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Indigo and indirubin are derived from indoxyl molecules, which generally occur as indoxyl glycosides in woad (Isatis tinctoria L.) and other indigo-producing plants. Indoxyl glycosides are biosynthesized from indole via 3-hydroxylation to form indoxyl, followed by one or more glycosylations. Enzymes that attach and remove sugars to and from indoxyl have already been isolated and characterized, while enzymes that convert indole into indoxyl in plants have remained elusive, until the identification of P450s and flavin-containing monooxygenases that hydroxylate indole. A P450 gene from woad (named CYP71B102) was heterologously expressed in E. coli , resulting in the formation of indigo and indirubin, as well as isatin and 2-oxindole, which along with indoxyl are putative precursors of indirubin. The addition of either isatin or 2-oxindole to the recombinant E. coli reduced the levels of indigo and increased the amount of indirubin, whereas coexpression of CYP71B102 with isatin hydroxylase (which degrades isatin) increased the levels of indigo and decreased the amount of indirubin, albeit slightly. The results suggest that CYP71B102 hydroxylates indole at both the 2- and 3- positions to produce 2-oxindole and indoxyl, respectively, and that the coupling of indoxyl with either 2-oxindole or isatin forms indirubin, while dimerization of indoxyl forms indigo. This P450 gene is thus likely involved in the biosynthesis of indirubin in woad, as well as the formation of indigo and its glycosidic precursors, even if other types of enzymes, such as flavin-containing monooxygenases, may be involved in indole hydroxylation in other indigo-producing plants. [Display omitted] • P450 enzyme from Isatis tinctoria produces indigo and indirubin when expressed in E. coli. • Indirubin production by CYP71B102 is increased by addition of either 2-oxindole or isatin. • Isatin hydroxylase, which degrades isatin, increases indigo production by CYP71B102. • P450s may be involved in the biosynthesis of indirubin and indigo precursors in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbivory is one of the key processes shaping life history traits linked to plant fitness and the leaf-cutting ants are amongst the most voracious and polyphagous herbivores of the Neotropics. They extensively harvest aboveground plant parts to grow their symbiotic fungus, including vegetative and reproductive tissues. Although leaf-cutting ant herbivory is expected to reduce plant reproductive success, the potentially different outputs of damage to vegetative and reproductive parts are still poorly known. This study investigates the influence of Atta opaciceps herbivory on the reproductive success of three plant species native to the Caatinga dry forest: Croton argyrophylloides (Euphorbiaceae), Cenostigma pyramidale , and Indigofera suffruticosa (Leguminosae). We selected 10 adult and active nests of A. opaciceps based on the presence of individuals of the three focal plant species in their vicinity. For each colony, we marked four individuals of each plant species (totaling 12 individuals per colony), which were then subjected to one of four herbivory treatments: (1) ant herbivory on both reproductive and vegetative parts, (2) manually simulated herbivory on the reproductive parts alone, (3) ant herbivory exclusively on vegetative parts, and (4) no herbivory. From January to April 2020, we monitored all 120 individuals, recording the number of inflorescences, flower buds, flowers, fruits, and the proportion of flowers maturing into fruits (fruit set, as a proxy of reproductive success). Results revealed variations in reproductive structure production and divergent responses to leaf-cutting ant herbivory among our focal species. In terms of inflorescence, flower bud production, and fruit set C. argyrophylloides showed reduced numbers when subjected to higher levels of total herbivory (reproductive and vegetative parts), but increased inflorescence and flower bud production when plants suffered only leaf damage. Cenostigma pyramidale individuals under partial herbivory displayed lower flower bud numbers than protected ones. In contrast, I. suffruticosa displayed conflicting results, with fully exposed plants producing more inflorescences than partially exposed counterparts and more flowers than leaf-damaged and protected individuals. Despite the varied effects on different plant parts across all three study species, the overall reproductive success (i.e. fruit set) of only one species (C. argyrophylloides) was significantly reduced by leaf-cutting ant herbivory. The resilience of the two other plant species to leaf-cutting ant pressure may be attributed to compensatory mechanisms, shedding light on the intricate interplay between herbivores and plants in the Caatinga dry forest. As leaf-cutting ants proliferate in response to anthropogenic disturbances, the patterns described in this study may become more pronounced, potentially affecting the organization of plant communities in the Caatinga dry forest. [Display omitted] • Leaf-cutting ants' herbivory alters the production of inflorescences, flowers and fruits of plant species in the Caatinga dry forest. • Damage to reproductive or vegetative parts similarly affects the production of reproductive plant parts. • Fruit set remains unaffected by leaf-cutting ants in certain plant species but are reduced in others. • Caatinga dry forest plant species exhibit divergent reproductive responses to leaf-cutting ant herbivory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial and fungal infections continue to present a major threat to human health leading to serious injuries. Microorganisms' resistance to currently existing drugs is an increasingly problematic issue that leads to millions of deaths in the world every year. This study examined the microbial inhibitory potential of 3,5-dimethoxy-4'-O-(2",3"-dihydroxy-3"-methylbutyl)-dihydrostillbene isolated from the aerial parts of Indigofera pulchra (Willd) and its ability to enhance the activities of Ciprofloxacin and Fluconazole against bacteria and fungi respectively. The aerial parts were extracted by cold maceration using ethyl alcohol to obtain the crude extract which was further separated by liquid-liquid fractionation to afford the hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate and butanol fractions. Extensive phytochemical investigation of chloroform fraction using column and thin-layer chromatographic techniques led to the isolation of 3,5-dimethoxy-4'-O-(2",3"-dihydroxy-3"-methylbutyl)-dihydrostillbene. The structure was elucidated using IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and DEPT techniques. Results of the antimicrobial study indicated that the isolated compound inhibited the growth of the test microorganisms (MRSA, S. aureus, E. coli, P. mirabilis, C. albicans and C. tropicalis) with maximum zone of inhibition of 37 mm, and was found to be greater than that observed for ciprofloxacin (33 mm) and fluconazole (26 mm). The isolated compound was observed to enhance the antimicrobial activities of ciprofloxacin and fluconazole when combined from a range of 25 - 33 mm to a range of 25 - 40 mm. The result of this study had justified the use of Indigofera pulchra in traditional medicine for the treatment of bacterial and fungal infections and the isolated compound can be used for clinical trials to develop a new drug, more potent and effective for the treatment of microbial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigofera cassioides Rottl. Ex. DC. is a large shrub, distributed throughout the hills of India. Because of its reported robust antioxidant potential and phytoconstituents content, we were interested in investigating the in vitro thrombolytic and in vivo cardioprotective effect of methanolic leaves extract of Indigofera cassioides. An in vitro thrombolytic model was used to evaluate the clot lysis effect of different concentrations of Indigofera cassioides along with streptokinase as a positive control and distilled water as a negative control. Cardioprotective activity of methanolic leaves extract of Indigofera cassioides has been evaluated in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in rats. The treatment was designed as four groups of six animals each as follows. Group I: Control, Group II: Isoproterenol alone, Group III: Methanolic leaves extract of Indigofera cassioides (200 mg/kg) and Group IV: Methanolic leaves extract of Indigofera cassioides (400 mg/kg). To evaluate the efficacy of methanolic leaves extract of Indigofera cassioides treatment against isoproterenol-induced myocardial damage, biochemical parameters and histopathological studies were carried out. High-performance thin-layer chromatography fingerprint analysis of methanolic leaves extract of Indigofera cassioides revealed the presence of terpenoid and flavonoid compounds. Methanolic leaves extract of Indigofera cassioides shows a dose-dependent clot lysis effect. Isoproterenol-induced animals exhibited significantly altered lipid profile, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and also elevate serum cardiac activity markers creatine phosphokinase-myocardial band and lactate dehydrogenase, which were reversed near to normal levels in the pre-treatment of methanolic leaves extract of Indigofera cassioides. In conclusion, methanolic leaves extract of Indigofera cassioides exhibited significant thrombolytic activity which might be an aid to reduce the myocardial infarction. The cardioprotective effect of methanolic leaves extract of Indigofera cassioides was confirmed by the reduction in cardiac marker enzymes, altered lipid profile and protection histopathological changes on heart tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been developed for thousands of years and has formed an integrated theoretical system based on a large amount of clinical practice. However, essential ingredients in TCM herbs have not been fully identified, and their precise mechanisms and targets are not elucidated. In this study, a new strategy combining comprehensive two-dimensional K562/cell membrane chromatographic system and in silico target identification was established to characterize active components from Indigo naturalis, a famous TCM herb that has been widely used for the treatment of leukemia in China, and their targets. Three active components, indirubin, tryptanthrin and isorhamnetin, were successfully characterized and their anti-leukemia effects were validated by cell viability and cell apoptosis assays. Isorhamnetin, with undefined cancer related targets, was selected for in silico target identification. Proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase (Src) was identified as its membrane target and the dissociation constant (Kd) between Src and isorhamnetin was 3.81 μM. Furthermore, anti-leukemia effects of isorhamnetin were mediated by Src through inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest. The results demonstrated that the integrated strategy could efficiently characterize active components in TCM and their targets, which may bring a new light for a better understanding of the complex mechanism of herbal medicines.

Indigofera aspalathoides (Sivanar vembu in Tamil) is one of the well-known medicinal plants in the Traditional Indian System of Medicine. It belongs to the family Papilionaceae and is used for the treatment of various skin diseases. However, the potential anti-cancer lead compounds in the plant remain unknown. Therefore, we have chosen the strategy of serum pharmacology to identify the major lead compounds from I. aspalathoides. In our current study, serum pharmacology based identification of bioactive constituents from I. aspalathoides in rat serum which was prepared from rats orally treated with aqueous extract of I. aspalathoides and it was analyzed by using LC-MS and it's in vitro anticancer property of rat serum containing metabolites against A549 lung cancer cells were explored. LC-MS results revealed the presence of different compounds in both plant aqueous extract and rat serum metabolite but among them, compound at m/z 339 (indigocarpan) was found in both aqueous extract and rat serum. The metabolite (indigocarpan) at m/z 339 which was appeared in both aqueous extract and rat serum indicates that it has undergone oral bioavailability to explore its pharmacological mechanism & it could be the major bioactive compound in the plant. In vitro results showed that serum metabolite does not possess cytotoxicity against A549 cells, but morphological changes were observed in drug serum treated cells, which indicates that serum metabolite can inhibit extracellular matrix components. Hence, serum metabolite which contains the major bioactive compound indigocarpan exhibits growth inhibition and prevents invading property of A549 lung cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historical context and typifications of a number of not yet typified Linnaean names in Polygala (P. acutifolia, P. aspalatha, P. brasiliensis, P. chamaebuxus, P. microphylla, P. penaea, P. sibirica, P. theezans) are presented, along with the identities of P. acutifolia and P. theezans. Bartolomeo di Panigai, a cartographer in the Portuguese boundary commission sent on an expedition to establish borders between Portugal and Spain in accordance with the Treaty of Madrid (signed in 1750), is suggested as the likely collector of P. aspalatha and P. brasiliensis. Three of N.L. Burman's names (P. pinnata, P. thea, P. triphylla) are revised, and two new combinations, Indigofera pinnata and Wiborgia triphylla, the legume species originally described by N.L. Burman in genus Polygala, are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to assess the morphological response of Indigofera zollingeriana to differences in planting spacing at first cutting of three months after grown in the field. This study used a Completely Randomized Design consisting of 6 treatments, namely PS1: 100 cm x 50 cm, PS2: 100 cm x 100 cm, and PS3: 100 cm x 150 cm, each treatment was repeated 6 times. The measured variables were: plant height, stem diameter, the highest number of leaves, and number of branches. Further, we have measured also dry weight yield and leaf/wood ratio. The results showed that plant height and stem diameter in PS2 and PS3 treatments were significantly higher than PS. Number of leaves not effected but branches, leaf/wood ratio and total dry weight were significant effected by treatments. Based on the results of this study it can be concluded that the best morphological response of Indigofera in term of leaf/wood ratio and total dry weight at the three months in the fields was obtained in the 100 cm x 100 cm planting spacing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted during the period from September 2020 to March 2021 at the Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, to assess the feasibility of intercropping medicinal plants in cassava. Intercropping significantly influenced the growth and yield attributes of both main and intercrops. Shorter cassava plants were observed when Sida alnifolia was intercropped as double row (162.84 cm). In general, medicinal plants grown under intercropping system recorded taller plants, except for Indigofera, where sole cropping resulted in taller plants. The sole crop of cassava produced higher per plant tuber yield of 3.24kg and was at par with cassava with single row of Plectranthus (3.12 kg/plant). The lowest tuber yield was recorded when cassava was intercropped with double row of Sida (1.77 kg/plant). The yield of medicinal plants was the highest in sole cropping, followed by single row intercropping and double row intercropping. Same trend was observed for quality parameters of medicinal plants, where higher values of the phytochemical constituents were recorded in sole crops. medicinal plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present article, around 40 compounds from Indigofera aspalathoides were screened for inhibition of MAP Kinase, as mitogen-activated protein Kinase plays a vital role in many signaling pathways for transducing the extracellular signals. Screening of MAPK inhibitors is essential for direct inhibition of other effector proteins downstream in MAPK pathway. For this purpose In silico molecular modeling and molecular docking were performed to predict the variation in binding efficiency of a diverse set of compounds. The bonding energy and docking score were utilized to determine the binding efficiency of tested compounds. Results showed that the three compounds were found to be a potent inhibitors of MAPK. It was concluded that these compounds might be explored for inhibiting MAPK and other proteins involved in cell proliferation and cell division in diseases related to neuronal dysfunction and tumorigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Creeping indigo (Indigofera spicata) toxicosis is an emerging problem among horses in Florida and bordering states. Objectives: To quantify the putative toxins l‐indospicine (IND) and 3‐nitropropionic acid (NPA) in creeping indigo collected from multiple sites and to measure plasma toxin concentrations in ponies fed creeping indigo and horses with presumptive creeping indigo toxicosis. Study design: Experimental descriptive study with descriptive observational field investigation. Methods: Air‐dried creeping indigo was assayed for IND and NPA content. Five ponies were fed chopped creeping indigo containing 1 mg/kg/day of IND and trace amounts of NPA for 5 days, then observed for 28 days. Blood samples from these ponies and from horses involved in a presumptive creeping indigo toxicosis were assayed for IND and NPA. Results: IND in creeping indigo plants was 0.4‐3.5 mg/g dry matter whereas NPA was <0.01 to 0.03 mg/g. During creeping indigo feeding, clinical and laboratory signs were unchanged except for significant weight loss (median 6%, range 2%‐9%; p =.04) and significant increase from baseline plasma protein concentration (median 16 g/L, range 8‐25 g/L; p <.001). These changes could not definitively be ascribed to creeping indigo ingestion. Plasma IND rose to 3.9 ± 0.52 mg/L on day 6. Pharmacokinetic modelling indicated an elimination half‐life of 25 days and a steady state plasma concentration of 22 mg/L. Plasma IND concentration in sick horses during an incident of creeping indigo toxicosis was approximately twice that of clinically normal pasture mates. Plasma NPA was <0.05 mg/L in all samples. Main limitations: Creeping indigo used in the feeding trial may not be representative of plants involved in creeping indigo toxicosis. There was no control group without creeping indigo in the feeding trial. Conclusions: Indospicine can be detected in blood of horses consuming creeping indigo and the toxin accumulates in tissues and clears slowly. The role of NPA in the neurological signs of this syndrome is unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to a Diode-Array-Detector (HPLC-DAD) is used to investigate samples which were extracted from ancient Egyptian textiles (4th–5th c. AD) of the Museum of Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University. Madder is identified in several samples. According to semi-quantitative results, which are obtained from HPLC peak areas measured at 254 nm, madder that is rich in purpurin and poor in alizarin is identified in samples which were treated (i) only with madder and (ii) with madder and either indigo/woad (Indigofera species and other/Isatis tinctoria L.) or weld (Reseda luteola L.). The madder dye used in these samples could have been originated from Rubia peregrina L. However, the possible use of Rubia tinctorum L. (or other plants of the Rubiaceae family) by the Egyptian dyers cannot be ruled out, particularly if methods were developed by the ancient dyers to affect and control the relative composition of madder dye. The HPLC peak area ratio of alizarin versus purpurin is very high (>2.2) for samples which were treated with madder (probably originated from R. tinctorum) and a tannin source. Finally, in some samples, only indigoid dyes (indigo/woad) are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Biological and chemical profile of Indigofera argentea, a medicinal plant from Pakistan was assessed. • Flavonoids and lithocholic acid derivatives of steroids were major compounds. • All extracts showed promising results against α-glucosidase and carbonic anhydrase. • Atalanine showed higher inhibition affinity against the three enzymes in silico. The study aimed to assess the phytochemical composition and enzyme inhibitory potential of methanol, n -hexane, chloroform, and n -butanol extracts/fractions of Indigofera argentea Berm. f. (whole plant), a medicinal plant from Pakistan. Chemical profiling of I. argentea crude methanol extract was done via ultra-high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) in both the positive and negative ionization modes. Standard in vitro bioassays were used to evaluate the enzyme inhibition potential against carbonic anhydrase, xanthine oxidase, and α-glucosidase. Additionally, nine dominant compounds as tentatively identified by UHPLC-MS profiling were docked against the tested enzymes to provide additional insights into the binding affinities against the target enzymes. UHPLC-MS chemical profiling showed the tentative presence of seventy-six secondary metabolites. The identified compounds include flavonoids and lithocholic acid derivatives of steroids in major amounts along with terpenes. Lithocholic acid derivatives were first reported from this plant and consider being potential candidates for treating diabetes. All extracts showed promising results against α-glucosidase with percentage inhibition of 82.8–21.2%, while for the xanthine oxidase the percentage inhibition values varying from 67.8–47.3%. Furthermore, moderate inhibition was observed against carbonic anhydrase. The methanolic extracts showed good inhibition against B. subtilis, K. pneumonia, P. vulgaris and P. aeruginosa as compared to Ciprofloxacin. Docking studies showed that atalanine showed higher inhibition affinity against the three studied enzymes as compared to morphine. Indigofera argentea showed promising enzyme inhibitory activities and can be considered as a potential source of bioactive secondary metabolites. Isolation of the bioactive compounds and further mechanistic studies could provide further insights into the biopharmaceutical potential of this plant as a nutraceutical and/or dietary supplement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji pengaruh penambahan Indigofera zollingeriana dalam Stock Solution pada level penambahan yang berbeda terhadap motilitas dan abnormalitas spermatozoa kambing Peranakan Etawa (PE). Semen yang digunakan adalah semen afkir tidak lolos uji kualitas semen segar oleh Balai Inseminasi Buatan (BIB) Sidomulyo Ungaran yang memiliki motilitas 0,05) antar perlakuan terhadap motilitas dan abnormalitas. Rataan motilitas tertinggi dan rataan abnormalitas terkecil pada perlakuan I1 yaitu sebesar 39,8% untuk motilitas dan 22,52% untuk abnormalitas. Uji korelasi Pearson menunjukkan tidak ada korelasi bolak balik (? > 0,05) antara motilitas dan abnormalitas. Nilai korelasi sebesar – 0,224 yang berarti hubungan antara motilitas dan abnormalitas adalah berlawanan arah. Artinya, apabila nilai motilitas tinggi maka nilai abnormalitas adalah rendah (kecil). Kesimpulan penelitian ini adalah penambahan Indigofera hingga level 3% dalam stock solution dapat mempertahankan motilitas dan abnormalitas spermatozoa.

ABSTRAK. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui pengaruh penggunaan bahan pakan fermentasi yang terutama tersusun atas tepung limbah ikan leubim dan tepung indigofera sebagai substitusi sebagian ransum komersil ayam petelur terhadap penampilan produksi telur puyuh. Penelitian ini dilakukan di Laboratorium Lapangan Peternakan (LLP), Program Studi Peternakan, Fakultas Pertanian, Universitas Syiah Kuala selama 10 minggu. Penelitian ini menggunakan 80 ekor puyuh (Coturnix coturnix japonica) betina dara umur 4 minggu. Rancangan penelitian yang digunakan adalah Rancangan Acak Kelompok terdiri dari 4 perlakuan dan 4 kelompok. Setiap kelompok merupakan unit percobaan yang masing-masing terdiri atas 5 ekor puyuh betina dara. Ransum perlakuan adalah ransum komersil ayam petelur yang disubstitusi dengan bahan pakan campuran fermentasi: 20% tepung limbah ikan leubim + 11% tepung daun indigofera + 45,4% menir + 20% dedak jagung + 3,6% tepung kulit kerang sebanyak 0, 10, 20, dan 30%. Hasil penelitian memperlihatkan bahwa ransum komersil ayam petelur dapat disubstitusi sampai 30% dengan bahan pakan campuran fermentasi yang tersusun atas tepung limbah ikan leubim 20% + tepung daun indigofera 11% + menir 45,4% + dedak jagung 20% + tepung kulit kerang 3,6% tanpa menurunkan secara nyata produksi, berat dan massa telur, konsumsi dan konversi ransum, serta berat badan akhir dan pertambahan berat badan puyuh. (Egg productions of quails fed the commercial rations partially substituted by fermentation feed ingredients based on the mixture of Leubim fish waste meal and Indigofera sp.) ABSTRACT. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the partial substitution of commercial ration with fermented feed ingredients based on leubim fish (Canthidermis maculata) waste meal and Indigofera sp. meal on the appearance of quail egg production. The research was conducted at the Field Laboratory of Animal Husbandry, Animal Husbandry Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Syiah Kuala University for 10 weeks. The study used 80 female quails (Coturnix-coturnix japonica) at 4 weeks of age. The study was designed into randomized block design consisting of 4 treatments and 4 blocks. Each block was an experimental unit, each consisting of 5 quails. The treatment was commercial ration of laying hens partially substituted by fermented feed ingredients composed of 20% leubim fish waste meal + 11% Indigofera sp. meal + 45.4% broken rice + 20% corn bran + 3.6% clam shell meal as many as 0, 10, 20, and 30%. The results of study showed that commercial ration of laying hens could be substituted up to 30% with a mixture of fermented feed ingredients composed of 20% leubim fish waste meal +11% Indigofera sp. meal + 45.4% broken rice + 20% corn bran + 3.6% clam shell meal without significantly reduced egg production, egg weight, and egg mass, feed consumption and FCR, and final body weight and average body weight gain of quails.

Characteristics of seeds such as seed shape, color, size, texture of the seed coats and hilum shape can be used to solve classification problems. With biology microskop observations obtained under specification of character seeds for 12 species of Indigofera from Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. The results showed that the pattern of seed coat ornamentation, hilum, seed shape may help in the identification of the species. .

Being insoluble in the oxidize form, indigo dye must be solubilized by reduction for it to penetrate textile. One of the procedures is the reduction by natural bacterial fermentation. Sukumo, composted leaves of Polygonum tinctorium, is a natural source of indigo in Japan. Although sukumo has an intrinsic bacterial seed, the onset of indigo reduction with this material may vary greatly. Certain additives improve indigo fermentation. Here, we studied the effects of Indigofera tinctoria leaf powder (LP) on the initiation of indigo reduction, bacterial community, redox potential (ORP), and dyeing intensity in the initial stages and in aged fermentation fluids prepared with sukumo. I. tinctoria LP markedly decreased ORP at day 1 and stabilised it during early fermentation. These effects could be explained by the phytochemicals present in I. tinctoria LP that act as oxygen scavengers and electron mediators. Using next generation sequencing results, we observed differences in the bacterial community in sukumo fermentation treated with I. tinctoria LP, which was not influenced by the bacterial community in I. tinctoria LP per se. The concomitant decrease in Bacillaceae and increase in Proteinivoraceae at the onset of fermentation, increase in the ratio of facultative to obligate anaerobes (F/O ratio), or the total abundance of facultative anaerobes (F) or obligate anaerobes (O) (designated F + O) are vital for the initiation and maintenance of indigo reduction. Hence, I. tinctoria LP improved early indigo reduction by decreasing the ORP and hasten the appropriate transitions in the bacterial community in sukumo fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experimental study aims to evaluate the use of Indigofera leaves that have undergone cocktail enzyme treatment in male Mojosari duck feed. The research treatment was using Indigofera leaves due to enzyme cocktail treatment on male Mojosari duck feed with four levels: 0, 5, 10 and 15% of total feed, with six replications (@ five ducks) using 120 ducks in a completely randomized design. The variables measured and observed in this study were the production performance of male ducks, which included feed consumption, body weight growth, feed conversion. The research results were processed by analysis of variance (ANCOVA) because the coefficient of variation in initial body weight was 17.7%. The results showed that the addition of Indigofera leaf meal to the feed of male Mojosari ducks tended to reduce feed consumption (P<0.01) and body weight gain (P<0.05) but did not increase the FCR value (P>0.05). Indigofera flour needs to be processed first with a cocktail enzyme treatment to improve its nutritional quality so that it can be used as feed for ducks in larger quantities. Male Mojosari ducks that are kept need to be harvested at more than seven weeks to get a higher harvest weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Indigofera wenholdiae, a new species of Fabaceae from the Agulhas Plain Region of the Western Cape Province, South Africa, is described. A composite photographic plate is included along with a distribution map, description of habitat and ecology and proposed IUCN conservation status. Indigofera wenholdiae is unique in the I. brachystachya group by having digitately compound (vs. pinnately compound) leaves, white and unscented flowers (vs. pink and sweetly scented flowers) and grows on sandstone hillsides (vs. coastal limestone plains and outcrops). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigo is a fabric dye that requires reduction by microbial activity or chemical reagents to render it soluble in water. Sources of indigo for fermentation are primarily divided into composted indigo-containing plants and indigo extracted from plants. To elucidate the factors responsible for bacterial diversity, and for sustaining reduced state of indigo in different preparations, this study assessed fermentation-derived fluids using composted plant leaves, sukumo , and extracted indigo (Ryukyu-ai paste, and Indian indigo cake) prepared using different procedures. Regardless of the indigo source, obligate anaerobic bacteria, including the families Proteinivoraceae and Tissierellaceae , predominate (16.9–46.1%), suggesting their high affinity for this fermentation ecosystem (hyperalkaline and low redox potential). Moreover, bacterial communities in sukumo fermentations are more diverse than those from indigo extracts with the diversity tending to increase based on the fermentation period. Our results further suggest that the microbiota composition in sukumo fermentation is associated with the various bacterial nutrients derived from sukumo , including seed microorganisms. In addition, the debris derived from sukumo can reduce the pH stress experienced by the microorganisms. Further, regardless of 5.4 years difference in the fermentation age, the bacterial flora in two Ryukyu-ai batches exhibit similar features with low microbial diversities. The uniformity of the nutrient, along with the simple, yet strong, bacterial network in Ryukyu-ai fluids may be responsible for the stable bacterial flora composition. Taken together, these results indicate that the microbiota in indigo fermentation is highly influenced by the seed culture, the nutrient derived from raw materials, and the fermentation conditions. [Display omitted] • The complexity of the bacterial community in sukumo fluid depends on the complexity of its consituents and the fermentation environment. • The substrate along with the strong bacterial network in Ryukyu-ai fluids may be responsible for the strong sustainability. • Microbiota in indigo fermentation is influenced by various conditions such as the seed culture, the substrate, and fermentation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In temperate environments, forage availability and quality are known to influence life history traits of wild ungulates. However, variations in foraging strategies of these mountain dwellers with changing plant availability have received little attention. The seasonal vegetation availability in temperate climatic conditions of Kajinag National Park (KNP) was assessed by plot method at different altitudes (1900–3600 m a.s.l.) from 2018 to 2020 on seasonal basis. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of availability of vegetation on seasonal diet composition of Himalayan goral (Naemorhedus goral) inhabiting the National Park. We recorded 61 plant species whose availability differed significantly across seasons (F3,240 = 20.14, p < 0.05). We found seasonal variation in the diet composition of Himalayan goral depicting a strong relationship between plant consumption and dynamic availability in the study area. Himalayan goral consumed herbs in spring (dominated by Dioscorea deltoidea relative importance value (RIV) = 27.20, Poa pratensis RIV = 14.99 and Themeda spp. RIV = 12.87), grasses in summer (dominated by Themeda spp. RIV = 34.12, P. pratensis RIV = 30.14, Bothriochloa ischaemum RIV = 22.72) and autumn (dominated by Themeda spp. RIV = 34.64, P. pratensis RIV = 30.14, Stipa spp. RIV = 29.73) and shrubs in winter (dominated by Indigofera heterantha RIV = 47.05, Prunus tomentosa RIV = 17.51 and Lonicera spp. RIV = 16.98). The annual diet of Himalayan goral was dominated by graze species (72.66%). The proportion of graze items in the diet showed a sharp decline from spring (90.67%) to winter (19.23%) whereas that of browse showed a huge increment from spring (4.67%) to winter (74.43%). This shift shows a survival or foraging strategy of a temperate ungulate in harsh winters with limited forage availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deployment of biological resources for the synthesis of nanoparticles of metals and metal oxides is the latest addition to green chemistry. The present work describes the use of aqueous stem extracts of Aristolochia indica and Indigofera tinctoria for the synthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles (Ag and Au NPs). The synthesized NPs were characterized by UV–Vis., FT-IR, TEM, XRD and EDAX analyzes. The antioxidant activities of functionalized Ag and Au NPs were studied by the DPPH method and the nanoparticles showed greater antioxidant activity than that of the extract; AgNPs synthesized by A. indica showed antioxidant activity of 84%. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the Ag and Au NPs was assessed by the MTT assay method using the HeLa cell line and the NPs synthesized by A. indica showed nearly 100% toxicity. DNA binding capacity was investigated using calf thymus-DNA by UV–Vis spectra, the hyperchromism shift inferred the groove binding of nanoparticles and the binding constants (1.66 × 107 and 1.06 × 107 and 0.77 × 107 and 1.59 × 107 M−1 for the NPs of Ag and Au synthesized by A. indica and I. tinctoria respectively) indicate a high potential of these nanoparticles for the administration of drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THE CURRENT study presents a revision of the family Fabaceae in the flora of Lahij Governorate, South Yemen. The recorded taxa were morphologically revised, life form, lifespan, and phytogeographical affinities were analyzed. Sixty-three taxa belonging to 20 genera of three subfamilies (Caesalpinioideae, Faboideae, and Mimosoideae) were recorded. For each species, accepted name, synonyms (if any), and local distribution are given. Keys to subfamilies, genera, species, and infra-specific taxa of species are provided. The recorded taxa consist of 76.19% perennials and 23.81% annuals. Phanerophytes, chamaephytes, and therophytes were the most frequent life forms. Phytogeographical analysis revealed that the Sudano-Zambezian elements are the most dominant, forming the major constituent (% of the recorded plants) of the legume floristic structure. The most diverse genera were Acacia s.l. (13 taxa), Indigofera (12 taxa), Tephrosia (7 taxa), Crotalaria, and Senna (6 taxa each), accounting for about 69.84% of the total taxa recorded. Two species (Acacia hunteri Oliv. and Zygocarpum yemenense (J.B.Gillett) Thulin & Lavin) are endemic to Yemen. Besides, six species (Acacia edgeworthii T. Anders., Acacia johnwoodii Boulos, Cadia purpurea (Picc.) Ait., Crotalaria saltiana Andrews, Indigastrum costatum subsp. goniodes (Hochst. ex Baker) Schrire, and Tephrosia heterophylla Vatke) are considered near endemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two field cases of reddish-black pigmenturia occurred where cattle grazed on an established Cenchrus ciliaris (blue buffalo grass) pasture in South Africa. The pasture was noticeably invaded by Indigofera cryptantha , which was heavily grazed. Apart from the discolored urine, no other clinical abnormalities were detected. Urinalysis revealed hemoglobinuria, proteinuria and an alkaline pH. When the animals were immediately removed from the infested pasture, they made an uneventful recovery. However, a bull died when one of the herds could not be removed from the I. cryptantha -infested pasture. Macroscopically, the kidneys were dark red in color and the urinary bladder contained the dark pigmented urine. Microscopically, the renal tubules contained eosinophilic, granular pigment casts in the lumen. In addition, many renal tubular epithelial cells were attenuated with granular cytoplasm and were detached from the basement membranes. Chemical analysis was performed on dried, milled plant material and two urine samples collected during the field investigations. Qualitative UPLC-UV-qTOF/MS analysis revealed the presence of indican (indoxyl-β-glucoside) in the stems, leaves and pods of I. cryptantha and indoxyl sulfate was identified, and confirmed with an analytical standard, in the urine samples. It is proposed that following ingestion of I. cryptantha , indican will be hydrolysed in the liver to indoxyl and conjugated with sulfate. Indoxyl sulfate will then be excreted in relatively high concentrations in the urine. In the alkaline urine, two indoxyl molecules might dimerize to form leucoindigo with subsequent oxidation to indigo, thus, contributing to the dark pigmentation of the urine. It is also possible that indoxyl sulfate contributed to the renal failure and death of the bull. Although I. suffruticosa -induced hemoglobinuria has been described in Brazil, this is the first report of I. cryptantha -induced pigmenturia in cattle in South Africa. • Two outbreaks of reddish-black pigmenturia in cattle in South Africa. • Ingestion of the legume, Indigofera cryptantha. • Severe pigment nephrosis confirmed microscopically. • Qualitative analysis revealed indican in stems, leaves and pods. • Qualitative analysis confirmed indoxyl sulfate in urine samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical investigation of ethyl acetate bark extracts of Indigofera ammoxylum red and white phenotypes led to the bio-guided isolation of four previously undescribed flavonoids, named (2 S ,3 R)-3′,7-dihydroxy-4′,6-dimethoxyflavanol (1), (2 S ,3 R)-6-methoxy-7-hydroxyflavanol (2), 2′,3′,7-trihydroxy-4′,6-dimethoxyisoflavone (7) and 2′,5' -dimethoxy-4′,5,7-trihydroxyisoflavanone (8), along with 14 known compounds (3 – 6 and 9 – 18). The previously undescribed structures were characterized based on NMR, HRESIMS, UV and IR data. Published spectroscopic data were used to deduce the structure of the known compounds. Eleven of the 18 isolated metabolites were evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity and cytotoxic activity against human liver carcinoma cells and human colon and colorectal adenocarcinoma cells. All tested compounds showed an anti-inflammatory activity (IC 50 NO < 25 μg/mL), and compounds 2 and 3 were more selective than the positive control dexamethasone. Afromorsin (6) showed promising cytotoxic properties against both cancer cell lines (IC 50 18.9 and 11.4 μg/mL). Feature-based molecular networking approach applied to bark and leaves extracts of the two phenotypes allowed to detect bioactive analogues, belonging to the families of flavones, isoflavones, flavanones, flavanols and flavonols, and to explore the chemodiversity of the species. The red and white phenotypes have a similar composition, whereas bark and leaves contain specific chemical entities. Finally, this approach highlighted a cluster of potentially bioactive and undescribed metabolites. [Display omitted] • The bark of the medicinal plant Indigofera ammoxylum possesses potent in vitro anti-inflammatory properties. • Six new phenolic compounds have been isolated from the ethyl acetate bark extract. • Two new flavonoids possess important and selective in vitro anti-inflammatory activity. • Feature-Based Molecular Networking allowed to explore the chemodiversity of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Hemonchosis has resulted in huge economic losses for sheep farmers worldwide. Secondary metabolite compounds from Indigofera tinctoria L. can be used as anthelmintics. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo effects of I. tinctoria L. aqueous extract (IAE) as an anthelmintic against adult Haemonchus contortus isolated from sheep. Materials and Methods: Ten active adult worms were placed in each Petri dish containing 25 mL of IAE, each having a different concentration of IAE (at concentrations 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, 200, and 220 mg/mL). Each experiment was repeated. The positive control used 1% albendazole, and the negative control used 0.62% saline water. The number of immobile worms and the time of mortality were recorded after 2, 4, 6, and 8 h. The dead worms were subsequently tested using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In the in vivo study, 15 sheep with an average fecal egg count (FEC) of 1000 eggs per gram were treated with IAE for 9 days: Group A (negative control, saline water 0.62%), Group B (21 mg/mL), Group C (41 mg/mL), Group D (62 mg/mL), and Group E (positive control, albendazole 100 mg/mL). Measurements of the body weight, FEC reduction test, and hematology testing were performed on days 0, 7, and 14. SEM was performed using worms found from the abomasum of slaughtered sheep. Results: The leaves of I. tinctoria L. contained a number of secondary metabolites, including total tannins, saponins, flavonoids, and alkaloids. The most effective concentration that killed the adult H. contortus worms was 220 mg/mL (93.33% mortality) after 8 h of treatment. The electrophoresis results showed that the protein band at a dose of 22% was less than that of the control. The highest FECR value of the treatment group on the 14th day after treatment was at a dose of 62 mg/mL. The highest weight gain as well as the highest increased hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), and total erythrocyte count (TEC) values on the 14th day after treatment were at a dose of 41 mg/mL. The SEM results showed that IAE treatment caused the worms' anterior parts to become wrinkled with thick creases and cuticle abrasion (in vitro) and the anterior part to shrink along with the presence of aggregates in the worm cuticle (in vivo). Conclusion: The aqueous extract of I. tinctoria contains tannins, saponins, flavonoids, and alkaloids and has an anthelmintic effect with decreased FEC, increased weight gain, Hb, PCV, and TEC, causing damage to the worms' body and reducing the protein profile of adult H. contortus worms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf spot caused by Corynespora cassiicola was observed on plants of Assam indigo (Strobilanthes flaccidifolius) in Higashi village in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, in October 2019. The fungus isolated from diseased leaves was identified based on morphological characteristics and molecular analysis of the rDNA-ITS region. Inoculation tests using the isolated fungus confirmed Corynespora cassiicola as the causative agent of the disease. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of leaf spot disease in Assam indigo caused by C. cassiicola in Japan. Leaf spot, "hanten-byo" in Japanese, is the proposed name of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Dyeing process is usually to blame negatively for deteriorating the environment. Eco-friendly silk fibers are able to exercising their commercial values well followed by eco-friendly processing. One of the supporting examples is the process of changing the colors of silk fabrics. This would include the dyeing process used to change the colors of silk fabric. The intention of the study is to reach the goal of creating an eco-friendly finishing process using a local natural plant-based indigo dyeing process that would complement an eco-friendly degumming process. Currently, most dye houses use sodium hydrosulfite (Na2S2O4) and alkali (NaOH) as the substances for providing hydrogen as a reducing agent. Since the sodium hydroxide by-products are acidic, they may damage equipment in the dye houses, generate air pollution in working environment. The other problems associated with the use of sodium hydrosulfite are the cost and instability with low storage. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is based on continuing improvements to the commercialization of the raw materials via the innovative degumming process elaborated in the author's previous study: "Degumming of Silk Fibers by CO2 Supercritical Fluid." The initial study has already proved that it was possible to remove sericin from raw silk fiber by using an organic acid pretreatment and CO2 supercritical fluid over the heavy processes the industry currently deploys. The sericin removed from this innovative and eco-friendly processing of silk fiber will be remained in a clean state, not in the form of waste via the existing technologies in use. Clean sericin, rich in silk protein with high market values, can be a potentially perfect substitute of collagen the medical and cosmetic industries widely use. The continued research is focused on the other by-product coming out from this eco-friendly degumming process the silk fibers post degumming. Dyeing process is usually to blame negatively for deteriorating the environment. Eco-friendly silk fibers are able to exercising their commercial values well followed by eco-friendly processing. One of the supporting examples is the process of changing the colors of silk fabrics. This would include the dyeing process used to change the colors of silk fabric. The intention of the study is to reach the goal of creating an eco-friendly finishing process using a local natural plant-based indigo dyeing process that would complement an eco-friendly degumming process. Findings: Degumming is an important stage in the silk manufacturing. Due to removing sericin from silk fibers, when subjected the degumming process, these silk fibers acquire the properties, which are of high consumer and commercial values, those include gloss, perfect color, soft handle and texture, elegant drape. Another purpose for the silk fabric degumming is preparing for the next step in processing, such as dyeing or printing. The author has developed a new approach to the degumming process exploiting a supercritical fluid carbon dioxide and found it as a good alternative to the conventional methods that are currently used in industry. Silk fabrics treated by the scCO2 degumming process are characterized by improved dyeing ability or color strength, while this process does not adversely affect the environment. The implications or potential applications of the findings: as it is clearly seen from Table 1, the effectiveness of the degumming process can be improved by at least 38% applying scCO2. Moreover, implementation of the scCO2 silk degumming process into the textile industry may help manufactures to consume less water and energy resources (Elmaaty and Abd El-Aziz, 2017), as well as to obtain pure sericin as a valuable end-product that can be used in the medical and cosmetic industries. Research limitations/implications: The innovation and novel aspects of research: degumming is an important stage in the silk manufacturing. Due to removing sericin from silk fibers, when subjected the degumming process, these silk fibers acquire the properties, which are of high consumer and commercial values, those include gloss, perfect color, soft handle and texture, elegant drape. Another purpose for the silk fabric degumming is preparing for the next step in processing, such as dyeing or printing. The author has developed a new approach to the degumming process exploiting a supercritical fluid carbon dioxide and found it as a good alternative to the conventional methods that are currently used in industry. Silk fabrics treated by the scCO2 degumming process are characterized by improved dyeing ability or color strength, while this process does not adversely affect the environment. Practical implications: The author has developed a new approach to the degumming process exploiting a supercritical fluid carbon dioxide and found it as a good alternative to the conventional methods that are currently used in industry. Silk fabrics treated by the scCO2 degumming process are characterized by improved dyeing ability or color strength, while this process does not adversely affect the environment. Social implications: As it is clearly seen from Table 1, the effectiveness of the degumming process can be improved by at least 38% applying scCO2. Moreover, implementation of the scCO2 silk degumming process into the textile industry may help manufacturers to consume less water and energy resources (Elmaaty and Abd El-Aziz, 2017), as well as to obtain pure sericin as a valuable end-product that can be used in the medical and cosmetic industries. Originality/value: To make the silk manufacturing more green, the author has developed a technology for obtaining a plant-based indigo dye applying only locally grown agricultural products. The author has found that banana paste and banana peel paste have a sufficiently enough reduction potential for converting the indigo dye into indigo white, which is an important stage in the dyeing processes. The investigation performed showed that both these pastes can serve as a green alternative to sodium hydrosulfite, widely used in industry as a reducing agent. The main result of this study is the demonstration that natural, recyclable and easily biodegradable resources can be exploited to produce the semi-products for the textile industry and the final dyed silk fabrics as well. Summarizing the above, it can be concluded that we have got the results, which show promising alternative green processes for the textile industry in silk treatment (both degumming and dyeing). Their implementation may turn the silk textile production into a sustainable green circle and economically viable manufacturer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A checklist of the legumes of Kerala State is presented. This exhaustive checklist is an outcome of extensive field surveys, collection, identification and documentation of family Leguminosae carried out across Kerala State during the period 2006–2019. A total of 448 taxa were recorded under five subfamilies and 115 genera. The majority of the legumes are herbs and shrubs, the rest being trees and woody climbers. About 81 taxa are endemic to India, especially confined to the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, out of which 17 are endemic to Kerala. The state is home to two Critically Endangered and six Endangered legumes, facing severe threat of extinction. Crotalaria is the dominant legume genus in the state with 62 taxa followed by Desmodium and Indigofera. About 57 genera are represented by single species each. Legumes are treated according to the latest phylogenetic classification of the Legume Phylogeny Working Group (LPWG). Updated nomenclature, habit, native countries, voucher specimens, and images of endemic and lesser known legumes found in the state are provided. Crotalaria multiflora var. kurisumalayana (Sibichen & Nampy) Krishnaraj & N. Mohanan is reduced as a synonym to C. multiflora (Arn.) Benth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: High‐throughput liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) analysis presents an interesting platform for natural dyes research. A particular example is the assessment of the dynamic changes in fermentation mixtures of Philippine Indigofera, and in the investigation of commercially available indigo prepared using traditional and optimized methods. Methods: Leaves from Indigofera tinctoria and Indigofera suffruticosa were subjected to methanolic extraction and aqueous fermentation for 48 h. Indigo powders prepared following 2‐day and 15‐day fermentation were also subjected to profiling using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/QTOF‐MS). MS2 spectra were annotated through a library search in the community‐curated Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS). Spectra with no library hits in GNPS were annotated by analysis of their fragmentation pathways. Results: UHPLC/MS‐based detection and fragmentation analysis led to characterization of leucoindigo and the unreported tryptanthrin intermediate, 5a‐hydroxy‐5,5a‐dihydroindolo[2,1‐b]quinazoline‐6,12‐dione, in the fermentation extract of I. tinctoria leaves. Indigo‐associated metabolites were absent in an Indigofera specimen in Laguna Province, which explained why it did not produce blue dye. Locally produced indigo was abundant in indigotin and indirubin, differentiated based on product ions with the corresponding predicted fragmentation pattern. The relative intensity of indigotin, however, decreased with the traditional process of extended fermentation to produce indigo. Conclusions: The study is the first to demonstrate simultaneous MS‐based analysis of reaction intermediates, indigotin dye, side products, and catabolites on actively transforming fermentation extracts of I. tinctoria. New results include annotated mass spectra for leucoindigo, and for the unreported 5a‐hydroxy‐5,5a‐dihydroindolo[2,1‐b]quinazoline‐6,12‐dione, which is probably an intermediate in tryptranthrin synthesis. The proposed fragmentation schemes could guide the annotation of analogous compounds in complex mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are the major proteolytic enzymes which assist in regulating the metastatic process by degrading the extracellular matrix proteins. In this study, we have investigated the anti-metastatic potential of major bioactive compounds in the medicinal plant Indigofera aspalathoides targeting matrix metalloproteinases (MMP2 & MMP9) and it's in silico pharmacokinetic profiles using computational studies. Indigofera aspalathoides (Sivanar vembu in Tamil) is a renowned medicinal herb in traditional Indian medicine which contains indigocarpan, mucronulatol, indigocarpan diacetate, erythroxydiol X and erythroxydiol Y as the major constituents. The 3-dimensional structure of MMP2 and MMP9 was designed by using I-tasser and Modeller and it was validated by PROCHECK. The structures of mucronulatol and indigocarpan have been retrieved from PubChem and indigocarpan diacetate, erythroxydiol X & Y were drawn by using Chemdraw Ultra 6.0. Batimastat was used as a positive control. Molecular docking was performed by using AutoDock 4.2 tools and AutoDock vina, an open-source program which signifies an effective interaction between the phytoligands and MMP2 & MMP9. From the results, AutoDock 4.2 have showed that indigocarpan possesses strong binding energy (ΔG) of − 7.68 kcal/mol towards MMP2 and − 6.35 kcal/mol towards MMP9, whereas batimastat showed binding energy (ΔG) of − 6.34 kcal/mol for MMP2 and − 5.66 kcal/mol for MMP9, meanwhile the results from AutoDock vina indicates that indigocarpan possesses strong binding energy (ΔG) of − 8.0 kcal/mol towards MMP2 and − 8.2 kcal/mol towards MMP9, whereas batimastat showed binding energy (ΔG) of − 7.2 kcal/mol for MMP2 and − 7.6 kcal/mol for MMP9. Also, the ADME and toxicity results suggest that the indigocarpan compound possesses a druggable pharmacokinetic potentiality and does not have carcinogenicity and Ames mutagenesis compared with other phytoligands. Hence, it is evident from our results that both AutoDock platforms strongly revealed that the phytoligand, indigocarpan possesses strong inhibitory activity against MMP2 and MMP9 to control cancer metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the potential for domestication of native pasture legumes, a seed collecting mission was undertaken between Kalbarri and Esperance in the south of Western Australia followed by establishment of a field nursery at Northam, Western Australia. Indigofera australis subsp. hesperia Peter G. Wilson & Rowe was collected from eight sites, Indigofera brevidens Benth. from one site, and Glycyrrhiza acanthocarpa (Lindl.) J.M.Black from six sites. The field nursery was an irrigated, replicated trial designed to produce seed for future field testing and to provide preliminary information on plant agronomic characteristics. Over 12 months, I. australis produced herbage dry matter (DM) of 2.1-4.4 t/ha compared with 3.4 t/ha for a composite line of tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa C.H. Stirton vars. albomarginata and crassiuscula) and 1.0 t/ha DM for G. acanthocarpa. Most lines had digestibility and crude protein (15-25%) values that would support moderate growth of sheep or cattle. The best line of G. acanthocarpa produced >400 kg/ha of seeds, whereas I. australis had poor production most likely due to poor adaptation to the nursery site. The severity of cutting of I. australis plants had no significant effect on visual assessments of herbage growth. Most plants of I. australis died within 3 years, whereas most plants of G. acanthocarpa, I. brevidens and tedera survived for 3 years. Both I. australis and G. acanthocarpa have potential for use in broadacre agriculture as grazing plants, most likely in niches specifically suited to each, and demonstrate that native plants can contribute to pasture production currently dominated by exotic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anna Burton's book, "Trees in Nineteenth-Century English Fiction: The Silvicultural Novel," contributes to the emerging field of Victorian environmental humanities by focusing on the role of trees in literature. Burton argues that there is a "silvicultural tradition" in nineteenth-century literary and non-literary texts, which involves the circulation of arboreal knowledge and the borrowing of ideas from one another. The book examines the influence of William Gilpin's work on trees and explores how trees function as boundary spaces and symbols of connection and adaptation in the novels of Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, and Thomas Hardy. However, the book does not engage with critical plant studies or the imperial implications of trees in the Victorian era, which could have provided a useful framework for understanding human-plant interconnection and the role of trees in empire. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Diabetes is a long-lasting and serious disease that effect in worldwide individual lives, families, and societies. Hyperglycemia of diabetes mellitus produced Advance Glycation End Products that are associated with diabetic complications like neuropathy, nephropathy, retinopathy, and cardiovascular diseases. Methods: In this study, the natural products isolated from of Indigofera heterantha Brandis, Indigoferin A (S1), Indigoferin B (S2) and Indigoferin C (S3) were evaluated for their in vitro antiglycation activity. Results: The compounds exhibited a significant inhibitory activity against the formation of Advanced Glycation End-Products with IC50 values of 674.25 ± 3.2 μM, 407.03 ± 4.7 μM and 726.41 ± 2.1 μM, respectively. Here, important structure-activity relationship was observed, when the intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions suppressed the antiglycation activity of compound S3. Thus, the study clearly demonstrates that the number and the position of substituents act as an assisting factor and directly influence the inhibitory activity of the natural product by altering the sugar or protein binding affinity. Conclusions: This study explain first time the antiglycation inhibitory ability of chemical constituents isolated from I. heterantha and can be used for above late diabetic complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was intended to examine the difference in the phytochemical and antioxidant profile of nine Indigofera species. With this aim, the species were assessed for total phenolic content, flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity using ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), DPPH free radical scavenging, ferrous ion chelating activity, phosphomolybdenum reducing power, deoxyribose degradation, β-carotene bleaching, nitric oxide scavenging, and superoxide radical scavenging assays. The content of total phenolics and flavonoids ranged from 1.33 to 22.5 mg TAE/g plant material and 0.47 to 5.02 mg QE/g plant material respectively in the various species, while the antioxidant activity as tested with different antioxidant test models varied with the species studied as well as with the solvents used for the extraction. Interestingly, all the tested extracts demonstrated considerable free radical scavenging activity, moreover, I. hirsuta, I. glandulosa, I. linnaei, I. hochstetteri, I. linifolia , and I. trita were found to be the most effective among the species studied. The results indicated the significant differences in phytochemical constituents and the antioxidant activity among the species. The Pearson correlation coefficient analysis exhibited a significant correlation of phenolics and flavonoids with the antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the use of colorant materials throughout history is now the objective of multiple studies centered on the identification and characterization of these materials. The main objective of this study is to increase knowledge of the degradation pathways of indigo blue dye (Indigofera tinctoria) and the detection of degradation products. This will enable the identification of the dye on historical objects, even when it is present in a degraded state. To this end, different analytical techniques were used for the identification of indigo blue and its degradation products. Capillary electrophoresis with diode array detection (CE-DAD) and fluorescence spectroscopy were used for characterization and detection of the colorant and its degradation products caused by the aging process. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to confirm the presence of degradation products. The evaluation of color variations (lightness, chroma, and tone) in indigo blue on paper samples was made with colorimetric study, while the changes in indigo solutions were evaluated with UV-visible spectrophotometry. Additionally, changes in the alkalinity and acidity of the colorant were made with pH measurements. Lastly, the main agents responsible for the modifications that resulted in the production of degradation products of indigo blue were also identified. These methods were applied to historic samples from the Collection of Drawings, Maps, and Plans (sixteenth to nineteenth centuries) and to the thread used in the binding of a notarial record book (Registro Notarial de Torres) (fifteenth century) held by the Royal Chancery Archive in Granada (Spain). This paper provides deeper insights into the materials used in artworks and helps in the identification of indigo blue despite the degradation caused by external agents or by its natural aging process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenological, morpho-biological properties and methods of propagation of Indigofera tinctoria L. under introduction conditions were studied and its application in national economy and industry was comprehensively analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Tryptanthrin suppresses dsRNA-induced CXCL10 production in HUVEC. • TLR3-mediated induction of interferon-stimulated genes is inhibited by tryptanthrin independently of IFN-β. • Tryptanthrin suppresses the phosphorylation of STAT1 upon stimulation with both dsRNA and recombinant IFN-β. Tryptanthrin is a bioactive component of indigo plants such as Polygonum tinctrorium and known to have an anti-inflammatory activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of tryptanthrin on Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3)-mediated cytokine and chemokine expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Herein, we found that tryptanthrin suppressed the expression of CXCL10 in HUVEC upon stimulation with a TLR3 ligand polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly IC). Tryptanthrin did not inhibit poly IC-induced activation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) or the mRNA expression of interferon (IFN)-β, while it significantly suppressed the expression of RIG-I, MDA5, and classical IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). Tryptanthrin attenuated the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of STAT1 in HUVEC stimulated with not only poly IC but also recombinant IFN-β. These results suggested that tryptanthrin inhibited poly IC-induced expression of CXCL10 and ISGs via suppressing the activation of STAT1 in HUVEC. Our findings indicate that tryptanthrin may be useful for regulating TLR3-mediated vascular inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polygonum tinctorium (P. tinctorium) is an indigo plant that is cultivated for a specific metabolite that it produces i.e., indoxyl β-D-glucoside (indican). In this study, flavin-containing monooxygenase (Pt FMO) from P. tinctorium was cloned. When recombinant Pt FMO was expressed in E. coli in the presence of tryptophan, indigo production was observed. Furthermore, we measured the activity of Pt FMO using the membrane fraction from E. coli and found that it could produce indigo using indole as a substrate. The co-expression of Pt FMO with indoxyl β-D-glucoside synthase (Pt IGS), which catalyzes the glucosylation of indoxyl, brought about the formation of indican in E. coli. The results showed that indican was synthesized by sequential reactions of Pt FMO and Pt IGS. In three-week-old P. tinctorium specimens, the first leaves demonstrated higher levels of Pt FMO expression than the subsequent leaves. This result coincided with that of our prior study on Pt IGS expression level. Our study provides evidence that Pt FMO might contribute to indican biosynthesis. • Flavin-containing monooxygenase (Pt FMO) gene from Polygonum tinctorium was cloned. • E. coli expressing Pt FMO can produce indigo. • The first evidence of FMO that oxidizes indole among indigo-producing plants. • A vector co-expressing Pt FMO and indican synthase (Pt IGS) was constructed. • E. coli co-expressing Pt FMO and Pt IGS can produce indican. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction: Indigo naturalis (IN) is a blue pigment extracted from Assam indigo and other plants and has been confirmed to be highly effective for ulcerative colitis (UC) treatment in several clinical studies. Objective: We conducted a multicenter double-blind study to confirm the efficacy and safety of short-term IN administration. Methods: A multicenter, randomized controlled trial was conducted between December 2015 and October 2018 in our facilities. Forty-six patients with mild to moderate active UC (Lichtiger index: 5–10) were randomly assigned to the IN group or the placebo group and received 5 capsules (500 mg) twice a day for 2 weeks. We investigated the efficacy according to blood tests and the Lichtiger index before and after administration, and we also examined adverse events. Results: The analysis included 42 patients (20 males, 22 females) with an average age of 45 years. Nineteen patients were assigned to the placebo group, and 23 were assigned to the IN group. After treatment administration, in the placebo group, no change in the Lichtiger index was observed (7.47 to 6.95, p = 0.359), and hemoglobin was significantly reduced (12.7 to 12.4, p = 0.031), while in the IN group, the Lichtiger index (9.04 to 4.48, p = 0.001) and albumin (4.0 to 4.12, p = 0.022) improved significantly. Mild headaches were observed in 5 patients and 1 patient in the IN and placebo groups, respectively. Conclusions: Short-term administration of IN is highly effective without serious adverse events such as pulmonary hypertension or intussusception and may prevent the occurrence of serious adverse events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaria is a worldwide serious‐threatening infectious disease caused by Plasmodium and the parasite resistance to antimalarial drugs has confirmed a significant obstacle to novel therapeutic antimalarial drugs. In this article, we assessed the antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activity of nanoparticles prepared from Indigofera oblongifolia extract (AgNPs) against the infection with Plasmodium chabaudi caused in mice spleen. AgNPs could significantly suppress the parasitaemia caused by the parasite to approximately 98% on day 7 postinfection with P. chabaudi and could improve the histopathological induced spleen damage. Also, AgNPs were able to increase the capsule thickness of the infected mice spleen. In addition, the AgNPs functioned as an antioxidant agent that affects the change in glutathione, nitric oxide and catalase levels in the spleen. Moreover spleen IL1β, IL‐6 and TNF‐α‐mRNA expression was regulated by AgNPs administration to the infected mice. These results indicated the anti‐oxidant and the anti‐inflammatory protective role of AgNPs against P. chabaudi‐induced spleen injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current studies revealed the ethnobotanical importance of the threatened flora of Gujranwala region, Punjab, Pakistan including Gujranwala, Kamoki and Wazirabad Townships. This region is facing rapid expansion of industrialization and urbanization, therefore it is prime time to document and conserve it before it is lost. 100 different species belonging to 52 families were recorded through questionnaire and interviews. Steps for preservation, classification, quantitative indices and phytochemical composition were performed. Asteraceae was the dominant family with ten species. 55% of these represent herbs, 27% shrubs, 15% trees, 2% grasses and 1% weeds whereas 85% plant species were wild and 15% were cultivated. Leaves are the most frequently used parts 77%, followed by stem 12%, roots 12%, flowers 20%, rhizome 17%, seed oil 18%, and so on. As common remedies they are used as diuretics 26%, against fever 25%, laxatives 23%, emollients 22%, against constipation 20%, blood purifiers 20%, and against cough and cold 17% etc. RFC was recorded from 0.001 to 0.78. Informant consensus factor (FCI) ranged from 10-40, with the lowest value belonging to Cucumus melo which is used for treating eczema, dysuria, leucorrhea and as laxative whereas the highest 37 for Indigofera heterantha and Quercus incana reported to be used for hemorrhagic septicemia and joint pain. Concrete efforts are required to conserve traditional flora and to provide awareness for possible benefits of threatened species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]