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Alizarin (1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone) and purpurin (1,2,4-trihydroxyanthraquinone), natural anthraquinone compounds from Rubia tinctorum L., are reported to have diverse biological effects including antibacterial, antitumor, antioxidation, and so on, but the inhibition activity against amyloid aggregation has been rarely reported. In this study, we used insulin as a model protein to explore the anti-amyloid effects of the two compounds. The results showed that alizarin and purpurin inhibited the formation of insulin fibrils in a dose-dependent manner and reduced insulin-induced cytotoxicity. Meanwhile, purpurin had a more significant inhibitory effect on insulin amyloid fibrils compared with alizarin. In addition, computer simulations indicated that the two compounds interacted mainly with the hydrophobic residues of insulin chain B and interfered with the binding of phenylalanine residues. The research indicated that natural anthraquinone compounds had potential effects in preventing protein misfolding diseases and could be further used to design effective antiamyloidosis compounds.

Terminalia chebula, Rubia tinctorum and Biancaea sappan are used here as sensitizers on TiO2 hollow-sphere. Anatase-rutile TiO2 hollow-spheres were synthesized using carbon spheres template assisted method. Structural, shape and purity of the prepared TiO2 hollow-spheres are confirmed through XRD, SEM measurements. Absorbance spectra are used to analyze the spectral response of the sensitizers. From the J-V measurements, it is found that Terminalia chebula shows a better performance of open circuit voltage (VOC) ∼ 0.47 V, short circuit current (JSC) ∼ 0.11 mA/cm2 and fill factor 40% compared to all others. The charge transfer resistance and life-time are investigated through Nyquist and Bode plots.

Anaemia is a condition of having a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells or quantity of hemoglobin. Anaemia diminishes the capacity of the blood to carry oxygen. Patients with anaemia may feel tired, fatigue easily, appear pale, develop palpitations,and become short of breath.Rubia tinctorum mother tincture is a homeopathic mother tincture that is indicated for the treatment of anaemia and undernourished conditions. Rubia tinctorum mother tincture, has been found to be effective in treating anaemia, kidney and bladder calculi.This project, help to know the efficacy of Rubia tinctorum mother tincture in treating anaemia.

This paper discusses the current methods to improve standardization procedure of medicinal plant raw materials of Rubia tinctorum. New approaches for quantitative analysis of rhizomes and roots of Rubia tinctorum are introduced. They include spectrophotometry at the analytical wavelength of 510 nm and ultrasound. These methods helped to achieve the maximal output of anthracen derivatives from raw materials. At present, existing technology for extracting medicinal substances from animal and plant tissues is mostly inefficient and time-consuming. Low-frequency ultrasound reduces the time of extraction by ten or several hundred folds. During ultrasound transmission through a molecule, its light part oscillates in resonance with the frequency of the wave, and its heavy part lags behind. As a result, areas of tension, considerable friction forces, superior to the forces of chemical bonding appear and the whole substance of the molecule break. Nowadays this topic is relevant because the development and application of ultrasound technique opens up new opportunities. By means of the improved technique, we found that the content of the total of anthracene derivatives in samples of medicinal plant raw materials of Rubia tinctorum varies from 4.20% to 4.60% (calculated with reference to ruberythric acid). Our findings indicate the maximum yield of anthracene derivatives from medicinal plant raw materials of Rubia tinctorum and the feasibility of further research in the development of new drugs.

The chemical and biological profiling of the root extracts of Rubia tinctorum was performed. The activities of different extracts were determined considering the antidiabetic effect against type II diabetes mellitus together with anti-obesity and hepatoprotective effects and lipid profile. The methanolic extract of Rubia tinctorum exhibited significant results in decreasing body weight, improving lipid profile, normalizing hyperglycaemia, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia. Additionally, it showed enhancement of liver tissue structure and function. The methanolic extract, being the most significant one, was subjected to LC-HRMS analysis to determine its chemical constituents. Finally, the chemical constituents were evaluated by molecular docking study that was carried out to identify the interaction of a panel of 45 compounds in silico and to correlate the structures to their anti-diabetic activity. Among the tested compounds, 1-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl anthra-quinone and naringenin-7-O-glucoside showed the most potent activity as α-amylase inhibitors.

Production of flavonoids in madder callus culture (Rubia tinctorum L.) was dependent on culture conditions and culture media composition. The content of flavonoids increased in calli maintained on media supplemented with NAA (4 mg.l-1) or NAA:BAP (4 mg.l-1 a 1 mg.l-1) in 16 h photoperiod. Flavonoids represented 2.08 – 2.25 % of callus dry mass. The presence of Cd(NO3)2 (3.1 or 31.0 mg.l-1 concentrations) negatively influenced callus growth, but enhaced the percentage of dry mass in callus cells. During 42 days of culture an increase of cadmium accumulation and even of flavonoids has been observed. The most considerable influence of CdCl2 or Cd(NO3)2 on flavonoids content has been shown in short-term experiments after 48 h of callus culture. More distinct influence has been observed under the treatment with CdCl2 (0.005 mg.l-1) in comparison with Cd(NO3)2.

Salinity which covers vast areas of the world is increasing every year. But some plants like madder can grow in these areas. Madder (Rubia tinctorum) is a perennial plant species from the Rubiaceae family. In this study, madder plants were first treated by different concentration of NaCl (100, 200, 300, and 400 mM). Then gene expression of salinity stress was studied. For gene study, vacuolar H+-pyrophosphatase pump (AVP) and tonoplast Na+/H+ antiporters (NHX) from madder plant were isolated and sequenced. Analyzing protein sequences of these genes demonstrated that the protein sequences have high similarity with the same genes in other plants. Constructing phylogenetic trees based on the protein sequences of the AVP and NHX genes, we found high similarity with Coffea arabica and Capsicum annuum, respectively. Studying gene expression of the AVP and NHX under the condition of salt stress revealed that the genes were up-regulated, which continues up to 400 mM of salt concentration.

International audience; The aim of this study is to establish a mild extraction and universal method to characterize madder lakes of Rubia tinctorum by liquid chromatography (LC-PDA). In order to analyze the lakes, anthraquinone molecules must be decomplexed of metal links. To this end, two processes, one ultrasound and the other microwave, were improved, in association with two solutions, an oxalic acid solution (0.5M in MeOH/H2O 50/50) and an acetic acid buffer solution (1M). Firstly, the decomplexation of an alizarin experimental lake was optimized in comparison with a reference method using a strong acid. The microwave process used oxalic acid and increased the decomplexation yield of alizarin (71%), compared with the reference method (31%). Secondly, different madder experimental lakes which were prepared using different metal salts were decomplexed. The obtained results suggest that the use of microwave associated with oxalic acid solution is the most universal method providing a decomplexation of anthraquinones from lakes without hydrolysis of glycosidic compounds occurring; Le but de cette étude est d'établir une méthode universelle et non dénaturante pour caractériser les laques de garance par chromatographie en phase liquide (CLHP/UV-Vis.). Pour les analyser, les molécules anthraquinoniques doivent être décomplexées de leurs liaisons métalliques. Dans cette optique, deux procédés ont été améliorés, les ultrasons et les micro-ondes, associés à deux solutions, une solution d'acide oxalique (0,5 M dans MeOH / H2O 50/50) et une solution tampon d'acide acétique (1 M). Premièrement, la décomplexation d'une laque expérimentale d'alizarine a été optimisée par rapport à une méthode de référence utilisant un acide fort. Le procédé par micro-ondes utilisant l'acide oxalique a augmenté le rendement de décomplexation de l'alizarine (71%) par rapport à la méthode de référence (31%). Deuxièmement, différentes laques expérimentales de garance préparées en utilisant différents sels métalliques ont été décomplexés. Les résultats obtenus suggèrent que l'utilisation de micro-ondes associée à une solution d'acide oxalique est la méthode la plus universelle permettant une décomplexation des anthraquinones à partir de laques, sans hydrolyse des composés glycosidiques.

A broad palette of natural dyes is often mentioned with reference to dyed textiles from ancient China. However, few scientific works address the problem of correctly identifying these dyes, often referring simply to unidentified sources. The aim of this work was the creation of a database of mass spectra of molecules related to Chinese natural dyes, intended to be used for their identification in archaeological textiles. High pressure liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionisation and quadrupole time-of-flight detection (HPLC-ESI-Q-ToF) was used to analyse twenty-eight reference specimens of Asian dyes, including relatively common dyes, such as sappanwood (Biancaea sappan), gromwell (Lithospermum erythrorhyzon), safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), madder (Rubia tinctorum, Rubia cordifolia and Rubia akane), and unusual dyes, such as rosewood (Dalbergia sp.), rhubarb (Rheum emodi), dragon's blood (Daemonorops sp.), gamboge (Garcinia hanburyi), violet (Viola yedoensis), etc. All analyses were repeated after artificial ageing, thus showing which molecules are more likely to be considered as markers for the identification of these dyes in ancient textiles. Because of the dye sources chosen, most molecular classes of natural organic colourants were included in the mass spectra database, i.e. anthraquinones, naphthoquinones, flavonoids, neoflavonoids, alkaloids, chalcones, carotenoids, xanthenes, polyphenols, etc. The information obtained from the reference specimens was then used to identify the dyes in thirty-one textiles from Dunhuang (northwestern Gansu, China, 7th-10th century AD) in the British Museum's collection. The sampling was guided by the data previously gathered from multispectral imaging and fibre optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS), presented in a separate paper. Mixtures of dyes were commonly found, leading to hypothesise the re-dyeing or recycling of some of the textiles. A very broad palette of dyes suggested possible different origins for these textiles and a tendency to experiment with dyeing. These data, integrated with the ones obtained non-invasively, represent a significant source of information for researchers investigating textiles from the Silk Road.

To fabricate dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), TiO2 thin films with different cycles of coating were deposited on FTO-coated glass substrates by the spin coating method. Black mulberry (Morus Nigra), madder (Rubia Tinctorum) roots, and eosin-y (C20H8Br4O5) were used as sensitizers. The photovoltaic conversion performance parameters of the devices were obtained under illumination of simulated AM1.5 solar light (100 mW cm−2). By using a photoanode prepared after 15 cycles of coating, the best power conversion efficiency of 1.3% was attained with the devices loaded with black mulberry.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of human death. Nanotechnology could offer new and optimised anticancer agents in order to fight cancer. It was shown that metal nanoparticles, in particular silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were effective in cancer therapy. In this study, AgNPs were synthesised using Rubia tinctorum L. extract (Ru-AgNPs). Then, cytotoxicity effects of the Ru-AgNPs against MDA-MB-231 carcinoma cell line and human dermal fibroblast as normal cell line were performed. Furthermore, anti-apoptotic effects of Ru-AgNPs on these cancer and normal cell lines were compared using acridine orange/propidium iodide staining, flow cytometry analysis and real-time qPCR in apoptosis gene markers. Results of UV-vis spectroscopy showed that Ru-AgNPs have a peak at 430 nm, which indicated synthesis of AgNPs. Ru-AgNPs had spherical shape and average size of 12 nm. Ru-AgNPs have cytotoxicity on MDA-MB-231 cells and decrease cancerous cell viability (IC50 = 4 µg/ml/48 h). Ru-AgNPs could induce apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells through upregulation of Bax and downregulation of Bcl-2 gene expression. The results opened up new avenues to develop Rubia based metal complexes as an anticancer agent.

Madder (Rubia tinctorum L.) is a perennial plant that its roots and rhizomes have rich anthraquinone (AQ) derivatives including alizarin and purpurin. This study was carried out to determine the effects of salicylic acid (SA) and L-phenylalanine (L-Phe) applications on the root growth parameters and secondary metabolite accumulation in madder adventitious roots derived from internode parts without needing to be collected from nature. For this aim, two different L-Phe (50 and 100 µM) and SA (20 and 40 µM) were added separately and together to the liquid Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium cultured adventitious roots for 7 days. Then roots were evaluated in terms of fresh root weight, root growth index, dry root weight, and contents of total AQ, alizarin, purpurin, total phenolic contents (TPC), and some important phenolic compounds. According to the results, L-Phe stimulated the root growth of madder while the effects of SA on root growth parameters varied depending upon its concentrations. L-Phe had no significant influence on the total AQ, alizarin, and purpurin. Conversely, SA increased the AQs, and 20 µM SA was the most suitable application providing the greatest total AQ, alizarin, and purpurin. TPC and individual phenolic compounds changed according to the applications. Not only L-Phe but also SA had positive effects on the phenolic accumulation in adventitious roots. It was determined that the combinations of 40 µM SA and 100 µM L-Phe were the most effective applications in terms of phenolic accumulation. Madder is a plant whose popularity has increased in food, cosmetics, pharmacy and recently medicine. This research was designed in order to produce high amounts of important secondary metabolites in adventitious root cultures of madder without the need to collect plants from nature. In this study, it has been shown that L-phenylalanine and salicylic acid applied to adventitious roots remarkably increase the production of anthraquinones and phenolics when used in appropriate concentrations and combinations.

Plant-derived drugs represent a significant proportion of the pharmaceutical market. Plant in vitro culture has emerged as a useful platform for producing secondary metabolites due to its multiple advantages: production under controlled culture conditions; independence from geographic, seasonal or weather conditions; and since it avoids the use of land and the extraction from the natural source, it has a low environmental impact. Since the production of secondary metabolites in plant in vitro cultures can be low, there are several strategies that can be applied to enhance the production of these compounds. Elicitation has been widely used to increase secondary metabolite production in plant in vitro cultures. This phenomenon involves the treatment of plant cultures with different agents (physical, chemical or biological) that triggers a defence response, which generally involves the production of secondary metabolites. Anthraquinones are secondary metabolites traditionally used as dyes that exhibit interesting therapeutic applications, such as antiviral (against hepatitis C virus), and as photosensitizers of cancer cells. In this chapter, we will present an approach for the establishment of hairy root cultures of Rubia tinctorum and a protocol for elicitation with methyl jasmonate. We will also discuss the possibility of combining elicitation with other strategies, such as in situ removal with Miglyol® 812.

In this work, the natural dyeing behavior of woollen yarn with madder (Rubia tinctorum L.) root extract was studied. The effects of different tannin-rich plants (Rhus coriaria, Eucalyptus, Terminalia chebula, Quercus castaneifolia, Pomegranate) extract as biomordants and alum (as a chemical mordant) with two mordanting procedures (pre- and metamordanting) on color characteristics of the dyed samples were also investigated. The CIEDE2000 values, color strength (K/S), washing fastness and tensile property of the mordanted and dyed samples were assessed. Visually, a range of hues from orange to brownish-red were obtained. In general, pre-biomordanted samples with Rhus coriaria (10 %owf), Eucalyptus (10 %owf), Terminalia chebula (5 %owf), Quercus castaneifolia (5 %owf) and Pomegranate (5 %owf) showed almost the same color difference (ΔE00) and wash fastness values compared to those treated with 3 %owf alum. Finally, it was concluded from the comparative studies that the biomordants have good potential to be considered as alternatives to the common chemical mordants.

High-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a diode-array detector (HPLC-DAD) is used to investigate 30 samples which were removed from 27 ancient Egyptian fabrics of the Fill-Trevisiol collection. Attention is focused in this paper on fabrics of the Roman and Byzantine periods, with red and deep violet–blue wool weft threads which are Z-spun. The following dyes are identified in fabrics which date to the Roman period (first–fifth c. ad): mollusc purple, madder, and indigo/woad (Indigofera species and other, Isatis tinctoria L.). The results for the Byzantine (fifth–seventh c. ad) fabrics are richer in terms of identified dyes: apart from the three aforementioned dyes, the use of kermes (Kermes vermilio Planchon) and cochineal is revealed as the two coccid dyes have been detected in six Egyptian–Byzantine fabrics. Moreover, a yellow dye (probably Reseda luteola L.) is identified in one sample. Finally, samples taken from two fabrics, which date to the Islamic period, were dyed using indigo/woad and lac (Kerria lacca, Kerr). Mixing madder and indigo/woad to imitate true purple was a common practice in ancient Egypt and this is confirmed by the HPLC results in several samples. Semi-quantitative results are obtained from the HPLC peak areas and lead to the following conclusions. Madder dyes which were rich or poor in alizarin, compared to purpurin, and could have been therefore obtained from Rubia tinctorum L. and Rubia peregrina L., respectively are detected in Byzantine fabrics. Only alizarin-rich madder dyes are identified in some samples from Roman fabrics, but in some other samples the relative alizarin-to-purpurin ratio cannot be measured with confidence. Cochineal is found in two samples. The biological source of cochineal (Porphyrophora hamelii Brandt) is possible to be chemically identified only in one sample. The HPLC results of the molluscan dye detected in a Roman fabric are compared with the relative compositions of extracts of the three Mediterranean molluscs leading to the speculation that the Roman purple sample was probably dyed using Hexaplex trunculus L. The molluscan dye was furthermore detected in a Byzantine sample where it was combined with madder. Finally, it is reported that the standard (hydrochloric) acid hydrolysis method which is commonly applied to extract dyes from archaeological samples does not have any noticeable effect on the relative composition of the molluscan dye.

The complex mixtures of colorants present in different madder species can provide significant information about which plant species or technique was used to dye the fibres of historical textile artefacts, hence, when extracting and analysing colorants from textile artefacts as much of this information as possible should be preserved. Historical textiles are most commonly extracted with 37% hydrochloric acid: methanol: water (2:1:1, v/v/v), but this solvent system hydrolyses dye glycosides and may also induce chemical reactions. One of the primary components in Dyers' madder (Rubia tinctorum L.) is lucidin primeveroside, but it is rarely seen in artefacts, nor is the corresponding aglycon lucidin. It has been demonstrated that the hydrochloric acid method causes hydrolysis of anthraquinone glycosides to their aglycon counterpart. Herein it is demonstrated that lucidin is not stable in such acidic conditions and degrades rapidly to xanthopurpurin. This is confirmed by HPLC, LC-MS and 1H NMR, which also provide evidence of the mechanism of degradation being a retro-aldol process.

Bayat rugs weaved with different madders can be used without fading their colors almost 100 years. The study aimed to record how to get madder by traditional methods from local plants, give stories of rug motives and present an overview of the medicinal uses of dyes plants collected in Afyonkarahisar, Inner-West Anatolia, Turkey. The study was conducted in both 11 villages and downtown of Bayat borough of Afyonkarahisar in 2013-2014. A total 150 women, aged between 17-25, were interviewed and observations were photographed. The rugs are completely 100% sheep wool and strings for weaving prepared traditionally by special spinning methods. The used plants to obtain the madders were determined. It was understood that in early August and September, plants give better colors and tones. These plants have also been used for medicinal purposes by the locals. Bayat people get non-fading colors from 11 plants (Allium cepa L., Berberis crataegina L., Papaver rhoeas, Papaver somniferum L., Malva silvestris L., Morus nigra L., Cistus laurifolius L., Quercus ithaburensis Decne. subsp. macrolepis (Kotschy) Hedge et Yalt, Rubia tinctorum L., Juglans regia L., Indigofera tinctoria L.) belonged to ten families. The plant organs used are root, shell, cupula, leaf, young shoot, and aerial parts of the plants. A natural mud is also used as alum in this region that provides to create dark colors, and prevents mixing the colors. It also inhibits fading the colors in the rugs’ texture. It was also recorded that different motives in Bayat Rugs have also interesting historical stories.

Dyers madder (Rubia tinctorum L.) has been famously used throughout history as a source of red dye. The sorption onto mordanted wool of the major colorant components of R. tinctorum, alizarin and the glycosides ruberythric acid and lucidin primeveroside, is studied herein. Sorption of a purified 1:1 mixture of ruberythric acid:lucidin primeveroside most closely followed a Temkin isotherm (R2 0.925), whereas alizarin followed a Freundlich isotherm (R2 0.940). These results were compared to HPLC chromatograms of English, Turkish and Iranian varieties of R. tinctorum before and after dyeing, where it was observed that the glycosides are shown to have the highest uptake onto wool. The higher sorption energy of the purified 1:1 ruberythric acid:lucidin primeveroside mixture (–11.4 kJ mol-1) compared to alizarin (–5.8 kJ mol-1) is in agreement with the HPLC results, indicating that the ruberythric acid/lucidin primeveroside mixture has a substantially higher affinity for wool compared to alizarin. Not only do the glycosides show higher affinity for the wool, but greater interactions between adsorbed species suggest a more extensive aggregation of dye on the surface of the wool. These observations are in contrast to much literature and bring into question previous conclusions that alizarin was the main dyeing species throughout history.

In this study, an eco-friendly and low-cost procedure for the synthesis of Rubia Tinctorum plant extract modified magnetic nanocomposite (RT/Fe3O4) has been demonstrated. Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) were further decorated in situ over the designed RT/Fe3O4 nanocomposite exploiting the plant derived phytochemicals as bio-reductant and stabilizer. The resulting Au NPs@RT/Fe3O4 nanocomposite was characterized by various analytical methods like Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) elemental mapping, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) analysis. The Au NPs@RT/Fe3O4 nanocomposite has been explored biologically in the anticancer and antioxidant assays. In the antioxidant test, the IC50 of Au NPs@RT/Fe3O4 nanocomposite and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals were 155 and 129 µg/ml, respectively. In the cellular and molecular part of the recent study, the treated cells with Au NPs@RT/Fe3O4 nanocomposite were assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay for 48 h about the cytotoxicity and anti-human colon carcinoma properties on normal (HUVECs), colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT-29), colorectal carcinoma (HCT 116), ileocecal colorectal adenocarcinoma (HCT-8 [HRT-18]), and Burkitt's lymphoma (Ramos.2G6.4C10) cell lines. The viability of malignant colon cell line reduced dose-dependently in the presence of Au NPs@RT/Fe3O4 nanocomposite. The IC50 of Au NPs@RT/Fe3O4 nanocomposite were 250, 256, 212, and 197 µg/ml against Ramos.2G6.4C10, HCT-8 [HRT-18], HCT 116, and HT-29 cell lines, respectively.

The new natural compound 3-hydroxy-1-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranosyl]-anthraquinone, which we called xanthopurposide, was isolated from rhizomes of Rubia tinctorum L. (madder). Its structure was elucidated using PMR, 13C NMR, mass spectrometry, and UV spectroscopy.

A HPLC method coupled with diode array detector was developed and validated for the quantitation of alizarin, apigenin, carminic acid, curcumin, ellagic acid, emodin, fisetin, kaempferide, kaempferol, kermesic acid, morin, purpurin, quercetin and sulfuretin which are components of several natural dyes. 1- Hydroxyanthraquinone was selected as internal standard. The compounds were separated under gradient elution on a RP-column (Altima C18, 250 mm x 3.0 mm i.d., 5 μm) with a mobile phase consisting of solvent A: H2O + 0.1% (v/v) trifluoroacetic acid and solvent B: acetonitrile + 0.1% (v/v) trifluoroacetic acid. The method was validated in terms of linearity, limits of detection and quantitation, accuracy, precision, ruggedness and robustness and applied to the analysis of silk dyed with buckthorn (Rhamnus trees), cochineal (Dactylopius coccus Costa), madder (Rubia tinctorum L.), turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) and young fustic (Cotinus coggygria Scop). Furthermore, dyed silk samples were subjected to artificially accelerated ageing conditions induced by UV radiation. The effect of the latter on the quantities of the aforementioned compounds was monitored, except for apigenin, kermesic acid and morin.

Anthraquinones (AQs) are secondary metabolites widely distributed in nature. Interesting applications of plant extracts containing AQs include the treatment of Hepatitis C and cancer. Plant in vitro culture is an alternative for producing plant-derived pharmaceuticals in controlled conditions and with low environmental impact. Moreover, it allows the application of different strategies for enhancing secondary metabolite production. Hairy root cultures, obtained after Agrobacterium rhizogenes infection, are able to produce high amounts of secondary metabolites at high growth rates. In this work, growth kinetics of hairy root cultures of Rubia tinctorum and AQ production were evaluated in two different culture media, Gamborg B5 with half of the saline strength (B51/2) and Lloyd & Mc Cown’s Woody Plant Medium (WPM). Although WPM allowed higher biomass production (58.6% higher) than B51/2, specific AQ production was higher in B51/2 (between 1.2 and 2.1 fold increases from day 21 to the end of the experiment). Moreover, AQ release to the culture medium was observed in B51/2 (∼10% of total AQs). The different performance of hairy roots in these culture media may be due to a limiting nutrient (other than carbon source) in B51/2. Elicitation in B51/2 with methyl jasmonate (100 μM) resulted in a massive accumulation of intracellular (between 1.5 and 2.4-fold increases) and also extracellular AQs (up to 8.1 fold-increase compared with control at 4 days post-elicitation), which could ease AQ purification. These results prove the usefulness of combining different approaches to enhance secondary metabolite accumulation in plant in vitro cultures, in order to develop an optimized productive process. Fil: Perassolo, Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Nanobiotecnología. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Nanobiotecnología; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología; Argentina Fil: Cardillo, Alejandra Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Nanobiotecnología. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Nanobiotecnología; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología; Argentina Fil: Mugas, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Farmacia. Cátedra de Farmacognosia; Argentina Fil: Núñez Montoya, Susana Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Farmacia. Cátedra de Farmacognosia; Argentina Fil: Giulietti, Ana Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Nanobiotecnología. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Nanobiotecnología; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología; Argentina Fil: Rodriguez Talou, Julian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Nanobiotecnología. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Nanobiotecnología; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología; Argentina

In this study, eco-friendly 100% nettle bast bio-fibre fabric was dyed with eco-friendly natural dye, madder (Rubia tinctorum L.), using alternative dyeing methods such as ultrasound and microwave energy. Dyeings were performed with conventional-exhaustion, ultrasound and microwave methods using green tea and alum as mordants. The colorimetric, colour fastness properties and FTIR-ATR spectra of the nettle-biofibres dyed were investigated. Although the colour strengths of the microwave and ultrasound energy-aided dyeings were not as high as in conventional dyeings, the usage of microwave-energy in dyeing is important in terms of shortening the process time. All dyed nettle fabrics exhibited very high and commercially acceptable wash, dry-rub, alkaline-perspiration, acidic-perspiration and water fastness properties. Overall the conventional and ultrasound dyeing methods caused slightly higher light fastness than the microwave assisted dyeing method. © 2017, Institute of Biopolymers and Chemical Fibres. All rights reserved.

This research suggests a green method for synthesizing hybrid magnetic nanocomposites that can be used as a reductant and a stabilizing agent for immobilizing metal nanoparticles (NPs). The central idea is the modification of magnetic NPs using Rubia tinctorum extract, which consists of numerous carbonyl and phenolic hydroxyl functional groups to increase adsorption of metals and chelate silver ions, and decrease the adsorption of silver ions by Ag NPs, in situ. Thus, the suggested catalyst preparation process does not require toxic reagents, additional reductants, and intricate instruments. To show the effectiveness of the plant extract in reducing and immobilizing Ag NPs, the structural, morphological, and physicochemical features of the particles are studied using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, X-ray diffraction analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. One of the advantages of the suggested method is to reduce the size of the magnetic NPs from 15–20 to 2–5 nm, in the presence of the extract. Additionally, the prepared Fe3O4@R. tinctorum/Ag nanocatalyst is demonstrated to exhibit a very high activity in the catalysis of the three-component reaction of aldehydes, amines, and alkynes (A3 coupling) with good to high yields of diverse propargylamines. Moreover, the nanocatalyst can be recovered several times with no considerable leaching or loss of performance.

Coloration and surface modification of woven polyester (PET) fabric with bio-based materials and plasma technology have been researched for the development of “greener” textile wet processing. Natural coloring species from the root of madder (Rubia tinctorum L.) were used for coloration, both in a dye and pigment form, and the coloration of PET was explored both through mordant free exhaustion dyeing and a continuous padding process applied after PET fabric surface modification. The influence of the main dyeing conditions (dyebath pH, dyeing temperature and dyeing time) on exhaustion dyeing performance, as well as the influence of fabric surface modification(s) on the coloration performance by the padding method, was explored. The surface modifications were based on air atmospheric plasma treatment and/or deposition of chitosan bio-polymer. The coloration was evaluated by measuring the color yield (K/S) and the durability properties of the colored samples. The PET surface treatments were characterized by capillarity and zeta potential measurements. Optimum dyeing conditions were reached at pH 5 with a dyeing temperature of 130 °C for 45 min. The most favorable PET surface for coloration by the padding method was obtained with a pre-treatment combination, namely fabric surface activation by plasma treatment before chitosan deposition. This combination increased both wet pick-up and madder adhesion and indeed, a madder colored PET fabric with hydrophilic properties was obtained. Increased zeta potential and increased capillary uptake, in the presence of chitosan with a prior surface activation of the fabric using plasma treatment, would explain the interesting coloration results. Generally, the madder dye was superior to the madder pigment for bio-based coloration of PET and an interesting alternative to synthetic dyes for PET.

Due to the lower cost, natural dye molecules are good alternatives for the ruthenium based sensitizers in the dye-sensitized solar cells. In this article, we have reported the natural sensitizer based dye-sensitized solar cells fabricated using TiO 2 nanorods. Rutile phase TiO 2 nanorods have been synthesized by template free hydrothermal method which results in TiO 2 nanorods in the form of acropora corals. These TiO 2 nanorods have been sensitized by flowers of Sesbania grandiflora , leaves of Camellia sinensis and roots of Rubia tinctorum . The maximum conversion efficiency of 1.53% has been obtained for TiO 2 nanorods based solar cells sensitized with the leaves of Camellia sinensis . The flowers of Sesbania grandiflora and roots of Rubia tinctorum sensitized TiO 2 nanorods based solar cells exhibited an efficiency of 0.65% and 1.28% respectively.

Rosmarinus officinalis L. is a phenolic-rich plant. Because of its phenolic content, browning is an obstacle while obtaining callus from its stem explants. In this study, silver nanoparticles were synthesized through a biological procedure and used in surface sterilization of R. officinalis stem explants. Extracts of Rubia tinctorum cell culture biomass were used in bioreduction of Ag+ to Ago. 10 ml extract was added to 90 ml 1 mM AgNO3 solution. The color of the mixture started to turn pink 1 h after mixing, which reflected the formation of silver nanoparticles. After 24 h, the mixture was used for surface sterilization. Sterile explant percentages varied between 40 and 97 %. No browning was observed during surface sterilization and the culture period. Moreover, all of the sterile explants formed yellow callus tissues that turned green in the second week of their formation. Due to their non-toxic nature, silver nanoparticles showed no adverse effects on stem explants. The results showed that this method can be used in surface sterilization of plant explants, especially those which have a browning problem caused by their phenolic contents. Furthermore, because of the non-toxicity of silver nanoparticles, they may serve as an alternative method for surface sterilization for explants which are easily damaged by commonly used surface sterilizing agents.

In this study, an alternative cleaner process over traditional metallic mordanting process for wool dyeing with madder, Rubia tinctorum L., root natural dye was presented. Wool surface was modified with novel eco-friendly and biocompatible cationizing agent having numerous free amine groups, namely chitosan–polypropylene imine dendrimer hybrid (CS-PPI). Modified wool demonstrated remarkable increase in dye uptake as compared to raw wool. Optimal dyeing results were obtained when CS-PPI 7 %, madder dye 20 % and dyeing pH 7 were employed. Dyeing results such as percent dye exhaustion and color depth emphasized auxiliary agents, i.e., metallic mordant and acid could be eliminated from wool dyeing process with madder dye. Saturation point shifted to lower dye concentrations in the treated wool suggested the same color depth could be obtained using lower amount of crude dye material. Wool modification with CS-PPI demonstrated no adverse impact on other properties such as colorfastness and color shade characteristics. In addition, treated wool exhibited excellent antimicrobial activity (nearly 100 % microbial reduction) against two common pathogenic microorganisms, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus which were almost durable after dyeing and subsequent repeated washes. In general, the results of this investigation showed that CS-PPI can be employed as an alternative eco-friendly “bio-mordant” as well as effective antimicrobial finishing material in wool dyeing with madder dye.

Background: Although carmine, as a synthetic dye, is the major substance for staining helminths, it may impose some adverse effects on human health. In the present study, we evaluated the aqueous extracts of onion (Allium cepa) skin, walnut (Juglans regia) husk, and madder (Rubia tinctorum) roots as potential herbal dyes for staining parasitic helminths. Methods: Aqueous solutions (5%, 10% and 20%, w/v) of each herbal prepared from dried and powdered husk of walnut, skins of red onion, and madder roots in distilled water. Parasitic helminths including Fasciola spp., Dicrocoelium denderiticum, Echinococcus gronulosus protoscolices, Moniezia spp., and Haemonchus contortus were stained by different concentrations of herbal dyes according to carmine staining method. The structural clarity and quality of stained internal organs of the helminths such as suckers, intestine, and reproductive systems were scored by semi-quantitative evaluation in comparison with carmine stained samples. Results: The optimum concentrations of extracts for helminths staining were 10% (w/v) of A. cepa and J. regia, and 20% (w/v) of R. tinctorum with final scores of 3.1, 3 and 2.8, respectively. In general, A. cepa and J. regia extracts showed higher quality in staining Platyhelminthes, while R. tinctorum extract presented relatively higher quality in staining Nematoda. Conclusion: Considering proper quality of A. cepa, J. regia and R. tinctorum extracts in staining the helminths, they may be safe, eco-friendly, and inexpensive alternatives to carmine dye.

Strontium Titanate nanoparticles have been synthesized by a sol–gel method in presence of N,N′-bis(2-hydroxy-1-naphthyl) ethylenediamine as capping agent. The nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared techniques and UV–visible scanning spectrometer. The photo-anode for solar cell have been prepared by these nanoparticles and sensitized by natural extract as sensitizers. Four alcoholic extraction have been obtained from walnut sell, eggplant peel, Rubia tinctorum and alcea. These materials have been boiled and refluxed by alcohol to achieve the extract of them. The photovoltaic behavior of solar cells sensitized by natural extraction have been studied via I–V curve. The cells sensitized by the ethanolic extraction of eggplant peel show the maximum of Voc and the maximum of Jsc recorded for walnut shell and the best efficiency and the maximum of field factor in natural sensitizers observed for the cell that sensitized by ethanolic extraction of alcea.

Plant in vitro culture is a platform for producing secondary metabolites that combines safety, quality and low environmental impact. Besides, it is possible to increase the accumulation of these compounds by different strategies, such as elicitation. In this work, we analyzed the effects of the combination of methyl jasmonate (MeJ) and two cyclodextrins (CDs) on the production of anthraquinones (AQs) in cell cultures of Rubiaceae (Morinda citrifolia and Rubia tinctorum). These secondary metabolites have been traditionally used as dyes and have interesting therapeutic applications. The experiments were designed according to a full factorial design of two factors (MeJ and a CD) in two levels (0 and 0.1 mM for MeJ, and 0 and 20 mM of the CD). MeJ and (2-hydroxypropyl)-β-cyclodextrin (HPCD) synergistically increased intracellular AQ content in suspension cultures of R. tinctorum, and, to a lesser extent, in suspension cultures of M. citrifolia. Combination of MeJ with another CD, 2-methyl-β-cyclodextrin, led to a more intense and later increase in AQ content in cell cultures of R. tinctorum when compared to MeJ–HPCD treatment. However, the combination of CD and MeJ failed to induce a drastic AQ release to the culture media. Nevertheless, our results show that combination of strategies (using a CD and MeJ) was successful to increase secondary metabolite accumulation in suspension cultures. To our knowledge, this is the first report of synergistic effect of MeJ and CD on AQ accumulation in plant in vitro cultures.

Madder (Rubia tinctorum L.) has been exploited as a dye throughout history. The roots of the plant are very rich in the highly coloured glycosidic compounds ruberythric acid and lucidin primeveroside, alongside the corresponding aglycons which can be readily formed by deglycosylation, particularly during extraction. Supported by (1)H and (13)C NMR data, the conclusive X-ray crystal structure of the natural dye ruberythric acid is presented for the first time. The solid state structure revealed extensive intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions between the sugar moieties in the unit cell, but only intramolecular hydrogen bonding through the hydroxyquinone groups. There is also some additional π-π stacking from the anthraquinone moiety.

Madder has been used as a textile dye and pigment in works of art since antiquity. Madder dyes from different botanical species are characterized by different series of anthraquinone derivatives. The occurrence of one or more of these compounds in various relative amounts may provide a useful indication of the plant species used to obtain the dye. In this work, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) was applied to the analysis of textile fibers dyed with madder from two different botanical species, Oldenlandia umbellata L. and Rubia tinctorum L. The resulting SERS spectra were interpreted in light of the actual composition of the madder dyes as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Interestingly, the SERS spectra were found to exhibit very distinctive spectral features depending on the different anthraquinone derivatives present in the dyes. In particular, the SERS spectrum of O. umbellata L. was found to match the spectrum of alizarin, while the SERS spectrum of R. tinctorum L. was surprisingly dominated by signals due to the less studied anthraquinone compound pseudopurpurin. With this study, we demonstrate that SERS spectra may offer valuable information regarding the major coloring constituents present in different madder species. Moreover, our work shows that not only can SERS be used successfully to differentiate among closely related anthraquinone derivatives, but also that this technique is particularly suitable for the detection of pseudopurpurin, leading to the identification of this compound in a number of works of art. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In this work, the dyeing behavior of wool fabrics with madder was studied. The effect of different mordants (potassium dichromate, stannous chloride, alum, ferrous sulfate, lime, copper(I, II) sulfate, cobalt chloride, and nickel chloride) with three mordanting procedures (pre-, meta-, and post-mordanting) on color characteristics of the dyed samples was also investigated. The adsorption of madder on wool fibers was found to follow Freundlich type of isotherm. The addition of salt and acid (pH 4.5) to the dyebath increased the dye adsorption. Mordanting with different mordants and mordanting procedures showed a variety of color characteristics of the dyed wool fabrics. The results showed that all color characteristics of the dyed samples were in the first quadrant of CIE L * a * b * color space. Mordanting with potassium dichromate, ferrous sulfate, and copper(I, II) sulfate showed the darker shades and lower chromaticity values while stannous chloride and alum gave the lighter shades and higher chromaticity values. The minimum color difference (ΔE) was obtained from mordanting with the chlorides of cobalt and nickel. The wash and light fastness of the mordanted samples were higher than those of the un-mordanted one.

Background: Few past studies have indicated antispasmodic and anti-oxidative effects of some species of Rubiaceae. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Rubia tinctorum L. (madder) root on the rat-isolated aorta and possible protective effects against the damage caused by hyperglycemic environment. Methods: The isolated thoracic aorta ring (with or without endothelium) was treated with phenylephrine (10-6 M) or KCl (80 mM) plus madder (0.1, 0.5, 1, and 5 mg/mL) and madder alone. The effect of madder alone and combined with phenylephrine (10-6 M) was studied in Ca2+-free Krebs. To investigate the effect of madder on aorta under oxidative stress, the aorta response to acetylcholine (10-5 M) following three hours incubation with high glucose (44 mM) with or without madder (0.5 mg/mL) was measured. Results: Madder did not have any significant effect on pre-contracted aorta with phenylephrine or KCl; however, madder alone could contract aorta concentration dependently (P < 0.01). In Ca2+-free Krebs, the contractile responses of aorta to madder or madder plus phenylephrine reduced up to 60% (P < 0.05). After three hours incubation of aorta ring with high glucose, aorta response to acetylcholine was vasoconstriction. Adding 0.5 mg/mL madder to hyperglycemic solution apparently preserved acetylcholine vasodilatory effect on aorta (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that madder induces a vasoconstriction effect on aorta in vitro, which probably is related to facilitated entry and sensitivity of muscle cells to calcium. Madder also may have protective effects in aorta, probably against oxidative damage of high concentration glucose.

Plant extracts have acquired tremendous commercial potential for their use in textile dyeing and finishing applications instead of toxic synthetic dyes which produce hazardous chemicals. Synthetic dyes particularly azo dyes have been banned in many countries. On the other hand, polymer and textile scientists have focussed their momentum to investigate dyeing chemicals and auxiliaries from plant materials. Phytochemicals including colorants from plant extracts exhibit many advantageous functions such as better biodegradability, higher compatibility with the environment, lower toxicity and also produce soft and sober shades. Among different fibres cotton has been extensively dyed with colorants derived from plant sources such as Weld (Reseda luteola), Annato (Bixa orellana), Sage (Salvia officinalis), Henna (Lawsonia inermis), Saffron (Crocus sativus), Madder (Rubia tinctorum, R. cordifolia), and Sappanwood (Caesalpinia sappan). In this chapter we review some of the commonly used plant extracts in cotton dyeing. This chapter also describes latest research that is underway in this area to replace metal salt mordants which create pollution and human health problems.

Two easily performed procedures – one sequential injection (SIA) and the other stepwise injection (SWIA) – based on on-line ultrasound-assisted surfactant-mediated extraction followed by spectrophotometric determination of total anthraquinones in medicinal plants are presented. Powdered samples containing Frangula alnus (cortex) and Rubia tinctorum (roots and rhizomes) were placed in the bottom of an extraction chamber connected to an automatic manifold; the chamber was then immersed into an ultrasonic bath and a solution of Triton X-100 was applied as the extraction medium at 75 °C and under ultrasonication. The extract was submitted on-line for spectrophotometric detection at 435 nm wavelength, and the content of anthraquinones was evaluated using Alizarin as the calibration standard. The linear ranges were up to 0.05 and 0.2 g L− 1 of Alizarin, and the detection limits, calculated as 3 s of a blank test (n = 10), were found to be 0.55 mg L− 1 for SIA and 4 mg L− 1 for SWIA, respectively. The relative standard deviation, assessed through ten replicate measurements of real samples, varied in the range 1.1–4.6% for both developed procedures. The suggested procedures were validated according to reference methods. The sampling frequencies were 12 h− 1 for SIA and 6 h− 1 for SWIA, respectively.

Two new species of mites (Acari: Eriophyoidea) are described from Rubia tinctorum L. (Rubiaceae) in the south-west of East Azerbaijan Province, Iran: Leipothrix retidorsi sp. nov. and Aculops rubitinctus sp. nov. This is the first record of the genus Leipothrix from Rubiaceae and the first record of Aculops from the genus Rubia.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F080405B-D6B0-4E4D-B568-09A504E68C77

Although madder (Rubia tinctorum) has been used as a well-known natural textile dye source for dyeing of natural fibers such as wool, silk and cotton, 100 % polyester dyeing with madder is not common. In this study, polyester samples were dyed with madder at different dyeing temperatures, from 60 °C to 130 °C, in company with 7 chemical and 5 natural mordants. Color properties and rub, light and wash fastness performances were investigated. Different shades of orange, brown, pink and reddish green colors were obtained. Dyeing at 130 °C exhibited the highest color yield, the highest chroma and the lowest lightness values. Overall, chemical mordants exhibited higher color yields than natural mordants. High wash fatness, moderate light and rub fastness levels were observed. The potassium bitartrate and gallnut, a natural mordant, exhibited the best results. The madder dyeing of polyester should be carried out at hot temperature conditions, 130 °C, in order to obtain the highest achievable color yield and chroma with the highest light and wash fastness properties. © 2014 The Korean Fiber Society and Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

This paper discusses the current aspects of improving the standardization method of medicinal plant raw materials of Rubia cordifolia L. New approaches for quantitative analysis of rhizome with roots of Rubia cordifolia were introduced, which consist in using of the method of Spectrophotometry at an analytical wavelength of 520 nm and the use of ultrasound for the maximum output of anthracen derivatives from raw materials. At present, the basis of the technology for extracting of medicinal substances from animal and plant tissues is most often the inefficient and lengthy process of extraction. Low-frequency ultrasound significantly reduces the extraction time. During the passage of ultrasound through a molecule, its light part will oscillate in resonance with the frequency of the wave, and the heavy part will lag behind. As a result, there will be zones of tension, considerable friction forces, superior to the forces of chemical bonding, a rupture of the whole substance molecule will occur. This topic is relevant today, as the development and application of ultrasound technology now opens up new perspectives. Using the improved technique, we found that the content of the total anthracen derivatives in samples of medicinal plant raw materials of Rubia tinctorum varies from 0, 56% to 1, 37% (calculated on ruberythric acid).The results indicate the maximum yield of anthracen derivatives from medicinal plant raw materials of Rubia cordifolia and the feasibility of further research in the development of new drugs.

In this paper we analyzed the natural dyes in well-preserved, ancient textiles from Yingpan, an important archaeological site on the Silk Road, using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array and mass spectrometric detection. Dyes were removed from textile fibers using a soft extraction method (pyridine, water and oxalic acid). Two species of madder-type plants, Rubia tinctorum and Rubia cordifolia were identified as the dye sources in red and brown samples. We also were able to detect unusual flavonoid glycosides in yellow and green woolen yarns, although we have not been able to pinpoint with certainty a specific plant that may have been used to produce this dye(s). On the other hand, we found that yellow and green silk threads had been colored with protoberberine-type dyes, probably obtained from species of cork tree, Phellodendron spp., and/or other protoberberine producing plant. We propose that the textile dyes found at Yingpan reflect a merging of Eastern and Western practices and technologies during the 800-year period (206 BCE–618 CE) encompassing the early years of the Silk Road.

Some of the most effective anti-mitotic microtubule-binding agents, such as paclitaxel (Taxus brevifolia) were originally discovered through robust NCI botanical screenings. In this study, a high-through microarray format was utilized to screen 897 aqueous extracts of commonly used natural products (0.00015–0.5 mg/ml) relative to paclitaxel for anti-mitotic effects (independent of toxicity) on proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells. The data obtained showed that less than 1.34 % tested showed inhibitory growth (IG50) properties

Due to toxic and adverse side effects of synthetic drugs, traditional herbal medicine has the potential as a source of new bioactive molecules. That is why we investigated this research, searching new anti-inflammatory drugs from plants growing around us. The anti-inflammatory effect of the mixture of different plants used in traditional medicine (Alkanna tinctoria, Rubia tinctorum and Artemisia herba alba) were studied using carrageenan-induced paw edema (oil mixture extract 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg). These material reduces carrageenan-induced inflammation in rats and shows inhibition after 4 h especially at a concentration 200 mg/ kg. Oil mixture extract were investigated by capillary GC and GC-MS in combination with retention indices revealed the presence of about 17 compounds: artemisol, epiglobulol and α-bisabolol are the main constituents as well as volatile oil and other triterpenes: taraxasterol, stigmasterol, ursan-12-ene, olean-12-ene, betulin, germincol, lupeol acetate and lupeol. Other heterocyclic compounds: moropholine and piperidinol were also identified

Lithium pollution may seriously influence the metabolic and signalling processes of plants. In the present paper, we investigate the effect of lithium chloride on fungal elicitor-triggered H2O2 generation in Rubia tinctorum L. cell cultures. Our results show that Li+ strongly influences elicitor-induced H2O2 formation and time-course in the cells nad culture medium. Neomycin, a phospholipase C inhibitor, and 2-APB, an inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) receptormediated Ca2+ release blocker, strongly affected the elicitor-induced H2O2 production and had a similar effect on elicitor-triggered H2O2 formation as Li+. We monitored changes in H2O2 location at subcellular level and our observations confirmed the changes measured by quantitative methods. The obtained results enabled us to deduce that the IP3 pathway might be involved in the early signalling events leading to the moderation of elicitor-induced reactive oxygen species generation.