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Melicope incana is one of the plant species that belongs to family Rutaceae. Melicope produces phenolic compounds, including alkaloids, acylphloroglucinol, flavonoids, and coumarins. This study aims to isolate the acyl phloroglucinol derivatives found in M. incana seeds. Extraction of acylphloroglucinol derivatives with methanol using the maceration method at room temperature. Separation and purification using a combination of gravity column chromatography, and radial chromatography. Two acylphloroglucinol compounds have been isolated, namely 3'-geranyl-2',4',6'-trihydroxy acetophenone ( 1 ) and 3'-isoprenyl-2',4',6'-trihydroxy acetophenone ( 2 ). The structure of the two compounds was determined based on UV, IR, 1D, and 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis. Anticancer activity of compounds 1-2 against breast cancer cells MCF-7 showed IC 50 values of 48.98 and 4.30 µg /mL, respectively.

Two furoquinoline alkaloids, leptanoine C (1) and haplopine-3,3´-dimethylallyl ether (2) were isolated from the leaves of Melicope moluccana. The chemical structure of both compounds was determined based on spectroscopic data, including UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, 1D, and 2D NMR spectral data. The antimalarial activity of compounds 1-2 against Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 showing their IC50 values are 0.18 ppm and 2.28 µg/mL, respectively.

(±)-Melipatulinones A–C (1–3), three unique enantiomeric pairs of lignan–phloroglucinol hybrids along with the biogenetically related compound melipatulignan A (4), were isolated from the leaves of Melicope patulinervia. Melipatulinones A (1) and B (2) share a novel spiro[hydrobenzofuran-2,3′-furan] 5/5/6 tricyclic ring system, while melipatulinone C (3) features an unprecedented spiro[cyclopenta[b]hydrofuran-2,3′-furan] 5/5/5 tricyclic framework. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations, and X-ray diffraction. Compounds 1–3 exhibited a pancreatic lipase inhibitory effect.

In the most recent classification of Rutaceae, Amyridoideae is the largest and most diverse subfamily. In Amyridoideae, the genera Phellodendron, Tetradium, Toddalia and Zanthoxylum were proposed as “proto-Rutaceae”due to substantial phytochemical similarities. In this study, we investigated the plastome varia-tions in eight species representing these four genera and Melicope. All plastomes exhibited a typical quadripartite structure with four regions (LSC, SSC, IRa and IRb). The whole chloroplast genome size ranged from 158,383 bp to 159,014 bp and the gene number ranged from 115 to 116. By comparative analyses, we found that there were structural variations at the LSC/IR and SSC/IR borders of the plastomes in the five genera, especially in Melicope. Three most divergent regions (trnH-psbA, trnE-trnT and psaB) were found from the LSC region, which had great potential for developing effective genetic markers. In addition, we conducted a phylogenomic analyses of the “proto-Rutaceae”and related taxa with plastomes data from 36 species. Our results showed that (1) Phellodendron, Tetradium, Toddalia and Zanthoxylum were confirmed as close relatives and grouped together as the ‘proto-Rutaceae’, (2) Phellodendron was sister to Tetradium, and Toddalia was deeply nested within Zanthoxylum, and (3) Toddalia asiatica was closely related to the Southwest Pacific and East Asian species of Zanthoxylum, and Melicope pteleifolia was more closely related to Acronychia than it is to Tetradium. This study provided new insights into the plastome structural varia-tions in subfamily Amyridoideae, and demonstrated that the plastomes data were sufficiently robust to explore implications of the phylogeny for the previous phylogenetic hypotheses.

(±)-Patulignans A–C (1–3), three unique pairs of lignan enantiomers were isolated from the leaves of Melicope patulinervia. Patulignan A (1) possesses an unprecedented dimethyloxonane moiety in nature, meanwhile patulignans B (2) and C (3) are epimers carrying a novel dimethyl-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.5]decane skeleton. Their structures were established by spectroscopy methods and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Compounds 1–3 showed significant inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase.

© 2020 American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Inc.. All rights reserved. Cyclic peptides are reported to have antibacterial, antifungal, and other bioactivities. Orbitides are a class of cyclic peptides that are small, head-to-tail cyclized, composed of proteinogenic amino acids and lack disulfide bonds; they are also known in several genera of the plant family Rutaceae. Melicope xanthoxyloides is the Australian rain forest tree of the Rutaceae family in which evolidine, the first plant cyclic peptide, was discovered. Evolidine (cyclo-SFLPVNL) has subsequently been all but forgotten in the academic literature, so to redress this we used tandem MS and de novo transcriptomics to rediscover evolidine and decipher its biosynthetic origin from a short precursor just 48 residues in length. We also identified another six M. xanthoxyloides orbitides using the same techniques. These peptides have atypically diverse C termini consisting of residues not recognized by either of the known proteases plants use to macrocyclize peptides, suggesting new cyclizing enzymes await discovery. We examined the structure of two of the novel orbitides by NMR, finding one had a definable structure, whereas the other did not. Mining RNA-seq and whole genome sequencing data from other species of the Rutaceae family revealed that a large and diverse family of peptides is encoded by similar sequences across the family and demonstrates how powerful de novo transcriptomics can be at accelerating the discovery of new peptide families.

Five new prenylated acetophenones, melicoptelins A-E (1–5), along with one known congener (6) were isolated from the roots of Melicope ptelefolia. Among them, compounds 2a/2b, 3a/3b, and 4a/4b were obtained as inseparable interconverting mixtures of keto and enol tautomers. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic methods, including 1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS. Compouds 2a/2b, 4a/4b and 5 exhibit protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 34.4, 55.2 and 66.6 μM, respectively.

The genus Ivodea is endemic to Madagascar and the Comoros and consists of 30 species. This study is the first to include the genus in a molecular phylogenetic analysis. We sequenced the plastid trnL–trnF and the nuclear ITS regions for three Ivodea species and revealed that the genus is monophyletic and most closely related to the African and Malagasy Vepris, refuting earlier suggestions of a close relationship between Ivodea and the Asian, Malesian, Australasian and Pacific genera Euodia and Melicope. Ivodea and Vepris provide another example of closely related pairs of Rutaceous groups that have drupaceous and capsular/follicular fruits, respectively, thus further confirming that fruit types are not suited to delimit subfamilies in Rutaceae, as has often been done in the past. Ivodea was the last of the seven Malagasy genera to be included in the Rutaceae phylogeny, making it possible to conduct an assessment of biogeographic affinities of the genera that occur on the island. Our assessments based on sister-group relationships suggest that the eight lineages (representing seven genera) of Malagasy Rutaceae either have African or have Asian affinities. Two lineages have an African origin, and one lineage has an Asian origin. Taxon sampling is insufficient to interpret the directionality of dispersal events in the remaining lineages.

The present study describes the antioxidant effect, glucose uptake activity and cytotoxicity of Melicope lunu-ankenda (ML) leaf extract using cell lines. Results of the study revealed that 60% ethanolic ML extract demonstrated the highest antioxidant activity with total phenolics and flavonoid contents of 354 mg GAE/g DW and 313 mg rutin equivalent (RE)/g DW, respectively. Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) was found to be 294.3 mM Fe (II) /g. The study showed that, ML leaf extract stimulated fluorescent d-glucose analog 2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1, 3-diazol-4-yl) amino]-2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-NBDG) uptakes by both 3t3-L1 adipocytes and HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells, showing significant increase in a dose dependent way. Interestingly, cytotoxic activity of the extract conducted against 3t3-L1 adipocytes and HepG2 using the 3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, showed high activity against HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells with IC 50 of 20.33 ± 1.5 μg/mL and 13.7 ± 2.1 μg/mL after exposure of 48 h and 72 h, respectively. However, ML extract was inactive against 3t3-L1 cell line with IC 50 values of 93 ± 3 μg/mL and 81 ± 2 μg/mL. The results ascertained the significance of ML as a medicinal plant with prodigious applications as an anti-diabetic as well as anti-cancer agents.

Oceanic islands are unique in their species composition, which is defined by arrival of colonizers via long distance dispersal followed by establishment of species followed in some cases by adaptive radiation. Evolutionary biologists identified traits facilitating successful colonization of islands as including polyploidy, self‐compatibility, herbaceousness and ability for long‐distance dispersal. Successful establishment and evolutionary diversification of lineages on islands often involves shifts to woodiness and shifts in methods of outcrossing as well as changes in dispersal ability. The genus Melicope colonized numerous archipelagos throughout the Pacific including the Hawaiian Islands, where the lineage comprises currently 54 endemic species and represents the largest radiation of woody plants on the islands. The wide distributional range of the genus illustrates its high dispersibility, most likely due to adaption to bird dispersal. Here we investigate ploidy in the genus using flow cytometry and chromosome counting. We find the genus to be paleopolyploid with 2n = 4x = 36, a ploidy level characterizing the entire subfamily Amyridoideae and dating back to at least the Palaeocene. Therefore Hawaiian Melicope have not undergone recent polyploidization prior to colonization of the islands. Thus Melicope retained colonization success while exhibiting a combination of traits that typically characterize well established island specialists while lacking some traits associated to successful colonizers.

The genus Melicope (Rutaceae) occurs on most Pacific archipelagos and is perfectly suited to study Pacific biogeography. The main goal was to infer the age, geographic origin and colonization patterns of Melicope and its relatives. We sequenced three nuclear and two plastid markers for 332 specimens that represent 164 species in 16 genera of Rutaceae. Phylogenetic reconstruction, molecular dating, ancestral area reconstruction and diversification analyses were carried out. The two main clades (Acronychia-Melicope and Euodia) originated in Australasia and their crown ages are dated to the Miocene. Diversification rates differed among the subclades and were lowest in the Euodia lineage and highest in the Hawaiian Melicope lineage. The Malagasy and Mascarene species form a clade, which split from its SE Asian relatives in the Pliocene/Pleistocene. At least eight colonizations to the Pacific islands occurred. The timing of all colonizations except for the Hawaiian group is congruent with age of the island ages. Australia, New Guinea and New Caledonia have been the source of colonizations into the Pacific islands in the Melicope clade. Melicope shows high dispersability and has colonized remote archipelagos such as the Austral and Marquesas Islands each twice. Colonization of islands of the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain likely predates the ages of the current main islands, and the initial colonization to Kaua'i occurred after the splitting of the Hawaiian lineage into two subclades. Wider ecological niches and adaptations to bird-dispersal likely account for the much higher species richness in the Acronychia-Melicope clade compared to the Euodia clade.

Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by continuous hyperglycemia associated with insulin resistance and /or reduced insulin secretion. There is an emerging trend regarding the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Melicope lunu-ankenda (ML) is one of the Melicope species belonging to the family Rutaceae. In traditional medicines, its leaves and flowers are known to exhibit prodigious health benefits. The present study aimed at investigating anti-diabetic effect of Melicope lunu-ankenda (ML) leaves extract. Methods In this study, anti-diabetic effect of ML extract is investigated in vivo to evaluate the biochemical changes, potential serum biomarkers and alterations in metabolic pathways pertaining to the treatment of HFD/STZ induced diabetic rats with ML extract using 1H NMR based metabolomics approach. Type 2 diabetic rats were treated with different doses (200 and 400 mg/kg BW) of Melicope lunu-ankenda leaf extract for 8 weeks, and serum samples were examined for clinical biochemistry. The metabolomics study of serum was also carried out using 1H NMR spectroscopy in combination with multivariate data analysis to explore differentiating serum metabolites and altered metabolic pathways. Results The ML leaf extract (400 mg/kg BW) treatment significantly increased insulin level and insulin sensitivity of obese diabetic rats, with concomitant decrease in glucose level and insulin resistance. Significant reduction in total triglyceride, cholesterol and low density lipoprotein was also observed after treatment. Interestingly, there was a significant increase in high density lipoprotein of the treated rats. A decrease in renal injury markers and activities of liver enzymes was also observed. Moreover, metabolomics studies clearly demonstrated that, ML extract significantly ameliorated the disturbance in glucose metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism. Conclusion ML leaf extract exhibits potent antidiabetic properties, hence could be a useful and affordable alternative option for the management of T2DM.

A study of the chemical constituents obtained from twigs of Melicope lunu-ankenda (Gaertn.) T.G. Hartley (Rutaceae) led to the isolation and structure elucidation of two new coumarins, 7-(4-hydroxy-3-methylbutanoxy) coumarin and 7-(3-methyl-4-carboxybutanoxy) coumarin methyl ester, named melilunumarin A ( 1 ) and melilunumarin B ( 2 ), respectively. A new benzaldehyde derivative, 3,4-dihydro-3,4-dihydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-benzopyran-6-carboxaldehyde, named melilunumane ( 6 ), was also isolated and characterized, as well as five previously reported compounds, 6-deoxyhaplopinol ( 3 ), marmesin ( 4 ), umbelliferone ( 5 ), kokusaginine ( 7 ) and evolitrin ( 8 ). Among the five isolated coumarins, melilunumarin A ( 1 ), 6-deoxyhaplopinol ( 3 ) and marmesin ( 4 ) exhibited significant inhibitory activity towards Epstein-Barr virus early antigen activation induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate in Raji cells.

Plant natural compounds have great potential as alternative medicines for preventing and treating diseases. Melicope lunu-ankenda is one Melicope species (family Rutaceae), which is widely used in traditional medicine, consumed as a salad and a food seasoning. Consumption of different parts of this plant has been reported to exert different biological activities such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities, resulting in a protective effect against several health disorders including neurodegenerative diseases. Various secondary metabolites such as phenolic acid derivatives, flavonoids, coumarins and alkaloids, isolated from the M. lunu-ankenda plant, were demonstrated to have neuroprotective activities and also exert many other beneficial biological effects. A number of studies have revealed different neuroprotective mechanisms for these secondary metabolites. This review summarizes the most significant and recent studies for neuroprotective activity of M. lunu-ankenda major secondary metabolites in neurodegenerative diseases.

Two new prenylated acetophenone derivatives racemates, meliviticines A ( 1 ) and B ( 2 ) with unprecedented rearranged skeletons, were isolated from Melicope viticina . Subsequent chiral resolution led to the separation of two pairs of enantiomers, (±)-meliviticines A ( 1a / 1b ) and (±)-meliviticines B ( 2a / 2b ). Their structures including absolute configurations were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic data, electronic circular dichroism analysis, and X-ray crystallography. A plausible biosynthetic pathway of 1 and 2 , involving ring cleavage and rearrangement of the prenylated acetophenone backbone was proposed. All the isolates showed moderate antimicrobial activities with MIC values of 25–50 μ g/mL against several bacterial and fungal strains.

A synthesis-inspired chemical investigation of the leaves of Melicope ptelefolia led to the isolation of evodialones A–D (1–4), four rearranged acetophenone stereoisomers possessing a prenylated acylcyclopentenone skeleton with three stereogenic carbons. Evodialones C and D (3 and 4) are new minor constituents. The chiral-phase HPLC resolution gave (+)-1–4 and (−)-1–4, eight enantiomers forming a complete stereoisomer library. Their absolute configurations were elucidated via extensive spectroscopic data and a modified Mosher’s method. The relationship between the chiral structures and their NMR and ECD data is discussed. Compounds (±)-1, -2, and -4 have significant protective effects on high-glucose-induced oxidative stress in human vein endothelial cells.

Several species of Rutaceae have been widely used and commercialized in all regions in Indonesia. Some species of Rutaceae are consumed as fresh fruit and traditional medicine for various kinds of diseases, as well as to add aroma to various Indonesian culinary. Since 1959, Eka Karya Bali Botanic Garden (Eka Karya BBG) has successfully collected dozens of Rutaceae species with unknown potential. In addition to reporting the conservation of Rutaceae in Eka Karya BBG, this study aimed to screen the antifungal activity of Rutaceae methanolic extract toward Aspergillus niger , Cladosporium sp., and Fusarium solani . Leaves of 13 species of Rutaceae ( Boenninghausenia sp., Citrus aurantifolia , C. maxima , C. medica , Clausena sp., Melicope sp., Micromelum sp., Murraya paniculata , Toddalia sp., Zanthoxylum sp., Z. alatum , Z. limonella , and Z. ovalifolium ) were collected, cleaned, air-dried, soaked in methanol for three days, then evaporated using a rotary evaporator to obtain the plant crude extract. The in vitro inhibitory assay was conducted by the diffusion method. As a result, only C. medica , Clausena sp., and Z. limonella exhibited antifungal activity against those tested fungi. Their antifungal activity increased on day 2 post-treatment but slowly decreased on day 3. Thus, the result of this experiment can be used as preliminary data to researchRutaceae plant extracts as an alternative method to control pathogenic fungi. However, further research is needed to maintain and increase its inhibitory effect.

Melicope madagascariensis (Rutaceae) is an endemic plant species of Madagascar that was first classified as a member of the genus Euodia J. R. & G. Forst (Rutaceae) under the scientific name Euodia madagascariensis Baker. Based on morphological characteristics, Thomas Gordon Hartley taxonomically revised E. madagascariensis Baker to be M. madagascariensis (Baker) T.G. Hartley. Chemotaxonomical studies have long been used to help the identification and confirmation of taxonomical classification of plant species and botanicals. Aiming to find more evidences to support the taxonomical revision performed on E. madagascariensis, we carried out phytochemical investigation of two samples of the plant. Fractionation of the ethanol extracts prepared from two stem bark samples of M. madagascariensis (Baker) T.G. Hartley led to the isolation of seven known furoquinoline alkaloids 1–7 and two known methoxyflavones 8 and 9. The presence of furoquinoline alkaloids and methoxyflavones in the title species is in agreement with its taxonomic transfer from Euodia to Melicope. Antiprotozoal evaluation of the isolated compounds showed that 6-methoxy-7-hydroxydictamnine (heliparvifoline, 3) showed weak antimalarial activity (IC50 = 35 µM) against the chloroquine-resistant strain Dd2 of Plasmodium falciparum. Skimmianine (4) displayed moderate cytotoxicity with IC50 value of 1.5 µM against HT-29 colon cancer cell line whereas 3,5-dihydroxy-3′,4′,7-trimethoxyflavone (9) was weakly active in the same assay (IC50 = 13.9 µM). Graphical Abstract

Melicope belahe (Baill.) T.G. Hartley (Rutaceae) is an endemic species to Madagascar. The chemical composition of leaf essential oil is reported for the first time. A sample was extracted by hydrodistillation and analysis was carried out by combination of chromatographic (GC), spectroscopic and spectrometric (MS, 13C NMR) techniques. In total, 56 compounds have been identified. The chemical composition was dominated by α-pinene (42.6%) followed by linalool (6.2%) and (E)-β-caryophyllene (5.2%).

Diabetes mellitus is normally characterized by chronic hyperglycemia associated with disturbances in the fat, carbohydrate, and protein metabolism. There is an increasing trend of using natural products instead of synthetic agents as alternative therapy for disorders due to their fewer side effects. In this study, antidiabetic and antioxidant activities of different Melicope lunu-ankenda (ML) ethanolic extracts were evaluated using inhibition of α-glucosidase and 2,2-diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals scavenging activity, respectively; whereas, proton nuclear magnetic resonance ((1) H NMR) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (UHPLC-MS/MS) techniques were used for metabolite profiling of ML leaf extracts at different concentrations of ethanol and water. Sixty percent of ethanolic ML extract showed highest inhibitory effect against α-glucosidase enzyme (IC50 of 37 μg/mL) and DPPH scavenging activity (IC50 of 48 μg/mL). Antidiabetic effect of ML extracts was also evaluated in vivo and it was found that the high doses (400 mg/Kg BW) of ML extract exhibited high suppression in fasting blood glucose level by 62.75%. The metabolites responsible for variation among ML samples with variable ethanolic levels have been evaluated successfully using (1) H-NMR-based metabolomics. The principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares(PLS) analysis scores depicted clear and distinct separations into 4 clusters representing the 4 ethanolic concentrations by PC1 and PC2, with an eigenvalue of 69.9%. Various (1) H-NMR chemical shifts related to the metabolites responsible for sample difference were also ascribed. The main bioactive compounds identified attributing toward the separation included: isorhamnetin, skimmianine, scopoletin, and melicarpinone. Hence, ML may be used as promising medicinal plant for the development of new functional foods, new generation antidiabetic drugs, as a single entity phytomedicine or in combinational therapy.

Four new lignans, patulinones A−D (1–4) and three new acetophenone derivatives, patulinones E−G (5–7) were isolated from the leaves of Melicope patulinervia. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of the interpretation of HR-ESIMS, NMR, CD data. All the isolated compounds were evaluated for α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Of the isolates, compound 4 was found to exhibit the strongest inhibition against α-glucosidase with IC50 value of 6.02 ± 0.46 μM.

Papua Indonesia in the Western side of New Guinea Island is known as the wide distribution site of Ant plant. However, it is also known that the plant had been extensively harvested over time. As such, the information of growing site of Myrmecodia plant is significantly required to culture the plant in the future. Sub-district of Warmare in Manokwari district is known as one of the distribution site forMyrmecodia sp. Such species lived by sticking to plants with coarse profile plants such as Dodonea vicosa, Melicope sp, Litsea sp, Homalanthus sp, Mallotus sp and Glochidion sp. The species typically grows in wet area close to water sources such as river. The species commonly stick on main trunck of host plant (69%) with sun duration between 5 – 7 hours per day, with relative humidity ranged from 53-83 % and air temperature ranged between 260C – 290C during day time and between 180C – 200C during night time.

Meliquercifolins A (1), and B (2), two new coumarins are bearing an acetophenone derivative were isolated from the leaves of Melicope quercifolia along with three known compounds, melicodenines E (3), F (4) and I (5). Structures of two new compounds were identified based on spectroscopic analyses (UV, HR-ESI-MS, 1 D and 2 D NMR). Cytotoxic activities of compounds (1–5) towards three human cancer cells (HeLa, MCF-7, P-388), compounds 1, 4 and 5 showed very potent activity against Hela cells with IC50 values 2.6; 0.8; 1.1 μM, respectively.

Since floras of oceanic islands are distinct from those of the closest continents, islands can serve as useful systems for understanding the evolution of host specificity during speciation of parasitic plants. Orobanche boninsimae (Orobanchaceae) is a holoparasitic plant species endemic to the isolated Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands; previous observations suggested several possible host species for O. boninsimae. In this study we sought to provide more definitive identification of O. boninsimae host plants through DNA analyses of host plant roots. We investigated nine populations of O. boninsimae from Chichijima and Hahajima Islands and determined their hosts by DNA barcoding of the chloroplast trnH-psbA region. We determined that three endemic woody species, Ochrosia nakaiana (Apocynaceae), Melicope grisea (Rutaceae), and Melicope nishimurae (Rutaceae), and one exotic tree, Bischofia javanica (Phyllanthaceae), were host species of O. boninsimae. These three families are newly recorded as hosts for the genus Orobanche, suggesting that O. boninsimae might have developed these unique host specificities in the islands. In addition, we established that O. boninsimae parasitizes completely different species between the islands, even though all available host species of O. boninsimae execpt for M. nishimurae were commonly distributed throughout these islands. This result suggests that intraspecific differentiation for host preference and possibly cryptic speciation has occurred between isolated islands.

The increasing number of prevalence infertility cases is becoming a major public health problem in developing countries due to changes in diet and lifestyle. Melicope ptelefolia is known for its health benefit as a sex enhancing effect among the Malays folk however there is no clinical data to prove it until these days. The main aim of the present study is to identify the effects of Melicope ptelifolia Aqueous extract (MPAE) on Sperm Parameters and Testosterone Level . A total of 30 male Sprague Dawley rats were divided equally into five different groups. MPAE was given by orally gavage for 28 days at a dose of 100mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg body weight to the animals of group II (n=6), III (n=6) and IV (n=6), respectively. The animals of group I (control, n=6) had distilled water and group V had sildenafil citrate. Results were analyzed using one way ANOVA test and the data were significant at p

Compost teas were proved to be used as effective biocontrol agent owing to their ability to inhibit plant diseases. In this experiment, aerated compost tea (ACT) and molasses aerated compost tea (MACT) sourced from oil palm compost were assessed to suppress against fungal pathogen namely, Grammothele lineata (KX532185) that causes leaf spot on Melicope ptelefolia leaf. Characterization of both aerated compost teas for physiochemical and microbiological analysis was carried out. All different concentrations (15%, 25%, 30%, and 40% v/v) of ACT and MACT significantly retarded the mycelial growth of Grammothele lineata in the range of 14.5–77.8% and 12.7–75.9%, respectively. The highest inhibition over Grammothele lineata was obtained by both compost teas at concentration of 40% (v/v) resulted with 12% and 14% growth only, respectively. Peroxidase (PO) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities peaked 2–4 days after Grammothele lineata fungal suspension (5 × 105 conidia/mL) challenged on fortified leaf disks. Besides, in Melicope ptelefolia leaf fortified with both compost teas, peroxidase (PO) reached the highest (245.05 IU min−1 g−1 fresh weight) after 7 days, whereas polyphenol oxidase (PPO) recorded the highest at 91.3 IU min−1 g−1 fresh weight after 4 days upon challenged by Grammothele lineata suspension (5 × 105 conidia/mL). Our result showed that the defense enzyme properties play a significant role in contributing disease resistance against phytopathogen attack.

This article aims to provide detailed information on Malaysian plants used for treating inflammation. An extensive search on electronic databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and ScienceDirect and conference papers was done to find relevant articles on anti-inflammatory activity of Malaysian medicinal plants. The keyword search terms used were “inflammation,” “Malaysia,” “medicinal plants,” “mechanisms,” “in vitro,” and “in vivo.” As a result, 96 articles on anti-inflammatory activity of Malaysian medicinal plants were found and further reviewed. Forty-six (46) plants (in vitro) and 30 plants (in vivo) have been identified to possess anti-inflammatory activity where two plants,Melicope ptelefolia(Tenggek burung) andPortulaca oleracea(Gelang pasir), were reported to have the strongest anti-inflammatory activity of more than 90% at a concentration of 250 µg/ml. It was showed that the activity was mainly due to the occurrence of diverse naturally occurring phytochemicals from diverse groups such as flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids, steroids, benzophenone, triterpenoids, curcuminoids, and cinnamic acid. Hence, this current review is a detailed discussion on the potential of Malaysian medicinal plants as an anti-inflammatory agent from the previous studies. However, further investigation on the possible underlying mechanisms and isolation of active compounds still remains to be investigated.

Melicope lunu-ankenda is commonly used in traditional medicine. The conventional propagation method for this species is inefficient due to low propagation rate and its lengthy period to maturity. In addition, insufficient planting materials often pose a problem for the plantation sector. The tissue culture technique is best alternative to overcome the problems. The callus induction and direct shoot regeneration protocols for M. lunu-ankenda were established. Callus was successfully initiated from leaves explants cultured in MS medium added with 2,4-D at concentrations 0.5 to 5.0 mg/L singly or in combination with NAA at concentrations 1.0 to 10 mg/L. Shoot was regenerated from callus in phytohormone-free medium, BAP at concentrations 0.5 - 5.0 mg/L singly or in combination of BAP with NAA or 2,4-D at concentration 0.5 and 1.0 mg/L, respectively. BAP at 1.0 mg/L induced the highest shoot regeneration rate (80%) and number of plantlet per calli. The established methods might be used for production of phytochemicals and plantlets in large scale.

Melicope stonei K.R. Wood, Appelhans & W.L. Wagner (section Pelea, Rutaceae), a new endemic tree species from Kaua'i, Hawaiian Islands, is described and illustrated with notes on its distribution, ecology, conservation status, and phylogenetic placement. The new species differs from its Hawaiian congeners by its unique combination of distinct carpels and ramiflorous inflorescences arising on stems below the leaves; plants monoecious; leaf blades (5–)8–30 × (4–)6–11 cm, with abaxial surface densely tomentose, especially along midribs; and very long petioles of up to 9 cm. Since its discovery in 1988, 94 individuals have been documented and are confined to a 1.5 km2 region of unique high canopy mesic forest. Melicope stonei represents a new Critically Endangered (CR) single island endemic species on Kaua'i.

Melicolones A (1) and B (2), a pair of rearranged prenylated acetophenone epimers with an unusual 9-oxatricyclo[3.2.1.1(3,8)]nonane core, were isolated from the leaves of Melicope ptelefolia. Further chiral high-performance liquid chromatography resolution gave enantiomers (+)- and (-)-1, as well as (+)- and (-)-2, respectively. The structures and absolute configurations of the pure enantiomers were determined by extensive spectroscopic data and single crystal X-ray diffraction. All the isolated enantiomers exhibited potent cell protecting activities against high glucose-induced oxidative stress in human vein endothelial cells.

Melicolones C–K (1–9), nine acetophenone derivatives with three unprecedented architectures, were characterized from the leaves of Melicope ptelefolia. Among them, melicolone C (1) was a novel acetophenone analogue possessing a highly rearranged spiro skeleton. Melicolones D-F (2–4) were three novel acetophenone congeners bearing unusual octalactone ring. Melicolones G-K (5–9) were five new prenylated acetophenone derivatives featuring a 9-oxatricyclo [3.2.1.13, 8]nonane core. Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis and ECD spectra. These different structures were presumably derived from the same precursor via three major biosynthetic pathways. Compounds 5–9 exerted moderate effects to reverse multidrug-resistance in MCF-7/ADR cells with reversal fold values ranging from 6.2 to 13.3.

Melicope (Rutaceae) is one of the largest plant genera on the Hawaiian Islands. We present here a detailed molecular phylogenetic analysis of the Hawaiian species of this genus and compare the results with the other genera of Hawaiian Rutaceae, Platydesma and Zanthoxylum. Four nuclear and two plastid markers were sequenced, with the goals of untangling phylogenetic relationships, inferring biogeographic events and comparing patterns of distribution among the three genera. Our results show that there were two colonization events (Melicope + Platydesma, and Zanthoxylum) to the Hawaiian Islands, that Hawaiian Rutaceae have an Asian, Australian or Pacific origin and that there were two independent colonization events of Hawaiian Melicope lineages to the Marquesas Islands. The two most widely distributed Hawaiian Melicope spp. are not monophyletic and the current subgeneric classification of Hawaiian Melicope is highly artificial. On the Hawaiian Islands, Melicope and Zanthoxylum show contrasting biogeographic patterns, suggesting different patterns of dispersal. Melicope has a high percentage of single-island endemics suggesting low dispersal ability, whereas Zanthoxylum taxa tend to occur across multiple islands. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 174, 425–448.

Malaysian is among the most diverse plant resource country in the world especially with its richesnest flora and fauna. It has about 12,000 species of flowering plants of which about 1,300 species were said to be medicinal plant and have been investigated for their therapeutic potential. Spies have been known to be a valuable source of bioactive compound which are being used to treat various diseases and improved health for a thousand years ago. The beneficial health effects of medicinal plants come from polyphenols group which is often attributed to their potent antioxidant activities. This paper reviews the antioxidant potential of selected plants from Malaysia as Persicaria hydropiper, Cosmos caudatus and Melicopeptelefolia based on reported from several researchers.

An investigation on the feasibility of utilizing sawdust of locally available timber species as potential substrates for cultivation of oyster mushrooms was carried out. Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus spp.) was selected for the study because it is the most suitable species for utilization of lignocellulosic wastes. Its conversion rate, i.e., mushroom production from the substrate is highest, and the rate of growth is very fast. Sawdust of the most commonly available five timber species was used as substrates which include Swietenia macrophylla, Tectona grandis, Xylia xylocarpa, Terminalia bellirica and Melicope lunu-ankenda. A control treatment was maintained using mixture of sawdust of all these five species in equal proportions. All these six substrates were well sterilized, and spawn was inoculated and allowed to incubate under suitable temperature and relative humidity. Mycelial growth and pinhead formation were fastest in Xylia and slowest in Terminalia. In Melicope, no pinhead formation occurred even though there was good mycelial growth. Mushroom yield was maximum in control and minimum in Melicope.

Four novel geminally dialkylated, non-aromatic acetophenone derivatives 1–4 were isolated from Melicope coodeana. The compounds, related to hop bitter acids, were named Coodeanones A–C, where Coodeanone B was found in both E and Z configuration of the 6′‴–7′‴ double bond. Antibacterial, antifungal and antimalarial activities of the acetophenone derivaties were investigated, and Coodeanone C (4) was found to have activity toward Plasmodium falciparum (malaria) (IC50 = 42.8 μM).

Quorum sensing regulates bacterial virulence determinants, therefore making it an interesting target to attenuate pathogens. In this work, we screened edible, endemic plants in Malaysia for anti-quorum sensing properties. Extracts from Melicope lunu-ankenda (Gaertn.) T. G. Hartley, a Malay garden salad, inhibited response of Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 to N-hexanoylhomoserine lactone, thus interfering with violacein production; reduced bioluminescence expression of E. coli [pSB401], disrupted pyocyanin synthesis, swarming motility and expression of lecA::lux of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. Although the chemical nature of the anti-QS compounds from M. lunu-ankenda is currently unknown, this study proves that endemic Malaysian plants could serve as leads in the search for anti-quorum sensing compounds.

During the preparation of the Vascular Flora of the Marquesas Islands three new species of Coprosma (Rubiaceae, tribe Anthospermeae) have come to light and are described herein: Coprosma fatuhivaensis W. L. Wagner & Lorence, Coprosma meyeri W. L. Wagner & Lorence, and Coprosma temetiuensis W. L. Wagner & Lorence. Descriptions, illustrations, conservation status, and specimen citations are provided. Amended descriptions of three previously described Marquesan Coprosma species are also provided as well as a key to the species, four of which fall into the Critically Endangered (CR) and two into the Endangered (EN) category. With the description of these the new species, Coprosma becomes the sixth largest lineage in the Marquesas Islands with six species after Psychotria (one lineage which has 9 spp.), Cyrtandra (8 spp.), Bidens (8 spp.), Melicope (7 spp.), and Ixora (7 spp.).

The ‘Ulam’, a traditional Malay dish, are plants that can be eaten raw, as a form of local salad. The shoots and young leaves of Melicope ptelefolia are among the popular species, believed to be high in nutritional and medicinal values. The metabolomic fingerprinting analysis of the ethanolic extracts of leaves of M. ptelefolia was carried out using 1 H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and multivariate data analysis in order to differentiate young and mature leaves and to evaluate the variation of their chemical composition. Principle component analysis (PCA) of the 1 H NMR spectra showed a clear discrimination between the young and mature leaves extracts by PC3 and PC4. The compounds responsible for the differentiation were identified by comparison of 1 H NMR chemical shifts and qualitative HPLC. The young leaves were found to be richer in fatty acids and the levels of the three marker compounds, p - O -geranylcoumaric acid, 2,4,6-trihydroxy-3-geranylacetophenone and 2,4,6-trihydroxy-3-prenylacetophenone, were clearly higher. The mature leaves contain higher levels of sugars and glycosidic components.

A new quinolone alkaloid, melimoluccanin (1) along with two known alkaloids, leptanoine C (2) and 7-O-isoprenyl-γ-fagarin (3) were isolated from the leaves of Melicope moluccana T.G. Hartley. Structures all of compounds were elucidated using spectroscopic methods such as UV, IR, HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR. Compounds 1-3 were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against P-388 cells and for antimalaria activity using giemsa methods. The cytotoxic data of compounds 1-3 showed IC50 of 0.63; 5.85 and 2.09 μg/mL, respectively. The antiplasmodial activity of compound 1-3 showed IC50 value of 4.28; 2,28 and 0.18 μg/mL, respectively. Based on the data, it can be concluded that compound 1 has high activity against P-388 cells and compound 3 is potential as antimalaria.

Solvent–solvent fractionation of the methanolic extract of the popular Malay traditional vegetable “tenggek burung” (Melicope ptelefolia), followed by nitric oxide inhibition assay on RAW 264.7 cells revealed that the most active components reside mainly in hexane and dichloromethane fractions. Online profiling of the nitric oxide (NO) inhibitive fractions of the tenggek burung using liquid chromatography coupled diode array detection and electrospray ion-trap tandem mass spectroscopy (LC–DAD–ESI-MSn), has identified seven constituents. The compounds were identified as kokusaginine (1), compound 2, [kokusagine, (2a) or 5-methoxymaculine (2b)], 2,4,6-trihydroxy-3-prenylacetophenone (3), 2,4,6-trihydroxy-3-geranylacetophenone (4), 2,4,6-trihydroxy-3-geranylgeranylacetophenone (5), 3-[4-O-(3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienyl)phenyl]-2-propenoic acid (6) and 2,4,6-trihydroxy-3-farnesylgeranylacetophenone (7). The identity of compounds 1, 4 and 6 were unequivocally confirmed by isolation and spectroscopic evidences, other constituents are tentatively identified, based on their UV, MS, MSn and comparison with literature data. Kokusaginine (1) demonstrated in vitro activity on NO inhibition in murine peritoneal macrophages.

The treatment of Rutaceae in the Chinese flora chose to follow Engler in recognizing Rutoideae and Toddalioideae as two separate subfamilies. Morphological and chemical comparisons, however, suggested grouping those two subfamilies in one subfamily, Rutoideae. This move has received support from molecular phylogenetic analyses, which also showed that the Chinese taxa in Euodia should be placed in Tetradium and Melicope following Hartley. Investigations into the chemistry and molecular phylogeny of Murraya also indicated that the species in the section Bergera without yuehchukene should be removed from Murraya. These findings clearly show the value of molecular cladistics to the taxonomy of Rutaceae in China and also directions for further investigations.

Aim Pacific biogeographical patterns in the widespread plant genus Melicope J.R. Forst. & G. Forst. (Rutaceae) were examined by generating phylogenetic hypotheses based on chloroplast and nuclear ribosomal sequence data. The aims of the study were to identify the number of colonization events of Melicope to the Hawaiian Islands and to reveal the relationship of Hawaiian Melicope to the Hawaiian endemic genus Platydesma H. Mann. The ultimate goal was to determine if the Hawaiian Islands served as a source area for the colonization of Polynesia. Location Nineteen accessions were sampled in this study, namely eight Melicope species from the Hawaiian Islands, four from the Marquesas Islands, one species each from Tahiti, Australia and Lord Howe Island, two Australian outgroups and two species of the Hawaiian endemic genus Platydesma. To place our results in a broader context, 19 sequences obtained from GenBank were included in an additional analysis, including samples from Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Southeast Polynesia and Asia. Methods DNA sequences were generated across 19 accessions for one nuclear ribosomal and three chloroplast gene regions. Maximum parsimony analyses were conducted on separate and combined data sets, and a maximum likelihood analysis was conducted on the combined nuclear ribosomal and chloroplast data set. A broader nuclear ribosomal maximum parsimony analysis using sequences obtained from GenBank was also performed. Geographic areas were mapped onto the combined chloroplast and nuclear ribosomal tree, as well as onto the broader tree, using the parsimony criterion to determine the dispersal patterns. Results Phylogenetic analyses revealed that Platydesma is nested within Melicope and is sister to the Hawaiian members of Melicope. The Hawaiian Melicope + Platydesma lineage was a result of a single colonization event, probably from the Austral region. Finally, Marquesan Melicope descended from at least one, and possibly two, colonization events from the Hawaiian Islands. Main conclusions These data demonstrate a shifting paradigm of Pacific oceanic island biogeography, in which the patterns of long-distance dispersal and colonization in the Pacific are more dynamic than previously thought, and suggest that the Hawaiian Islands may act as a stepping stone for dispersal throughout the Pacific.

Melicope oppenheimeri K.R. Wood, Appelhans & W.L. Wagner (section Pelea (A. Gray) Hook. f., Rutaceae), a rare endemic tree from West Maui, Hawaiian Islands, is described and illustrated with notes on its ecology, conservation, and phylogenetic placement. The new species differs from Hawaiian congeners by its carpels basally connate 1/5, narrowed into a strongly reflexed beak 10–15 mm long. It also differs in a combination of leaves with 7–10 pair of secondary veins; cymes to 3 cm long; peduncles 5–6.5 mm long; flowers perfect; capsules 4–9 × 40–52 mm; and a densely appressed short-sericeous ovary. Melicope oppenheimeri is known only from an isolated cliff-base plateau in upper Waihe‘e Valley, West Maui. Its discovery brings the number of recognized Melicope J.R. Forst. & G. Forst. species in the Hawaiian Islands to 49. A table is included indicating the conservation status of Hawaiian Melicope and Platydesma H. Mann., which is nested within Melicope sect. Pelea. Melicope oppenheimeri falls into the IUCN Critically Endangered (CR) Red List category.

Plastid (trnL intron and trnL-F spacer) and nuclear (ITS-1 and ITS-2 rDNA) regions were analyzed to infer the phylogeny and evaluate the classification of Rutaceae subfamilies Rutoideae and Toddalioideae. The inferred phylogeny lends support to merging these two subfamilies established by Engler based on different fruit types. Moreover, Phellodendron, Tetradium, Toddalia, and Zanthoxylum were resolved as a clade, supporting the proposal for a 'proto-Rutaceae' group. The molecular data also showed that members of Euodia sensu lato should be placed in three different genera: Tetradium, Euodia, and Melicope. The latter two genera are more closely related to Acronychia than they are to Tetradium. Except for the discrepancy in the position of Melicope vitiflora, the cladistic results are congruent with the morphological and biochemical interpretations made by two previous authors.

Twelve microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized for Melicope quadrilocularis, an insular endemic tree species of the Bonin Islands. The observed number of alleles at each locus ranged from 1 to 18. The range of expected heterozygosity was 0.0000–0.9445. The inter-specific applicability of these loci was evaluated by analyzing two other endemic species and one endemic variety of Melicope that are also distributed on the Bonin Islands. All primer pairs for the 12 loci tested successfully amplified the loci in all taxa, except for primers for four loci in M. nishimurae.

The leaves of Melicope ptelefolia (Rutaceae) afforded a new acetophenone named 2,4,6-trihydroxy-3-geranylacetophenone. The structure of the compound was established by mass and NMR spectroscopy.

Thirty-four new species in the plant bug genus Orthotylus are described from the Hawaiian IsIands. The new species and their host plant associations are as follows: O. metrosideri, from Hawaii, on Metrosideros polymorpha; O. nestegiae, from Hawaii, on Nestegis sandwicensis; O. sophorae, from Hawaii, on Sophora chrysophylla; O. sophoroides, from Maui, on Sophora chrysophylla; O. perrottetiae, from Kauai, on Perrottetia sandwicensis; O. perrottetiopsis, from Maui, on Perrottetia sandwicensis; O. antidesmae, from Hawaii, on Antidesma platyphyllum; O. melicopi, from Hawaii, on Melicope hawaiiensis; O. coprosmopsis, from Hawaii, on Coprosma menziesii; O. coprosmicola, from Molokai, on Coprosma foliosa; O. coprosmaphila, from Maui, on Coprosma montana; O. pilo, from Molokai, on Coprosma foliosa; O. hedyotiella, from Oahu, on Hedyotis acuminata; O. hedyotivorus, from Oahu, on Hedyotis terminalis; O. hedyotioides, from Maui, on Hedyotis terminalis; O. hedyotiphila, from Maui, on Hedyotis hillebrandii; O....

The steam distilled leaf oil of the two species of Melicope (M. contermina and M. polybotrya) indigenous to Lord Howe Island have been examined by GC and GC/MS. Melicope contermina gave an oil in which the major components were limonene (33%) and elemol (23%). The oil yield was 0.1%. Melicope polybotrya gave a leaf oil in which the major components were geijerene (41%), pregeijerene (38%) and limonene (9%). The oil yield in this case was 0.6–1% based on fresh leaves.

Leaf extracts of Melicope lunu-ankenda were chemically studied and found to contain mixtures of hydrocarbons and squalene, fatty acids and esters. A geranylated coumaric acid was isolated as the major compound. The crude dichloromethane and methanol extracts of the leaves were found to be strongly larvicidal with LC50 values below 20 microg mL(-1). This is a first isolation of p-O-geranylcoumaric acid from this plant.