apoptosis pathways. Chelidonine also induced G2/M arrest by inducing multipolar spindle assembly, which might also lead to cell death through inhibiting mitosis. Active CDK1, one of factors contributing to the prolongation of G2/M phase, induced Mcl-1 degradation increasing mitochondrial instability, which is also an inducer of apoptosis in chelidonine-treated T98G cells. Taken together, these findings indicate that chelidonine induces apoptosis through G2/M arrest and Mcl-1 degradation, implying that it may represent a compound for anticancer chemotherapy.

Tukhm Khashkhaash is the seeds of Papaver somniferum belonging to the family Papaveraceae. The description of Poppy seeds is mentioned in various classical Unani books. Renowned Unani scholar Avicenna had also described poppy seeds in his famous book “The Canon of Medicine”. He wrote that Tukhme Khashkhaash safaid are the small white seeds obtained from the capsule of white poppy plant. The seeds which are obtained before the incision of capsules for the extraction of opium are considered to be of best quality. They are used since centuries for treating various ailments like diarrhea, dysentery, cough, premature ejaculation, chronic cough, insomnia and skin disorders as well as a nutritive food. Their antibacterial, anti-carcinogenic and hypoglycemic potential have also proved on scientific basis. In this review an effort have been made to collect the disseminated information and summarize the available data of the said drug.