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Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus Nees, a medicinal plant belonging to the family Acanthaceae, has been used by traditional healers of northeast India for medicinal values. Other genera of this family, such as Andrographis paniculata and Adhatoda vasica are used extensively for their therapeutic properties. Unlike these species, minimal scientific reports are available on the phytochemical constitution of P. thyrsiflorus. The present work provides the qualitative and quantitative estimation of pharmacologically important terpenoids and β- Sitosterol present in the plant's leaf, flower, and root. Ultra - high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electro spray ionisation mass spectrometry in positive ionization mode was used to identify and quantitate. The identified terpeniods were three labdane diterpenoids (Andrographolide, Neoandrographolide, 14- Deoxyandrographolide), and two cyclic triterpenoids (Betulin and β- Sitosterol). Quantitation was carried out for all the identified secondary metabolites except 14- Deoxyandrographolide. Almost all the identified secondary metabolites were found in a substantial amount in different extracts. Andrographolide and Neoandrographolide were found in the highest quantity in the leaf extracts (2245.63 ± 0.07 ng ml−1 in aqueous extract and 300.72 ± 0.93 ng ml−1 in 50% methanolic extract). A significant amount of Betulin and β- Sitosterol were obtained in leaf and root extracts (55.05 ± 0.53 ng ml−1 in 100% methanolic extract and 1691.50 ± 2.72 ng ml−1in aqueous extract respectively) of P. thyrsiflorus. To our knowledge, this is the first report for quantitative estimation of the terpenoids present in P. thyrsiflorus. This report confirms the richness of pharmacologically important metabolites in this underutilized plant with potential medicinal applications.

The mangrove ecosystem is being intensively studied with the hope of discovering new chemical entities with biomedical potentials. A number of biologically active compounds with varying degrees of action such as anticancer, antiulcer, antioxidant, antidiabetic and antimicrobial properties have been isolated from mangroves. Totally 81 mangrove species have been reported worldwide, of which 46 species are reported to occur in India. Among these, around 36 mangrove species are used in traditional medicine. Approximately 249 bioactive compounds have been isolated from 18 species, and the remaining species are yet to be screened. Biologically active compounds such as limonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, glycosides, steroids, flavonoids, esters, quinones, phenols, acids, aliphatic alcohol, amides, lactones, aliphatic ketones, and benzodioxols have been derived from the leaves, stems, barks, fruits, and seeds of Indian mangrove plants. This review examines the current trends in the screening and biological activity of metabolites from the Indian mangroves. This comprehensive review in turn can serve as a potential resource for future drug development endeavours.

The molluscicidal activity of six monoterpenes and two phenylpropenes against Theba pisana adults was evaluated using fumigation and direct contact methods. In the fumigant toxicity assay, (-)-citronellal showed the highest toxicity with LC50 value of 7.79 μl · l−1 air after 24 h of treatment, followed by (-)-terpinen-4-ol (LC50 = 12.06 μl · l−1), (-)-menthone (LC50 = 12.28 μl · l−1 air) and p-cymene (LC50 = 16.07 μl · l−1 air). Eugenol and trans-cinnamaldehyde were the most potent contact toxicants against T. pisana. Their LD50 values were 0.18 and 0.29 mg · snail−1 after 24 h of treatment, respectively. These two compounds were more toxic than a reference molluscicide, methomyl. In contrast, α-terpinene and (-)-citronellal were the least toxic compounds. In another experiment, the synergistic effect of piperonyl butoxide (PBO) on tested monoterpenes and phenylpropenes by topical application was examined. The results showed that the toxicity of the tested compounds was increased when mixed with PBO at a ratio [compound/PBO (1 : 2)] except for α-pinene and (-)-terpinen-4-ol in which the toxicity of binary mixtures was less than for single compounds. The synergistic effect of PBO improved with increased exposure time. The highest synergistic effect was observed with (-)-menthone and α-terpinene with synergistic ratios of 9.25 and 4.37, respectively. Monoterpenes and phenylpropenes and their mixtures with PBO described herein merit further studies as potential T. pisana control agents.

Pometia pinnata is a plant belonging to the Sapindaceae family that spread in the tropics, including Indonesia, which can be used as antioxidants. It is known to contain flavonoid compounds. Flavonoid is a substance that has antioxidants in capturing free radicals because it contains a hydroxyl group which is a reducer and can be beneficial for hydrogen donors to free radicals. This study aims to determine the chemical content and antioxidant activity of Pometia pinnata skin using 1,1-Diphenyl-2-Picrylhidrazyl (DPPH). Sample extraction was conducted using a multilevel extraction method with n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and ethanol as solvents. The results showed that Pometia pinnata skin extract contains Alkaloids, Flavonoids, Saponins, Tannins, Steroids, and Terpenoids. While the value of antioxidant activity showed the IC50 value of n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and ethanol extracts are 25, 5, 9, 4 µg/mL. The IC50 value indicates that the antioxidant activity is in an extremely strong category.

Abstract: Recent advancements in medicinal research have identified several antiviral and anticancer terpenoids that are usually deployed as a source of flavor, fragrances and pharmaceuticals. Under the current COVID-19 pandemic conditions, natural therapeutics with the least side effects are the need of the hour to save the patients, especially, which are pre-affected with other medical complications. Although plants are the major sources of terpenoids; however, for the environmental concerns, the global interest has shifted to the biocatalytic production of molecules from microbial sources. The gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis is a suitable host in this regard due to its GRAS (generally regarded as safe) status, ease in genetic manipulations and wide industrial acceptability. The B. subtilis synthesizes its terpenoid molecules from 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate (DXP) pathway, a common route in almost all microbial strains. Here, we summarize the computational and synthetic biology approaches to improve the production of terpenoid-based therapeutics from B. subtilis by utilizing DXP pathway. We focus on the in-silico approaches for screening the functionally improved enzyme-variants of the two crucial enzymes namely, the DXP synthase (DXS) and Farnesyl Pyrophosphate Synthase (FPPS). The approaches for engineering the active sites are subsequently explained. It will be helpful to construct the functionally improved enzymes for the high-yield production of terpenoid-based anticancer and antiviral metabolites, which would help to reduce the cost and improve the availability of such therapeutics for the humankind.

Moroccan medicinal plants exhibit several pharmacological properties such as antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effects, which are related to the presence of numerous bioactive compounds, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, and terpenoids. In the present review, we systematically evaluate previously published reports on the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Moroccan medicinal plants. The in vitro investigations revealed that Moroccan medicinal plants inhibit several enzymes related to inflammatory processes, whereas in vivo studies noted significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects as demonstrated using different experimental models. Various bioactive compounds exhibiting in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, with diverse mechanisms of action, have been identified. Some plants and their bioactive compounds revealed specific secondary metabolites that possess important anti-inflammatory effects in clinical investigations. Our review proposes the potential applications of Moroccan medicinal plants as sources of anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents.

Coronaviruses have caused worldwide outbreaks in different periods. SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) was the first emerged virus from this family, followed by MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) and SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV or COVID 19), which is newly emerged. Many studies have been conducted on the application of chemical and natural drugs for treating these coronaviruses and they are mostly focused on inhibiting the proteases of viruses or blocking their protein receptors through binding to amino acid residues. Among many substances which are introduced to have an inhibitory effect against coronaviruses through the mentioned pathways, natural components are of specific interest. Secondary and primary metabolites from plants, are considered as potential drugs to have an inhibitory effect on coronaviruses. IC50 value (the concentration in which there is 50% loss in enzyme activity), molecular docking score and binding energy are parameters to understand the ability of metabolites to inhibit the specific virus. In this study we reviewed 154 papers on the effect of plant metabolites on different coronaviruses and data of their IC50 values, molecular docking scores and inhibition percentages are collected in tables. Secondary plant metabolites such as polyphenol, alkaloids, terpenoids, organosulfur compounds, saponins and saikosaponins, lectins, essential oil, and nicotianamine, and primary metabolites such as vitamins are included in this study.

The genus Fuchsia is generally used in herbal preparations to treat conditions caused by microorganisms. Based on the popular use of this type of plants, the objective of this study was to obtain sequential extracts of increasing polarity from the branches of Fuchsia lycioides by maceration at room temperature and by the Soxhlet method at 60ºC, to later evaluate the antifungal capacity of the extracts against different clinical isolates of the Candida genus. The ethyl acetate extract exhibited strong anti-fungal activity, selectively inhibiting C. albicans strains with MIC and CMF values of 10 and 15 µg/mL, respectively; comparable with the drug itraconazole®. The analysis of the extract by GC-MS showed a high concentration of terpenoids (mainly phytol) and phenylpropanoids (mainly cinnamic acid), possibly responsible for the antifungal activity of the ethyl acetate extract of F. lycioides.

Covering: up to 2021Terpenoids are a diverse group of chemicals used in a wide range of industries. Microbial terpenoid production has the potential to displace traditional manufacturing of these compounds with renewable processes, but further titre improvements are needed to reach cost competitiveness. This review discusses strategies to increase terpenoid titres in Escherichia coli with a focus on alternative metabolic pathways. Alternative pathways can lead to improved titres by providing higher orthogonality to native metabolism that redirects carbon flux, by avoiding toxic intermediates, by bypassing highly-regulated or bottleneck steps, or by being shorter and thus more efficient and easier to manipulate. The canonical 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) and mevalonate (MVA) pathways are engineered to increase titres, sometimes using homologs from different species to address bottlenecks. Further, alternative terpenoid pathways, including additional entry points into the MEP and MVA pathways, archaeal MVA pathways, and new artificial pathways provide new tools to increase titres. Prenyl diphosphate synthases elongate terpenoid chains, and alternative homologs create orthogonal pathways and increase product diversity. Alternative sources of terpenoid synthases and modifying enzymes can also be better suited for E. coli expression. Mining the growing number of bacterial genomes for new bacterial terpenoid synthases and modifying enzymes identifies enzymes that outperform eukaryotic ones and expand microbial terpenoid production diversity. Terpenoid removal from cells is also crucial in production, and so terpenoid recovery and approaches to handle end-product toxicity increase titres. Combined, these strategies are contributing to current efforts to increase microbial terpenoid production towards commercial feasibility.

Background and aim: Traditional medicine relies heavily on the use of compounds-rich plants, like those of the Asteraceae family, many of such species are commercially available in the form of herbal preparations. These are particularly rich in a wide range of natural terpenoids named sesquiterpene lactones, the active principles in some cases. Inula viscosa(L.) Aiton (Family Asteraceae, Tribe Inuleae), currently classified as Dittrichia viscose (L.) Greuter, is an invasive weed widely distributed in the Mediterranean region. This species and its components present a broad range of biological activities (anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiulcer, antiviral, antiparasitic). Its extracts are particularly rich in terpenoids, in particular eudesmane acids, notably α-isocostic acid (present in the aerial parts but not in the roots).Methods: Bioguided assays on the studied plant parts (aerial parts, flowers, streams, roots) have been undertaken, then in vitroBiological assays were investigated through: quantification of Bioactive compounds as total phenols and flavonoids, isolation and characterization of main compound α-isocostic acid by 1H and 2D COSY NMR analysis, assessment of antioxidant activity via Reducing power, CUPRAC, hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl, DPPH, ABTS free radicals scavenging tests, and antimicrobial activity.Results: Phytochemical analysis reveled flower extract as the richest extract in phenols, flavonoids and α-isocostic acid, root extract is the poorest one, obtained results showed a high correlation with in vitro antioxidant activities, which were assessed by the indirect antioxidant potent, Ferric reducing power FRAP as it is a widely used preliminary test to evaluate reducing capacity of oxygen generating species OGS (H2O2), which can in turn generate free radicals (OH), in addition to CUPRAC test, DPPH and ABTS free radicals scavenging, the main responsible of oxidative stress associated with several pathologies like cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, cancer and aging, The antimicrobial potent evaluated against 4 referential bacteria Escherichia coliATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosaATCC 27853and Klebsiella pneumoniaATCC 700603 Gram-negative, Staphylococcus aureusATCC 25923 Gram-positive and one fungi Trichoderma harzianum Rifai (usually used as biopesticid) exhibit root part almost as better extract.Conclusion: The hypothesis that sesquiterpens as α-isocostic acid, widely present in Inula viscosaare responsible of its biological activity was proposed. We demonstrate by bioguided assays on different plant parts, that it is not reliable for all tested applications, in case of antimicrobial ones, results suggest that it is mediated by roots system.

Natural products have become a promising therapy for many pathogenic infectious conditions. In the present study, leaves of P. cablin were extracted using Hexane and ethyl acetate. Leaf Ethyl acetate extract showed significantly better antimicrobial activity against both Staphylococcus aureus 6538 (Gram-positive) (SA) and Klebsiella pneumonia ATCC 27,736 (Gram-negative) bacteria compared to the Hexane extract and was subjected to phytochemical analysis and chromatographic seperation. Phytochemical analysis of P. cablin leaf EtOAc extract showed the presence of Tannins, Flavanoids and Terpenoids. Subjecting the EtOAc leaf extract to column chromatographic separation resulted in the isolation of a trimethoxy flavone, pachypodol.

Solanum trilobatum Linn (Solanaceae) is one of the most important medicinal plants used in the treatment of various type of diseases. The present study emphasizes the formulation of cookies and evaluation of its nutritive analysis. Phytochemical screening of the S. trilobatum leaves revealed the presence of flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, and phenols. The aqueous extract of S. trilobatum tested for its antibacterial activity revealed good inhibition against E. coli, K. pneumoniae and P. vulgaris. The highest inhibition rate of 13.5 ± 0.25 mm was observed against K. pneumoniae at the concentration of 80 µg/µl. Aqueous extract of S. trilobatum contains 18.683 QE/g of flavonoids and 724.76 µg/g of total phenol corresponding to the concentration of 100 µg/ml. Drying characteristics of S. trilobatum leaves was studied by Lewis and page models. Drying kinetics of S. trilobatum leaves was well fitted with the Page model with determination coefficient of 0.9342. Among the different flour base ingredients tested, S. trilobatum based cookies formulated with multigrain-palm sugar has better acceptance level with good flavour. The proximate analysis of multigrain-palm sugar revealed that S. trilobatum cookies contain 52% carbohydrate, 5.4% protein, 19% fat and 0.9% fibre.

Parasitic diseases especially those prevail in tropical and subtropical regions severely threaten the lives of people due to available drugs found to be ineffective as several resistant strains have been emerged. Due to the complexity of the marine environment, researchers considered it as a new field to search for compounds with therapeutic efficacy, marine sponges represents the milestone in the discovery of unique compounds of potent activities against parasitic infections. In the present article, literatures published from 2010 until March 2021 were screened to review antiparasitic potency of bioactive compounds extracted from marine sponges. 45 different genera of sponges have been studied for their antiparasitic activities. The antiparasitic activity of the crude extract or the compounds that have been isolated from marine sponges were assayed in vitro against Plasmodium falciparum, P. berghei, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, T. b. brucei, T. cruzi, Leishmania donovani, L. tropica, L. infantum, L. amazonesis, L. major, L. panamesis, Haemonchus contortus and Schistosoma mansoni. The majority of antiparastic compounds extracted from marine sponges were related to alkaloids and peroxides represent the second important group of antiparasitic compounds extracted from sponges followed by terpenoids. Some substances have been extracted and used as antiparasitic agents to a lesser extent like steroids, amino acids, lipids, polysaccharides and isonitriles. The activities of these isolated compounds against parasites were screened using in vitro techniques. Compounds' potent activity in screened papers was classified in three categories according to IC50: low active or inactive, moderately active and good potent active.

Covering: through June 2021 Terpenoids are the largest class of natural products recognised to date. While mostly known to humans as bioactive plant metabolites and part of essential oils, structurally diverse terpenoids are increasingly reported to be produced by microorganisms. For many of the compounds biological functions are yet unknown, but during the past years significant insights have been obtained for the role of terpenoids in microbial chemical ecology. Their functions include stress alleviation, maintenance of cell membrane integrity, photoprotection, attraction or repulsion of organisms, host growth promotion and defense. In this review we discuss the current knowledge of the biosynthesis and evolution of microbial terpenoids, and their ecological and biological roles in aquatic and terrestrial environments. Perspectives on their biotechnological applications, knowledge gaps and questions for future studies are discussed.

Covering: 1928-2021Ginkgo biloba L. is one of the most distinctive plants to have emerged on earth and has no close living relatives. Owing to its phylogenetic divergence from other plants, G. biloba contains many compounds with unique structures that have served to broaden the chemical diversity of herbal medicine. Examples of such compounds include terpene trilactones (ginkgolides), acylated flavonol glycosides (ginkgoghrelins), biflavones (ginkgetin), ginkgotides and ginkgolic acids. The extract of G. biloba leaf is used to prevent and/or treat cardiovascular diseases, while many ginkgo-derived compounds are currently at various stages of preclinical and clinical trials worldwide. The global annual sales of G. biloba products are estimated to total US$10 billion. However, the content and purity of the active compounds isolated by traditional methods are usually low and subject to varying environmental factors, making it difficult to meet the huge demand of the international market. This highlights the need to develop new strategies for the preparation of these characteristic compounds from G. biloba. In this review, we provide a detailed description of the structures and bioactivities of these compounds and summarize the recent research on the development of strategies for the synthesis, biosynthesis, and biotechnological production of the characteristic terpenoids, flavonoids, and alkylphenols/alkylphenolic acids of G. biloba. Our aim is to provide an important point of reference for all scientists who research ginkgo-related compounds for medicinal or other purposes.

Studies on the essential oils for the phytochemical, larvicidal, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of vitex trifolia fresh leaves obtained from Ganye Local Government, Adamawa state, Nigeria were carried out. Out of the compounds with different concentrations obtained from the analysis, major constituents include caryophyllene, 4-methylidene-1-propan-2-ylbicyclo [3,1,0] hexane[sabinene], 2,6,6-trimethylbicyclo [3,1,1] hept-2-ene, naphthalene, 1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,8a-octahydro-7-methyl-4-methylene-1-[1–methylethyl] [1α,4αβ,8aα], [1Z,4Z,8Z]-2,6,6,9-tetramethylcycloundeca-1,4,8-triene, Naphtalene,1,2,3,5,6,8a-hexahydro-4,7-dimethyl-1-[1-methylethyl], [1S-cis]-, Naphthalene, decahydro-4a-methyl-1-methylene-7-[1-methylethenyl], terbenthene, 2-p-menthadiene and trans sabinene hydroxide which contains 22.80%, 27.40%, 7.70%, 5.23%, 4.90%, 3.52%, 4.14%, 3.52%, 3.52% and 1.03% respectively. In addition to the essential oils obtained, the results also depicted the presence of phytochemicals varying from terpenoids, glycoside, flavonoids and tannins. The displayed activity profile for the scavenging ability and high larvicidal activity of the essential oil from the sample depends on its concentration.

Diterpenoid 3-epicaryoptin (C26H36O9) is abundant in the leaves of Clerodendrum inerme, a traditionally used medicinal plant, having insect antifeedant activities. Here, we aim to explore the cytogenotoxic effects of compound 3-epicaryoptin in Allium cepa root apical meristem cells. A. cepa roots were treated with 3-epicaryoptin (100, 150 & 200 μg mL-1 concentration) and the standard compound colchicine (200 μg mL-1 concentration) for 2, 4, 4+16 h (4 h treatment followed by 16 h recovery). Cytogenotoxicity was analysed by studying the root growth retardation (RGR), mitotic index (MI), and cellular aberrations. The result showed statistically significant (pp-1) and which subsequently caused an increase in the frequency of MI (12.29±0.34 %, 150 μg mL-1) at 4h of 3-epicaryoptin treatment and that was comparable with the colchicine action. The cytological study revealed that the 3-epicaryoptin treatment could induce different types of chromosomal abnormalities such as colchicine like metaphase, vagrant chromosomes, sticky chromosomes, anaphase-bridge, and an increased frequency of micronuclei and polyploid cells. These findings indicate that 3-epicaryoptin is cytogenotoxic, and thus C. inerme should be used with caution in traditional medicine.

One of the local honey of South Sulawesi is Trigona honey which comes from Trigona spp. There are three types of trigona bees in South Sulawesi with each colony consisting of 300-80,000 individuals. Trigona bees are found nesting in hollow places such as logs, tree holes, and cracks in the walls of houses. The nest entrance is made of plant resin mixed with soil and mud, with different shapes and colors depending on the species. This type of bee produces a lot of propolis compared to honey and the price of honey produced is much higher because it has a chemical content (health benefits) that is much better than ordinary honey from the Apis mellifera group. This study was designed by extracting in ethanolic process at a concentration of 70%. The choice of concentration was based on previous research with an extraction temperature of 60 °C. The treatment of this research is to vary the time, namely 10 minutes, 20 minutes, and 30 minutes as a setting for the extraction time. Each treatment will be carried out in duplicate. This shows that in the honeycomb waste Trigona spp. contains terpenoids which are classified as antioxidants. Therefore, beehive waste Trigona spp. potential to be used as a source of antioxidants. In addition, several compounds are also relatively large antibacterial and anti-microbial compounds contained in the waste of Trigona spp beehives. The optimum solvent used by comparing the percentage of abundance (abundance/relative) through the percentage of the area and molecular stability after fragmentation is through the ethanolic process using ethanol solvent with percent abundance at 218 m/z and 189 m/z with the largest compound contained is Methyl Commate A and Alpha-Amyrin

Tropospheric ozone (O3) is among the most damaging air pollutant to plants. Plants alter the atmospheric O3 concentration in two distinct ways: (i) by the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are precursors of O3; and (ii) by dry deposition, which includes diffusion of O3 into vegetation through stomata and destruction by nonstomatal pathways. Isoprene, monoterpenes, and higher terpenoids are emitted by plants in quantities that alter tropospheric O3. Deposition of O3 into vegetation is related to stomatal conductance, leaf structural traits, and the detoxification capacity of the apoplast. The biochemical fate of O3 once it enters leaves and reacts with aqueous surfaces is largely unknown, but new techniques for the tracking and identification of initial products have the potential to open the black box.

Background: Licorice is widely used as a hepatoprotective herb for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and its main chemical constituent glycyrrhizin (GL) is used as a treatment for chronic hepatitis in Japan for over 20 years. 18β-Glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) is the main active metabolite of GL. Objective: Series of GA derivatives were designed and synthesized, and their anti-HCV activities were screened to investigate structure-activity relationship (SAR). Besides, their in-silico ADMET properties were analyzed to search for promising lead compound for further identification of anti-HCV terpenoid candidate. Methods: GA derivatives were synthesized via reactions of oxidation, oxime, rearrangement, esterification and acylation, etc. In vitro anti-HCV activity of derivatives was tested on the HCV cell culture (HCVcc) system. In-silico ADMET properties analysis were performed via “pkCSM” and “SwissADME” platforms. Results: Eighteen GA derivatives were synthesized and their structures were confirmed by MS and NMR spectrums. All compounds exhibited superior HCV inhibitory activity to that of GA. Compound 2 possessed the most potent anti-HCV activity with IC50 value of 0.79 μM, which is nearly 58 times potent than SA (a previously reported potent anti-HCV terpenoids) and >200 times than GA. SAR revealed the introduction of 3-oxo, short-chain (C1-C3) aliphatic alcohols or cyclic aliphatic amines is conducive to improving anti-HCV activity. In-silico ADMET prediction demonstrated most of the potent compounds possessed favorable ADMET properties. Conclusion: Structural modification of GA at 3-position and 30-position is an effective approach to searching for potent anti-HCV agents. Compound 2, with the most potent anti-HCV activity and favorable in-silico ADMET properties, is a promising lead compound for further identification of anti-HCV terpenoid candidate.

Honey is the most famous natural sweet substance produced by honeybees (Apis mellifera). It contains numerous functional compounds, from which health benefits are obtained. In Chile, the production of honey is associated with its unique biodiversity, but it is exported mostly, as bulk honey. This work aimed to characterize the chemical and biological properties of Chilean honey on a large scale. The use of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) technique, combined with multivariate statistical analysis was introduced to study the chemical profiles of polyfloral honey. The use of a complementary mass spectrometry method allowed the identification of 25 different constituents in the studied honey, including hydrocarbons, acids, esters, glycoside isoprenoids, ketones, and a dihydroxyflavanone. The evaluation of biological properties in Chilean honey was measured in a representative number of polyfloral samples. For this purpose, the total phenolics and flavonoid content were measured in the selected samples. The antioxidant activity of the honey was evaluated through the ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) and the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method. On the other hand, the antibacterial activity was assessed by the dilution technique to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the honey against seven bacterial strains, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The results demonstrated that the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Chilean honey are variable and they could have similar properties in comparison with other well-recognized bioactive honey.

Artemisia argyi is a widely distributed and inexpensive plant resource, and study on its chemical compositions and biological activities will provide an important basis for its food applications and pharmaceutical developments. In this study, fourteen known guaiane-type sesquiterpenes (1-14), four known eudesmane-type sesquiterpenes (15-18), two known germacranolide-type sesquiterpenes (19, 20), and eight other types of terpenoids (20-28) were isolated from the leaves of A. argyi by polyamide and ODS CC and HPLC. The structures of all compounds are determined by 1 D NMR (1H-NMR、13C-NMR) and literature comparison. Among them, compounds 1 and 8 were isolated from Chinese folk medicine A. argyi for the first time. Besides, the LPS-induced RAW264.7 cell model has been evaluated the anti-inflammatory activities in vitro by the Griess reagent. The results indicated that the guaianolide sesquiterpenoids obtained from A. argyi have an excellent ability to inhibit NO production, especially Argyin A, a guaianolide sesquiterpenoid with isovaleryloxy substitution.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae, has promising anticancer activity. This overview has updated the current knowledge on the chemistry and anticancer properties of rosemary extract, carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmanol, focusing on colon and prostate cancer cells since they are the most susceptible. The information was procured from Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, PubMed Central, Science Direct, J-Stage, and PubChem. Phenolic compounds isolated from the aerial parts of R. officinalis are flavonoids, phenolic acids, diterpenes, triterpenes, terpenoids, and phenylpropanoids. Some of the compounds are new to science, to the genus, and to the species. Almost 30 compounds possess anticancer properties. Rosemary extracts contain abietane diterpenes, with carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmanol being the most common. Their molecular structures are similar to three fused aromatic rings. Carnosic acid has a –COOH group at C20, carnosol has a lactone ring occurs across the B ring, and rosmanol has a –OH group at C7. Against colon and prostate cancer cells, the rosemary extract and diterpenes inhibited cell viability and induced apoptosis and G2/M phase cell cycle arrest. The inhibition of cell migration and adhesion has also been reported. The rosemary extract and diterpenes also inhibited colon and prostate cancer xenograft in mice. Rosemary extract is more cytotoxic than the diterpenes due to its polyphenols such as flavonoids and triterpenes. In vitro and in vivo cytotoxic activities involve different molecular targets and signalling pathways. Some prospects and areas for future research are suggested.

Aim: Terpenes are natural compounds found in several organisms belonging to the animal and plant kingdom, therefore, constitute the largest class of natural products and were a rich reservoir of candidate compounds for drug discovery. The review aims to focus on the extensive potential of the anti-cancer terpenoid components obtained from natural plant species which may lead to the development of a variety of derived terpenoids moieties. Method: Literature survey has been carried out to determine the overwelhming potential of terpenoids. Results: The present article provides an overview of the development of the isoprene unit and the generation of the various types of terpenes that exhibits pharmacological potential. The anti-cancer activity of terpenoids appears promising and will potentially open more opportunities for cancer therapy. However, current studies are restricted to descriptive findings and some of them lack mechanistic insights and systematic structure--activity relationship studies. Future efforts into the systematic identification of the targets of terpenoids are believed to increase the chances of gaining breakthrough insights in the field. Conclusion: There is still hope that new therapeutic options for the control of cancer and any other painful syndromes will be developed from terpenes, which were proved to be great candidates for cancer therapeutics.

Skin infections most often found in developing countries, especially in the tropics, are purulent skin inflammation (pyoderma), the main cause of Staphylococcus aureus. The increasing number of cases of bacteria that are resistant to antibacterial can encourage the extraction of sources of antibacterial drugs from natural ingredients. One of the plants that is thought to have the antibacterial activity of Staphylococcus aureus is the Neem plant. In this study an antibacterial activity test was carried out with the well diffusion method from 96% ethanol extract of Mimba leaves extracted by percolation method. Previously 96% ethanol extract from Mimba leaves had been identified by secondary metabolites by phytochemical screening and standardized extract testing. Standarization using non-specific parameters (moisture content, ash content and drying losses) found that 96% ethanol extract of Mimba leaves entered a range of standard parameters and in phytochemical screening tests obtained 96% ethanol extract of Mimba leaves containing alcaloid, saponins, tannins, steroids / terpenoids and flavonoids. The results of the study on the antibacterial activity test showed a concentration of 75% ethanol extract of 96% Mimba leaves classified as having strong activity, at a concentration of 50% and 25% classified as having moderate activity. Based on this study it can be concluded that the three concentrations of 96% ethanol extract of Mimba leaves were able to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.

The Marchantiophyta (liverworts) are rich sources of phenolic substances, especially cyclic and acyclic bis-bibenzyls, which are rare natural products in the plant kingdom, together with bibenzyls and characteristic terpenoids. At present, more than 125 bis-bibenzyls have been found in liverworts. They are biosynthesized from the dimerization of lunularic acid via dihydrocoumaric acid and prelunularin. The structurally unusual cyclic and acyclic bis-bibenzyls show various biological activities such as antimicrobial, antifungal, cytotoxic, muscle relaxation, antioxidant, tubulin polymerization inhibitory, and antitrypanosomal activities, among others. The present review article deals with the distribution and structure of bis-bibenzyls, bibenzyls, and several characteristic ent-sesqui- and diterpenoids in liverworts. Furthermore, the biosynthesis and total syntheses and biological activities of bis-bibenzyls are also surveyed.

The purpose of the present investigation was to formulate and evaluate anti-nail-biting lacquers consisting of bitter herbal extracts. The hydroalcoholic extracts obtained from Andrographis paniculata and Tinospora crispa were determined for phytochemical constituents, total phenolic contents, antioxidant activities, anti-inflammatory activities, and cytotoxicities. Anti-nail-biting lacquers were prepared by using herbal extracts (bittering agent), shellac (film forming polymer), ethanol (volatile solvent), and other indispensable additives with continuous stirring. Thus, attempts to enhance the film property and bitterness are accomplished by using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP K30) as a copolymer and varying concentrations of herbal extracts. Good accepted formulations were established for drying time, pH, viscosity, smoothness of film, film strength, water resistant, and solubility in simulated saliva and evaluated their bitterness in human volunteers. The results revealed that phytochemical constituents including tannins, glycosides, reducing sugars, alkaloids, terpenoids, and flavonoids were found present in both extracts while saponins were only detected in A. paniculata extract. Although T. crispa extract exhibited a significantly higher (p<0.05) total phenolic content and antioxidant activity than A. paniculata extract, it showed lower protein denaturation inhibition property than A. paniculata extract. Because of the potentials of both extracts without cytotoxicity, anti-nail-biting lacquers containing either A. paniculata extract or T. crispa extract were developed and evaluated. Drying time of formulations was 6-11 min with visually seen glossiness of formulation. Formulations of the nail lacquer showed good pH, viscosity, smoothness of film, film strength, water resistant, and solubility in simulated saliva. The formulations displaying no significant cytotoxicity effect on CRL-2076 cells were assessed on healthy human volunteers to compare bitterness and film characteristics. The results revealed that the optimized formulation containing A. paniculata extract could successfully achieve good film forming property and bitterness release which is considered promising for stopping nail biting.

A hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (DES) based vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction (LLME) procedure was developed for the effective and rapid determination of thiophanate-methyl (TM) and carbendazim (CA) in lake water and tap water samples, with an excellence extraction efficiency (recovery: 87.2% to 97.4%, enrichment factor: 87.2 to 97.4). Twelve hydrophobic DESs based on terpenoids and fatty acids/alcohols were prepared, and those with the highest recovery for TM and CA were selected. The main parameters, including assisting methods, molar ratio of DES components, volume of DES, and NaCl content that may affect vortex-assisted LLME, were optimized. The intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviation (RSD) of this method were from 1.7% to 3.8% and 1.8% to 4.1%, showing excellent precision. The proposed method exhibited suitable limits of detection (TM: 0.053 µg/mL; CA: 0.007 µg/mL) and limits of quantification (TM: 0.177 µg/mL; CA: 0.024 µg/mL).

Anti-inflammatory medications are necessary to treat excessive inflammation reactions due to injury, infection, or irritation. The emergence of several adverse effects associated with synthetic anti-inflammatory drugs has prompted the continued use of anti-inflammatory agents derived from natural products with low side effects and a high therapeutic effect. While it is well established that the seeds of the Makassar fruit (Brucea javanica (L.) Merr.)  have anti-inflammatory activity, the optimal concentration of Makasar fruit seed extract for anti-inflammatory activity is unknown. This study aims to determine the optimal Makassar fruit seed extract concentration as an in vitro anti-inflammatory. The seeds of the Makasar fruit were extracted using the sonication method (3 x 35 minutes) in 96% ethanol and then concentrated using a rotary evaporator. The secondary metabolites of Makasar fruit seed extract were then identified in the test tubes, and the anti-inflammatory activity was determined using the protein denaturation inhibition method. The results indicated that the extract produced had a yield of 10.03%. The Makassar fruit seed extract contains secondary metabolites of phenolics, flavonoids, and terpenoids. Makasar fruit seed extract exhibited the optimum anti-inflammatory activity at a concentration of 1%, with a 55.47% inhibition of protein denaturation.

In recent years, marine-derived Penicillium fungi have received remarkable interest as a valuable source of novel natural products encompassing diverse chemical structures and bioactive properties. Mangroves, sediments, algae, and sponges are the four main sources of marine-derived Penicillium fungi. As of 2014, more than 390 novel natural products have been isolated from the marine- derived Penicillium fungi, mainly including polyketides, alkaloids, terpenoids, and macrolides. Biological investigations have shown that these compounds possess antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, and other activities with potential applications in new drug development. To provide an updated catalog of this field, our mini-review summarized the origins, structures, and bioactivities of 188 secondary metabolites from marine-derived Penicillium fungi based on bioactivities classification published from 2015 to 2020.

Phyllanthus is a large genus of shrubs, trees and rare herbs of the family Euphorbiaceae, comprising more than 600 species [1]. The aim of this project was to identify the phytochemicals present in P. niruri and the antidiabetic activity of the ethanolic extracts of the plant. The phytochemical analysis for alkaloids, flavonoids, anthraquinone, phenols, saponins, tannins, alkaloids, total phenolics, total flavonoids, carbohydrates and amino acids were made by following standard procedures. The antidiabetic property of the plant extract was evaluated using insulin as standards through inhibition of alphaamylase enzyme activity. The presence of saponins, alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, phenols, terpenoids, carbohydrates, coumarins, anthraquinones and amino acids was observed. The total phenolic content in the extract was measured using catechol (standard) and a graph was plotted with concentration on X axis and absorbance on the Y axis. The total phenolic content was calculated. The calibration curves of α-amylase inhibition of Insulin and P. niruri was used to calculate the IC50 value.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Many treatment modalities have been developed and the need for plant derived therapeutic is growing due to the adverse effects of chemotherapeutic agents. The present study aims to discover the potential of two herbs Plectranthus amboinicus and Bacopa monnieri. Screening for the bioactives in the methanolic extracts of Plectranthus amboinicus and Bacopa monnieri stem showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenols, saponins, carbohydrates. A comparative study on the cytotoxicity of methanolic extracts of the stem of these plants on lung epithelial cancer cell line A549 and normal fibroblast cell line L929 revealed that both extracts possess cancer cell specific cytotoxic activity. However, Bacopa monnieri stem extracts were found to be more effective in inducing cytotoxicity than Plectranthus amboinicus.

Coenzyme Q (CoQ) is vital for energy metabolism in living organisms. In humans, CoQ10 deficiency causes diseases and must be replenished via diet; however, CoQ content in plant foods is primarily low. Here, we report the breeding of high CoQ10 tomato lines by expressing four enzymes with a fruit-specific promoter, which modifies the chloroplast chorismate pathway, enhances cytosolic isoprenoid biosynthesis, and up-regulates the first two reactions in mitochondrion that construct the CoQ10 polyisoprenoid tail. We show that, while the level of the aromatic precursor could be markedly elevated, head group prenylation is the key to increasing the final CoQ10 yield. In the HUCD lines expressing all four transgenes, the highest CoQ10 content (0.15 mg/g dry weight) shows a seven-fold increase from the wild-type level and reaches an extraordinarily rich CoQ10 food grade. Overviewing the changes in other terpenoids by transcriptome and metabolic analyses reveals variable contents of carotenoids and α-tocopherol in the HUCD lines. In addition to the enigmatic relations among different terpenoid pathways, high CoQ10 plants maintaining substantial levels of either vitamin can be selected. Our investigation paves the way for the development of CoQ10-enriched crops as dietary supplements.

The objective of this study was to carry out the phytochemical screening, antibacterial activity in different solvent extracts against neonatal sepsis causing bacteria and identification of active compounds present in aqueous extract of Punica granatum peel. The phytochemical screening showed the presence of flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins, steroids and saponins in all solvent extracts. However, except in aqueous extract alkaloid, coumarins and quinones were present in all organic solvent extracts. Antibacterial activity by agar well diffusion method at different concentrations showed a concentration-dependent zone of inhibition against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Among the identified compounds by HPLC/LC–MS analysis, a total of 23 compounds were reported in this study, and out of them, 17 compounds were found in P. granatum as per previous literature and five compounds were not described. Thus, the result indicates that aqueous extract of P. granatum peel contains different phytochemicals and presence of these bioactive compounds exhibits broad-spectrum antibacterial activity.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are antihypertensive medications often used in the treatment of diabetes-related complications. Synthetic ACE inhibitors are known to cause serious side effects like hypotension, renal insufficiency, and hyperkalaemia. Therefore, there has been an intensifying search for natural ACE inhibitors. Many plants or plant-based extracts are known to possess ACE-inhibitory activity. In this review, articles focusing on the natural ACE inhibitors extracted from plants were retrieved from databases like Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. We have found more than 50 plant species with ACE-inhibitory activity. Among them, Angelica keiskei, Momordica charantia, Muntingia calabura, Prunus domestica, and Peperomia pellucida were the most potent, showing comparatively lower half-maximal inhibitory concentration values. Among the bioactive metabolites, peptides (e.g., Tyr-Glu-Pro, Met-Arg-Trp, and Gln-Phe-Tyr-Ala-Val), phenolics (e.g., cyanidin-3-O-sambubioside and delphinidin-3-O-sambubioside), flavonoids ([-]-epicatechin, astilbin, and eupatorin), terpenoids (ursolic acid and oleanolic acid) and alkaloids (berberine and harmaline) isolated from several plant and fungus species were found to possess significant ACE-inhibitory activity. These were also known to possess promising antioxidant, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic and anti-inflammatory activities. Considering the minimal side effects and lower toxicity of herbal compounds, development of antihypertensive drugs from these plant extracts or phytocompounds for the treatment of diabetes-associated complications is an important endeavour. This review, therefore, focuses on the ACE inhibitors extracted from different plant sources, their possible mechanisms of action, present status, and any safety concerns.

α-Santalene belongs to a class of natural compounds with many physiological functions and medical applications. Advances in metabolic engineering enable non-native hosts (e.g., Escherichia coli) to produce α-santalene, the precursor of sandalwood oil. However, imbalances in enzymatic activity often result in a metabolic burden on hosts and repress the synthetic capacity of the desired product. In this work, we manipulated ribosome binding sites (RBSs) to optimize an α-santalene synthetic operon in E. coli, and the best engineered E. coli NA-IS3D strain could produce α-santalene at a titer of 412 mg·L-1. Concerning the observation of the inverse correlation between indole synthesis and α-santalene production, this study speculated that indole-associated amino acid metabolism would be competitive to the synthesis of α-santalene rather than indole toxicity itself. The deletion of tnaA could lead to a 1.5-fold increase in α-santalene production to a titer of 599 mg·L-1 in E. coli tnaA- NA-IS3D. Our results suggested that the optimization of RBS sets of the synthetic module and attenuation of the competitive pathway are promising approaches for improving the production of terpenoids including α-santalene.

A versatile terpene synthase (LcTPS2) producing unconventional macrocyclic terpenoids was characterized from Leucosceptrum canum. Engineered E. coli and Nicotiana benthamiana expressing LcTPS2 produced six 18-/14-membered sesterterpenoids including five new ones and two 14-membered diterpenoids, representing the first macrocyclic sesterterpenoids from plants and the largest sesterterpenoid ring system identified to date. Surprisingly, none of these macrocyclic terpenoids were detected in L. canum. Two variants F516A and F516G producing approximately 3.3- and 2.5- folds respectively more sesterterpenoids than the wild type enzyme was engineered. Both 18- and 14-membered ring sesterterpenoids displayed significant inhibitory activity on the IL-2 and IFN-I³ production of T cells via inhibition of MAPK pathway. The findings will contribute to the development of efficient biocatalysts to create bioactive macrocyclic sesterterpenoids, and also herald a new potential in the well-trodden territory of plant terpenoid biosynthesis.

The investigation on the n-hexane lipophilic extractives of Swietenia mahagoni, alongside the antifungal and antioxidant properties was conducted. The leaf sample was collected from 2- and 3-years-old trees in Perhutani enterprise of Temanggung, Central Java, Indonesia. In addition, the antifungal activity was tested using the white-rot of Phanerochaete chrysosporium, while the antioxidant property involved the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) method. The results show antifungal of 28.6% and 37.5% growth inhibition in 2- and 3 -years-old leaf, respectively, while 21.7% and 25.4% antioxidant activity were also recorded. Furthermore, the GC-MS results showed the domination of S. mahagoni leaf by fatty acids and hydo-carbons, while the terpenoids and steroids were in minor quantities. These components possibly exhibit growth inhibitory and antioxidant effects against P. chrysosporium and DPPH radicals, respectively.

During the last decades, the research on the biological activities of extracts from Cimicifuga/Actaea species and Petasites japonicus as well as their active ingredients has been intensified. Besides terpenoids as dominant natural product group, hydroxycinnamic acid esters such as fukinolic acid and several cimicifugic acids have been isolated from Actaea and Petasites species and their chemical structures have been elucidated. Investigations on the biological properties of these hydroxycinnamic acid esters are currently undertaken and some compounds might be promising therapeutic tools. In this review, we have gathered information on the genera Actaea and Petasites, the occurrence of cimicifugic and fukinolic acids and some aspects of their biosynthesis. Furthermore, we have summarized the medicinal aspects of fukinolic acid and cimicifugic acids. In connection with the biological activities of these compounds, structural features of the hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives move into the focus. The position of the hydroxyl group at the aromatic rings and the introduction of an electron-donating moiety may be important for anti-inflammatory, antiviral, cytotoxic and vasoactive effects of these compounds.

The effect of extraction methods and storage time on the quality of moringa seed oil was investigated. Cold water, hot water, and n-hexane extraction methods were used while the extracted oils were stored at room temperature for six months. The chemical properties, qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening of the oils were determined using standard methods. The n-hexane had the highest yield of 56%, hot water 40%, and cold water 30%. The chemical properties ranged as follows: peroxide value: (12.98–22.50, 10.36–33.12 and 9.12–23.93 Meq/kg), saponification value: (189.01–160.23, 222.17–122.72 and 184.17–110.82 mgKOH/g), iodine value: (65.17–14.37, 60.49–16.25 and 59.46–16.84 mg/wij’s) and acid value: (14.58–74.14, 12.99–78.07 and 17.96–46.19 mgKOH/g), respectively for cold water, hot water, and n-hexane. The phytochemical screening indicated the presence of flavonoids, coumarins, and terpenoids. Moringa olelifera seed oils are good sources of alternative oil for both commercial and industrial applications.

Morinda citrifolia or Noni is known as an important dietary supplement, food functional ingredient, or as natural health enhancer that is used throughout the world. Different parts of the plant have been proven to carry compounds that have high medicinal values such as terpenoids, alkaloids and anthraquinones. The stem bark of Morinda citrifolia collected from different types of soil were studied. It aimed to investigate the influence of different geographical factor on its metabolite profile by multivariate statistical analyses of spectral data deduced by NMR methods. A metabolomic approach employing concatenated GCMS and NMR data was utilized to study the relationships between environment and plant metabolism. Morinda citrifolia stem barks were pulverized into fine powder. They were extracted using chloroform and were taken to dryness in a rotary evaporator under reduced pressure. The Morinda citrifolia crudes were proceeded for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) analysis. Visual inspection on the 1H-NMR Morinda citrifolia spectra showed that the different geographical areas have similar profile, but they have different concentration of various constituents. Major constituents identified were aromatics (δH 7.25-7.50), sugars and glycosides (δH 2.25-5.0), fatty acids/aliphatics (δH 0.5-2.0) and aldehydic compound (δH 9.75). However, since the difference among the geographical areas were not clear from visual analysis, the analysis was proceeded using multivariate analysis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) model. Thus, further analysis was done to examine the consistency of geographical area for each batch of Morinda citrifolia. This is to identify which type of soil is suitable as class model.

Diterpenoid alkaloids, the main components of plants of the genera Aconitum, Delphinium, and Garrya, are a group of natural products with notable chemical properties and biological activities. Several C19-diterpenoid alkaloid components from Delphinium elatum cv. Pacific Giant, as well as their derivatives, exhibited cytotoxic activity against lung, prostate, cervical, and vincristine-resistant cervical cancer cell lines. In the current phytochemical investigation on the seeds of D. elatum cv. Pacific Giant, eleven new C19-diterpenoid alkaloids, elapaciline (1), meladine (2), melapacitine (3), iminoeladine (4), 19-oxopaciline (5), 19-oxopacinine (6), N-deethyldelpheline (7), N-deethylpacinine (8), N-deethyl-19-oxoeladine (9), N-deethyl-N-formyleladine (10), and N-deethyl-N-formyldelpheline (11), together with 15 known C19-diterpenoid alkaloids were isolated. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods including NMR (1D and 2D), IR, and MS (HRMS). Three known diterpenoid alkaloids, 6-dehydrodelcorine (12), delelatine (23), and 6-dehydroeldelidine (24), were isolated for the first time from this plant. Six of the new C19-diterpenoid alkaloids (2, 4-7, and 11) and three of the known diterpenoid alkaloids (18, 23, and 24) were evaluated for cytotoxic activity against five human tumor cell lines.

Glandular trichomes (GTs) are epidermal structures that provide the first line of chemical defense against arthropod herbivores and other biotic threats. The most conspicuous structure on leaves of cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is the type-VI GT (tVI-GT), which accumulates both flavonoids and volatile terpenoids. Although these classes of specialized metabolites are derived from distinct metabolic pathways, previous studies with a chalcone isomerase 1 (CHI1)-deficient mutant called anthocyanin free (af) showed that flavonoids are required for terpenoid accumulation in tVI-GTs. Here, we combined global transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of isolated trichomes as a starting point to show that the lack of CHI1 is associated with reduced levels of terpenoid biosynthetic transcripts and enzymes. The flavonoid deficiency in af trichomes also resulted in the upregulation of abiotic stress-responsive genes associated with DNA damage and repair. Several lines of biochemical and genetic evidence indicate that the terpenoid defect in af mutants is specific for the tVI-GT and is associated with the absence of bulk flavonoids rather than loss of CHI1 per se. A newly developed genome-scale model of metabolism in tomato tVI-GTs helped identify metabolic imbalances caused by the loss of flavonoid production. We provide evidence that flavonoid deficiency in this cell type leads to increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which may impair terpenoid biosynthesis. Collectively, our findings support a role for flavonoids as ROS-scavenging antioxidants in GTs.

Bacterial enteritis is one of the diseases negatively affecting the rabbit farming industry. Communities across the globe are using medicinal plants as an alternative treatment against many diseases in rabbits. This study aimed at identifying medicinal plants used by local farmers in Cameroon and evaluate their antibacterial activity alone and in combination with oxytetracycline against some bacterial causative agents of diarrhoea in rabbits. The ethnopharmacological survey was performed in Cameroon’s Western and Central regions, where breeders were interviewed about their knowledge on the medicinal plants and plant parts often used to cure rabbit diseases, the methods of preparation and the route of administration. Plants were collected, and extracts were prepared by decoction, infusion and maceration using distilled water. The antibacterial activity of extracts and combinations was evaluated against enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica and Clostridium perfringens (WAL-14572 HM-310) using the microdilution and checkerboard methods. From the survey, fifteen medicinal plants belonging to nine families, with Asteraceae being the most represented, were identified as currently used to treat diarrhoea in rabbits. Bidens pilosa and Psidium guajava were the most mentioned medicinal plant species with 24 and 17 citations, respectively. Leaves were the most commonly used plant parts, and maceration in water was the primary preparation method of remedies administered orally. Out of the forty-five extracts prepared, only six from Tithonia diversifolia (TdlM, TdlI, TdlD) and Psidium guajava (PglM, PglI, PglD) exhibited potency with MIC values ranging from 1.25 to 5 mg/mL. The combination of infusion extract from leaves of Tithonia diversifolia (TdlI) and decoction extract from Psidium guajava (PglD) exhibited synergistic interaction (FICI = 0.312; 0.281; 0.265), while oxytetracycline in combination with decoction extract from leaves of Psidium guajava (PglD) exhibited a synergistic interaction (FICI = 0.5). The phytochemical screening of the six extracts revealed polyphenols, glycosides, saponins, terpenoids, anthraquinones, tannins and flavonoids. The antibacterial activity of extracts from medicinal plants P. guajava and T. diversifolia demonstrated in the present study supports the use of these plants by farmers of the targeted localities to treat diarrhoea in rabbits.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the growth potential and some rarely reported bioactivities (antioxidant, thrombolytic, anticoagulant, and anthelmintic) of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer adventitious roots. To demonstrate the growth, shake flask and laboratory-scale bioreactor cultures have been employed. The obtained biomass was dried and extracted with water, ethanol, and methanol. The growth ratio (12.62 ± 1.03) observed in the bioreactor was significantly higher than in the shake flask culture. The presence of 10 different phytochemical classes, including carbohydrates, saponins, glycosides, and terpenoids were detected in qualitative estimation. Significant quantities of phenolics, flavonoids, proteins, and tannins were determined. Dose-dependent antioxidant activities were observed, and the IC50 values of methanolic and ethanolic extracts were very similar to the standard. The highest (29.26 ± 5.31%) thrombolytic potential was shown by the methanolic extract. The ethanolic extract significantly extended the coagulation times up to 2.5 fold. The highest anthelmintic properties in terms of paralyzing (2.21 ± 0.31 min) and killing (3.69 ± 0.41 min) of the parasitic worms were displayed by the aqueous extract. The in vitro root growth implies the commercial feasibility of ginseng production in Bangladesh and the demonstration of potential bioactivities strengthens medicinal implications and also offering new research areas.

Euphorbia deflexa, an endemic spurge from Greece, was investigated for the occurrence of its diterpene constituents. Through continuous monitoring by 1H NMR, 22 diterpenoids were isolated, including 16 previously undescribed compounds (euphodeflexins A-P), which belong to the jatrophane, ingenane, segetane, and pepluane diterpene types. Their chemical structures were elucidated through a combination of HRESIMS, NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray data. The isolated diterpenoids were tested against a panel of human cancer cell lines, as well as against two bacterial strains. Compounds 1, 13, and 17 were active against the HeLa cell line with IC50 values 9.9, 9.8, and 5.8 μM, respectively.