Search

Andrographis saxatilis (Acanthaceae), a new species, is described and illustrated from the rocky plateau of the Owk dam area, Andhra Pradesh. It is a perennial, woody‐root‐stocked undershrub. Unique characteristics of this species include hispid hairs, obovate, elliptic‐oblong and oblanceolate leaves, lanceolate glandular hairy sepals, and sterile bract and calyx towards base of rachis. Andrographis saxatilis is closely allied to A. glandulosa Nees by its perennial habit, woody rootstock in rocky crevices, glaucous green leaves, hairy stem, and glandular and attenuate hairy calyx and corolla. However, it is distinguished from the later by its hispid texture (versus densely pubescent in A. glandulosa), obovate, elliptic‐oblong, and oblanceolate leaves (versus ovate‐oblong), obtusely 4‐angled stem (versus acutely 4‐angled), hispid and glandular hairy sepals (versus villous), boat‐shaped upper lip of corolla (versus ligulate), and pubescent fruit (versus glabrous at base and glandular hairy towards the tip in A. glandulosa). The IUCN threat status of A. saxatilis is assessed as ‘Critically Endangered' (CR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kalmegh (Andrographis paniculata) is an important medicinal plant belonging to the Acanthaceae family and used for the treatment of many diseases. This study is focused on determining the critical limit for the cultivation of A. paniculata in sodic soil. A pot experiment was conducted with different exchangeable sodium percentages (ESPs) to determine the critical limit for the cultivation of A. paniculata in sodic soil. The critical limit, 16 ESP, was found for A. paniculata grown in sodic soil. Overall, increasing trends in N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Cr, and Mo and a decreasing trend in Ni and Se were observed in all part of the plant due to increasing sodicity levels. The determination of the critical limit for the cultivation of A. paniculata in sodic soil is an important aspect of this paper. The nutrients and heavy metal profiling with the extreme levels of sodicity will be useful to study the nutrient utilization pattern for the nutrient management strategy of A. paniculata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A phytochemical investigation of the methanolic extract of aerial parts of the Acanthus ilicifolius led to the isolation of two new lignan glycosides, acaniliciosides A and B (1 and 2), together with ten known compounds (3-12). The structures of isolated compounds were elucidated based on HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data. The absolute configurations of two new compounds were established by CD spectra. With the exception of compound 12, other compounds inhibited NO production in LPS activated RAW264.7 cells with IC50 values of 2.14-28.18 µM, as potent as that of the positive control of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine acetate (L-NMMA, IC50 of 32.50 µM). In addition, compounds 5-8 showed cytotoxic effects against SK-LU-1 and HepG2 cell lines with the IC50 values ranging from 16.48 to 76.40 μM compared to the positive control (ellipticine) with the IC50 values ranging from 1.23 to 1.46 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Acanthaceae, Justicia guerrerensis, is described from a limited region of the state of Guerrero in southwestern Mexico. In several morphological characters, it resembles J. ixtlania, a widespread species that occurs in several states to the northwest of Guerrero. A key is presented to distinguish these two species. Images of the holotype and macromorphological features of J. guerrerensis are provided. Additional comparisons between J. guerrerensis and J. ixtlania via SEM images of pollen and a distribution map are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under a hidden waterfall in the interior of the tropical rainforest of East Kalimantan, a new medicinal plant that produces essential oil (EO) was found with the name Strobilanthes kalimantanensis. The aim was to investigate the botanical and evaluate the pharmacognostic characteristics of S. kalimantanensis leaves from East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Pharmacognostic studies can provide recommendations for establishing quality control standards or guidelines for cultivating, harvesting, and processing S. kalimantanensis to ensure the consistent and reliable quality of medicinal products. Characteristic methods of S. kalimantanensis leaves include botanical macroscopic, fluorescence, physicochemical, and phytochemical evaluation. The plant characteristics of this plant are similar to S. kunthia and S. reptans but can be differentiated in the leaves and flowers. Fluorescence assay with sodium hydroxide 5% shows unique characteristics of secondary metabolites based on their ability to form dark green with black precipitate in Ultraviolet 365 nm. The physicochemical characteristics showed yield, water content, water-soluble, ethanol soluble, total ash value, and acid-insoluble ash. Phytochemicals showed the presence of alkaloids, polyphenols, terpenoids, and EO containing 23% trans-anethole. This evaluation report details the chemical composition, identity, and safety of S. kalimantanensis leaves.

A new species, Justicia darienensis T.F. Daniel & M. Vargas P., is described from a biodiverse "hotspot" in an isolated cloud forest of Darién Province in eastern Panama. It is compared to morphologically and palynologically similar species in southern Central America. Justicia darienensis is characterized by a complex inflorescence with heteromorphic (shape and fertility) bracts, white corollas with purple markings on the lower lip, glabrous anther thecae, 4-aperturate pollen, and pubescent capsules. Images of the plant and its pollen are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Actilasioptera gagné (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is a gall inducer associated with the gray mangrove, Avicennia marina (Acanthaceae) which hasn't been previously recorded in Egypt. Mangrove forests are unique functional ecosystems having much social, ecological, economic and biological importance. This work aimed to study the relationship between the gall marker Actilasioptera Gagné and the gray mangrove, Avicennia marina, in addition to evaluating the quantifications of phytochemical and proximate compositions of Avicennia marina leaves with galls and without galls, as well as their antinutrients compositions on the Red Sea coast. The results of phytochemical compositions showed that total flavonoids, flavonols, steroids, saponins, tannins, alkaloids, and total phenolic contents were statistically significant at P< 0.05 and higher in Avicennia marina leaves with galls than without galls. The total flavonoids, flavonols, and phenolic acids in the Avicennia marina leaves with galls and leaves without galls were 181.93± 1.36mg RTE/ g DW, 51.10± 0.56mg RTE/ g DW, 20.27± 0.65mg RTE/ g DW, 8.77± 0.51mg RTE/ g DW, 70.42± 0.61mg GAE/ g DW, and 26.90± 1.25mg GAE/ g DW, respectively. In addition, total steroids, saponins, tannins, and alkaloids were significantly higher in the Avicennia marina leaves with galls than in leaves without galls. The high values of proximate contents were found in Avicennia marina leaves with galls than Avicennia marina leaves without galls. Furthermore, the highest levels of anti-nutrients were found in Avicennia marina leaves with galls: oxalates, phytates, and cyanogenic glycosides were 21.60± 0.52mg/ 100g, 1.102± 0.08mg/ 100g, and 6.98± 0.22mg/ 100g, respectively. Actilasioptera Gagné can infest and damage mangrove plant leaf, leading to the death of the plant leaf as a result of access of plant defense chemicals against insect pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cleistogamy is characterized by the presence of flowers that are permanently closed, yet they still produce fruits and seeds through autonomous self‐pollination. Populations with cleistogamous flowers can also have flowers that open, called chasmogamous, which promote cross‐pollination and genetic variability. Acanthaceae is among the families with the highest frequency of cleistogamy, observed mainly in Ruellia. This study aimed to assess cleistogamy in Ruellia blechum for the first time. In a population in Central Brazil, we analysed the production of cleistogamous and chasmogamous flowers, their fruiting, differences in flower bud size, self‐pollination in cleistogamous flowers and visitors in chasmogamous flowers. Of the flower buds observed, 35.29% remained closed (cleistogamous flowers), with 31.25% of them forming fruit. In contrast, 60.24% of the flowers that opened (chasmogamous) developed fruit. The length of cleistogamous flowers was shorter than that of chasmogamous floral buds in pre‐anthesis. On average, 24.45 pollen grains were self‐deposited on the stigma of a cleistogamous flower. The chasmogamous flowers were visited mainly by small bees. This study is the first to confirm the presence of cleistogamous flowers in R. blechum. However, their co‐occurrence with chasmogamous flowers suggests a fitness advantage for maintaining a mixed mating strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subtropical rainforest shrub Graptophyllum reticulatum (Acanthaceae) occurs in only a few populations within a 20‐kilometer range in the Sunshine Coast, south‐east Queensland, Australia. This endangered plant has been subject to habitat degradation and loss, mostly due to land clearing and urbanization. In the past decades, conservation measures such as land protection and translocation have been put in place to protect the species' wild populations. The aim of the study was to analyze the viability of the species' populations in the long term while assessing the effectiveness of land protection and translocation. Demographic data was collected every decade since 2000; for this study, we resurveyed all known populations including a translocated population and two recently discovered populations. We found that the average number of plants per population has doubled since 2000, except in one population that underwent land clearing. However, after being reduced by 70%, plant abundance in this population has been increasing, giving evidence of natural post‐clearing recovery. We developed population growth models for population viability analysis in best, average, and worst‐case scenarios to predict the species' viability over the next 100 years. All populations are expected to grow in the next 100 years, except in the worst‐case scenario in which removing land protection from the model led to an 80% decline in the total number of plants within 100 years, highlighting the importance of land protection for species' conservation. Overall, if current conservation efforts are maintained, this endangered species is likely to persist for the next 100 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The taxonomic status of Asystasia gangetica var. krishnae has been evaluated and compared with the closely resembling taxon A. intrusa (synonyms: A. gangetica subsp. micrantha and A. micrantha). The trait that differentiates the two taxa, as per reports, is the occurrence of vertical violet‐black bands on the sides of anthers in the former taxon. The authors explain that var. krishnae could be the first report of A. intrusa for the country and suggest the possibility of neglecting the violet black bands in the previous descriptions of A. intrusa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apart from its role in plant taxonomy, the understanding of pollen morphology is considered an essential interdisciplinary tool in diverse applied fields, including plant systematics, melissopalynology, aeropalynology, forensic palynology, paleopalynology, and copropalynology. In palynotaxonomy, it is frequently employed to classify and validate natural groups across a range of hierarchical levels, from higher categories down to the infrageneric level. The subfamily Acanthoideae, within the Acanthaceae family, consists of a diverse group of flowering plants that are distributed globally. The present study attempted a comprehensive analysis of the pollen morphology, employing both light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), for a total of 13 Acanthoideae species from the Shivalik Foothills in Rajaji National Park (located in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, Western Himalaya). The findings indicated that the Acanthoideae is characterized by eurypalynous features, and the studied species exhibited pollen grains that were monads, radially symmetrical, and varied in size from small to large. The pollen grains were predominantly tricolporate or heteroaperturate, with porate occurrences being rare. The significant variation in exine sculpturing, including reticulate, coarsely reticulate, and bireticulate patterns, holds substantial taxonomic significance. The detailed presentation encompasses pollen morphological characters described with LM and SEM micrographs, along with a species‐level identification key. Research Highlights: This article provides a thorough analysis of the pollen morphology of Acanthoideae taxa using both light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, covering 13 species across 10 genera and revealing a broad spectrum of pollen characteristics, including size, shape, aperture type, and exine sculpturing.The microscopic investigation of these Acanthoideae species not only enhances our understanding of their pollen morphology but also aids in species identification through the development of a pollen‐based key. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes mellitus is a serious global health problem characterised by hyperglycemia due to an absolute or relative deficiency of insulin or insulin resistance. The antidiabetic potential of different natural products has been studied for a long time. Flavonoids are found in vegetables, fruits and fungi and exhibit a wide range of biological activities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, nephroprotective, hepatoprotective and antidiabetic. Over 5000 flavonoids are distributed in the plant kingdom and have been isolated and identified. Many medicinal plants are a common part of people's daily diet in West Bengal. Many of these medicinal plants belong to the Acanthaceae family, which contains approximately 70 genera and 340 species in India and includes many phytochemical constituents like glycosides, flavonoids, phenolic compounds and terpenoids. This review explores the antidiabetic potential of natural flavonoids obtained from selected edible plants of the Acanthaceae family that are commonly available and consumed in West Bengal. Therefore, based on this information, nutritional recommendations can be made for the prediabetic population who may benefit from prioritising this in their daily diet. However, further studies are required to complete the profiling of flavonoids in more Acanthaceae family plants with antidiabetic potential. Different medicinal plants of the Fabaceae, Acanthaceae and Amaranthaceae families comprise several flavonoids that are also responsible for antidiabetic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species, Gymnostachyum calcicola Rafidah, sp. nov. (Acanthaceae) is described from limestone karst in Peninsular Malaysia. Characters distinguishing it from related species, colour photographs, botanical illustration and provisional conservation status are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The phytochemical evaluation of the ethanolic extract of the plant, Gymnostachyum febrifugum Benth. (Acanthaceae family) was carried out to evaluate its therapeutic potential. Despite being part of traditional medicine, not much research has been done on the plant. Materials and Methods: The study aimed to understand the plant's phytochemistry and evaluate its therapeutic potential. For this purpose, DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, Total Antioxidant Assay, MTT Assay, and HR-LCMS techniques were employed. Results: Major secondary metabolites in the ethanolic extract were flavonoids, tannins, phenolics, and steroids. The free radical scavenging capacity of the ethanolic extract of the plant was evaluated using four different methods, proving the plant to possess high antioxidant properties. Hence, the hepatoprotective potential of ethanolic extract was evaluated using an MTT assay on Hep G2 cells induced with hepatotoxicity using Acetaminophen. When treated with ethanolic extract, the cell viability was found to be 85.32% at 12.5 µg/mL concentration. IC50 for ethanolic extract was attained at 75.77 µg/mL. Also, chemical characterization of the extract was performed using the HR-LCMS technique. Around 64 compounds were obtained in chromatogram using positive ESI mode, of which 24 are unknown and 40 are known compounds. Out of 37 compounds obtained in the negative ESI mode, 27 were known, and 10 were unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strobilanthes dalzielii of Acanthaceae is an herb species with potentially extensive applications for its pharmaceutical and ornamental values. Due to taxonomic complications and limited genetic information, the structural characteristics, and phylogenetic relationships of the S. dalzielii chloroplast genome were assembled and characterized here for the first time. The complete chloroplast genome of S. dalzielii was 144,580 bp in length. The genome is quadripartite in structure and consists of a large single-copy region (92,137 bp) and a small single-copy region (17,669 bp), which are separated by a pair of inverted repeats (each 17,387 bp). A total of 125 genes were annotated, including 80 protein-coding, 37 transfer RNA, and eight ribosomal RNA genes. The overall GC content was 36.4%. Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete chloroplast genome sequence of 21 taxa within the tribe Ruellieae of Acanthaceae using the maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods revealed that Strobilanthes diverged after Ruellia; S. dalzielii is closely related to S. tonkinensis. The genomic data obtained from this study will serve as valuable information to the species delimitation and genetic classification of Strobilanthes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Andrographis theniensis Karupp. and Bharath (Acanthaceae), a new species from the Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary of the southern Western Ghats, is described and illustrated here. A detailed description, illustration, color photographs, a table of comparisons to allied species, an identification key and IUCN conservation status are provided here for easy recognition of the new species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Dicliptera tinctoria is a member of Acanthaceae, which has a wide distribution and contains potentially medicinal species, and exhibited pharmaceutical potentials. This study sequenced and characterized the complete chloroplast genome of Dicliptera tinctoria. The newly sequenced cpDNA of D. tinctoria was 150,733 bp in length and had a typical quadripartite structure consisting of a large single copy (LSC, 82,895 bp), a small single copy (SSC, 17,249 bp), and two inverted repeat (IRs, 25,295 bp each) regions. This genome also contained 80 protein-coding genes, 30 transfer RNAs, and four ribosomal RNAs, which is identical to other chloroplast genomes in Acanthaceae family. Nucleotides diversity analysis among chloroplast genomes of Acanthaceae species revealed eight hypervariable regions, including trnK_UUU-matK, trnC_GCA-petN, accD, rps12-clpP, rps3-rps19, ycf1-ndhF, ccsA-ndhD, and ycf1. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the paraphyly of Dicliptera species and monophyly in four Acanthaceae subfamilies. These results provide an overview of genomic variations in Acanthaceae chloroplast genome, which is helpful for further genomic studies.

α-Glucosidase inhibitory assay-guided purification of Thunbergia laurifolia L. stems yielded a new compound named 5-acetoxyfuranonapthoquinone (1) along with nineteen known compounds (2-20). The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by the analysis of multiple spectroscopic data. The isolated compounds were evaluated for α-glucosidase inhibition. Syringaresinol (7), rosmarinic acid (11), 1,2,8-trihydroxyxanthone (16), and isojacareubin (18) showed the most potent inhibitory activity among isolated compounds. Kinetic study indicated that syringaresinol (7), 1,2,8-trihydroxyxanthone (16) and isojacareubin (18) could inhibit maltase and sucrase function by non-competitive manner, and rosmarinic acid (11) was identified as a non-competitive inhibitor against maltase and a mixed-manner inhibitor against sucrase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise of research. The maintenance of mixed selfing and outcrossing is an enduring mystery in evolutionary biology. Cleistogamy, in which individuals produce both potentially outcrossing chasmogamous (CH) and obligately selfing cleistogamous (CL) flowers, provides an ideal framework in which to study the evolutionary forces maintaining mixed mating. Despite their promise for providing insight into mating system evolution, few studies of cleistogamous species have comprehensively investigated the relative costs and benefits of CL selfing. Methodology. We quantified the necessary components to calculate the relative energetic cost of reproduction of each flower type—CH and CL—in a greenhouse study using three populations of the perennial Ruellia humilis Nutt (Acanthaceae). These components included flower dry mass, fertility (i.e., fruit set), seed mass per fruit, and number of seeds per fruit. We also measured pollen-ovule ratios for both flower types as another measure of relative energetic investment. Last, we tracked phenology of the two flower types and used the proportion of CH flowers to estimate maximum potential outcrossing rates. Pivotal results. We found that the energetic cost of reproduction via CL flowers was four to 10 times lower than that of reproduction via CH flowers. This energetic economy derived both from the reduced mass and from the increased fertility of CL flowers. Pollen-ovule ratios in CL flowers were one-third to one-half those of CH flowers, providing additional support for their energetic economy. Maximum potential outcrossing rates in these populations based on CH flower production were between 43% and 61%, but CH flowers can autogamously self at rates between 33% and 75%. Conclusions. These results suggest that selection should favor only CL flowers due to their greater energetic economy. Additional work in this species demonstrates that neither inbreeding depression nor heterosis can provide an advantage strong enough to overcome the energetic benefits of CL reproduction. Further research on the developmental genetics of the two flower types and potential genetic constraints on the loss of CH flowers is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Justicia (Acanthaceae) is represented by 12 species in the Mexican portion of the Yucatan Peninsula (MYP), one of which, Justicia cardinalis, is herein proposed as new to science. The new species is known from sub-xerophytic or seasonally dry forests over calcareous, rocky soils along the northern and northeastern regions in the MYP. This taxon has been confused with J. carthagenensis for more than 100 yr, but there are remarkable differences between the two taxa. The new species has linear to narrowly obovate (vs. oblong-spathulate to spathulate) floral bracts and narrower leaves. The corolla is red with white markings in the lower lip (vs. purple with white markings on the central lower lip and the upper lobes), and the corolla tube is as long as the lobes, whereas it is shorter than the lobes in J. carthagenensis. We provide relevant visual resources to aid in the identification of the new species. The conservation status is preliminarily assessed as Least Concern (LC) using the B criteria of the IUCN. Furthermore, we provide a brief synopsis, a distribution map, and a key to the species of Justicia from the MYP (as well as photographs of most of them). Finally, to be able to apply the names in an unambiguous manner, we designate a lectotype and an epitype for J. carthagenensis, and a lectotype for J. spicigera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil is known as a center of diversity for several plant families. Among these, Acanthaceae are especially diverse in the Cerrado, which is home to ca. 150 species, many of which are endemic. Recent field and herbarium studies of Ruellia of the Cerrado in Goiás and Distrito Federal have led to the discovery of 9 species new to science, which we formally describe as R. altoparadisensis, R. cataractae, R. ceciliae, R. chapadensis, R. glandulifolia, R. hatschbachii, R. lucindae, R. mellosilvae, and R. pinguicula. In addition to botanical illustrations, we provide information about their geographical distributions, habitats, phenologies, and preliminary conservation status. Species are discussed in the context of the Cerrado physiognomies and sub-biomes, which are delimited. We additionally propose one new combination (R. rosmarinus), two lectotypifications (R. pohlii and R. adenostachya), and an identification key to Ruellia species that occur Brazilian Cerrado. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic pesticides, which are non-biodegradable and have detrimental effects on the environment, non-targeted organisms, and human health, are often used to control mosquitoes. This situation fostered and prompted the creation of substitutes utilizing natural products like phytoextracts and phytochemicals. The current study was set out to determine the toxicity of leaf extracts from Elytraria acaulis on the early third instar larvae of Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus at doses of 31.5, 62.5, 125, 250, 500 and 1000mg/L at 24 and 48 hours of exposure. All extracts, with the exception of aqueous, demonstrated potent larvicidal effectiveness with 100% larval death in all the three studied vector mosquitoes after 48 hours. The ethanol extract showed the maximum larvicidal activity and 100% larval mortality in Aedes aegypti after 24 hours, and its respective LC50 values against Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi, and Culex quinquefasciatus were 31.98, 560.29, 603.81mg/L and 20.43, 46.13 and 60.08mg/L after 24 and 48 hours. The treated larvae exhibited extremely restless behaviour, including wiggling, sinking, floating, slowness, paralysis, sinking to the bottom of the glass beaker, and ultimately death. Qualitative phytochemical study of Elytraria acaulis leaves revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, phenolics, saponins, steroids, tannins, terpenes, and terpenoids. The ethanolic extract GC-MS examination identified main phytocompounds, including imidazole, imidazolidinone, phytol, phytol acetate, octacosane, thymol 1-thiocarbonylimidazolide and methoxyacetic acid to determine the larvicidal mechanism of action and the cause of larval death. It is quite exciting to note, based on the results of the current investigation, that Elytraria acaulis leaf extracts, particularly ethanol extract, demonstrated good larvicidal efficacy. The present study documents the first report on the effectiveness of Elytraria acaulis ethanolic leaf extract against the larvae of Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi, and Culex quinquefasciatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Induction of polyploidy using colchicine in Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees. • Polyploid Andrographis paniculata was confirmed by using flowcytometry analysis. • First time report on the in vitro callus culture from leaf explants of colchiploid Andrographis paniculata. • 160-fold increased andrographolide was quantified from colchiploid calluses than diploids using HPLC. An in vitro method to enhance the andrographolide production in Andrographis paniculata was developed using colchiploidy. Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Wall. ex. Nees. is an annual herbaceous diploid medicinal plant with 2n=50, belonging to the Acanthaceae family. Andrographolide is the chief secondary metabolite present in plant and has significant commercial value due to its pharmacological properties. The objective of this study was to investigate the in vitro impact of colchiploids on the production of andrographolide. Additionally, we aimed to compare this effect in calli that were in vitro -raised from colchiploid plants with those derived from diploid plants. Colchiploidy was induced with seedlings of A. paniculata treated with 0.1% (w/v) colchicine for 12 h under dark conditions. Callus culture of Andrographis paniculata established from colchiploid leaf explants on 0.8% agar gelled Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium fortified with 5.0 µM 2,4- D + 2.3 µM Kinetin and 3% sucrose. A significant increase in andrographolide production (2.4%) was achieved in the colchiploid calluses compared to the diploid calluses (0.015%) quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. Plants with higher amounts of physiologically active secondary metabolites arise as a result of polyploidy. This method of andrographolide production can be used to harvest andrographolide on a large scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Economic Botany is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article titled "Strobilanthes khasyana (Acanthaceae): an addition to the flora of Nagaland, India" discusses the discovery of a new species of Strobilanthes in Nagaland, India. The genus Strobilanthes is mostly found in Asia's tropical and sub-tropical hilly regions, with 150 species in India and about 20 species in Nagaland. The newly discovered species, Strobilanthes khasyana, was previously unknown in Nagaland and is endemic to Meghalaya, Sikkim, and West Bengal. The article provides a taxonomic description of the species and includes photographs and distribution information. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Justicia L. is the largest genus in Acanthaceae Juss. and widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Previous phylogenetic studies have proposed a general phylogenetic framework for Justicia based on several molecular markers. However, their studies were mainly focused on resolution of phylogenetic issues of Justicia in Africa, Australia and South America due to limited sampling from Asia. Additionally, although Justicia plants are of high medical and ornamental values, little research on its genetics was reported. Therefore, to improve the understanding of its genomic structure and relationships among Asian Justicia plants, we sequenced complete chloroplast (cp.) genomes of 12 Asian plants and combined with the previously published cp. genome of Justicia leptostachya Hemsl. for further comparative genomics and phylogenetic analyses. Results: All the cp. genomes exhibit a typical quadripartite structure without genomic rearrangement and gene loss. Their sizes range from 148,374 to 151,739 bp, including a large single copy (LSC, 81,434–83,676 bp), a small single copy (SSC, 16,833–17,507 bp) and two inverted repeats (IR, 24,947–25,549 bp). GC contents range from 38.1 to 38.4%. All the plastomes contain 114 genes, including 80 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNAs and 4 rRNAs. IR variation and repetitive sequences analyses both indicated that Justicia grossa C. B. Clarke is different from other Justicia species because its lengths of ndhF and ycf1 in IRs are shorter than others and it is richest in SSRs and dispersed repeats. The ycf1 gene was identified as the candidate DNA barcode for the genus Justicia. Our phylogenetic results showed that Justicia is a polyphyletic group, which is consistent with previous studies. Among them, J. grossa belongs to subtribe Tetramerinae of tribe Justicieae while the other Justicia members belong to subtribe Justiciinae. Therefore, based on morphological and molecular evidence, J. grossa should be undoubtedly recognized as a new genus. Interestingly, the evolutionary history of Justicia was discovered to be congruent with the morphology evolution. Conclusion: Our study not only elucidates basic features of Justicia whole plastomes, but also sheds light on interspecific relationships of Asian Justicia plants for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uromyces striatus on Trifolium repens from District Swat and U. strobilanthis on Strobilanthes urticifolia from District Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan, are described based on morpho-anatomy and molecular data. This is the first detailed description of these species in Pakistan, along with the first complete molecular phylogeny inferred from 28S rDNA gene sequences. These are new reports from Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological surveys previously revealed that Hypoestes forsskaolii (Vahl) R.Br. (Acanthaceae), a local medicinal plant, is one of the most widely used herbs in traditional malaria therapy by the Marakwet and Kisii communities in Kenya. This study aimed to validate the indigenous medicinal knowledge claims regarding the efficacy and safety of H. forsskaolii (Vahl) R.Br. as a traditional anti-malarial drug. It involved the sequential solvent extraction of plant material, bioassay-guided separation and isolation of components, and identification of anti-plasmodial principles of H. forsskaolii (Vahl) R.Br. and determination of their cytotoxicity and selectivity. From the roots of H. forsskaolii (Vahl) R.Br., 3,4a,7,7,10a-pentamethyl- 1,3-vinyl-dodecahydro-benzo[f]chromene (1) and 3,4a,7,7,10a-pentamethyl-3-vinyl-dodecahydrobenzo[f]chromen-8-ol (2) with moderate and mild anti-plasmodial activity at IC50 7.81 µM and 15.0 µM, respectively, were isolated plus the inactive kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (IC50 65.40 µM) against Plasmodium falciparum D6 (CQ-sensitive) strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: What maintains mixed mating is an evolutionary enigma. Cleistogamy—the production of both potentially outcrossing chasmogamous and obligately selfing cleistogamous flowers on the same individual plant—is an excellent system to study the costs of selfing. Inbreeding depression can prevent the evolution of greater selfing within populations, and heterosis in crosses between populations may further tip the balance in favor of outcrossing. Few empirical estimates of inbreeding depression and heterosis in the same system exist for cleistogamous species. Methods: We investigate the potential costs of selfing by quantifying inbreeding depression and heterosis in three populations of the cleistogamous perennial Ruellia humilis Nutt (Acanthaceae). We performed three types of hand‐pollinations—self, outcross‐within, and outcross‐between populations—and measured seed number, germination, total flower production, and estimated cumulative fitness for the resulting progeny in a greenhouse experiment. Results: We found moderate inbreeding depression for cumulative fitness (<30%) in two populations, but outbreeding depression for crosses within a third population (–26%). For between‐population crosses, there was weak to modest heterosis (11–47%) in two of the population combinations, but modest to strong outbreeding depression (–21 to –71%) in the other four combinations. Conclusions: Neither inbreeding depression nor heterosis was of sufficient magnitude to explain the continued production of chasmogamous flowers given the relative energetic advantage of cleistogamous flowers previously estimated for these populations. Outbreeding depression either within or between populations makes the maintenance of chasmogamous flowers even harder to explain. More information is needed on the genetic basis of cleistogamy to resolve this conundrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strobilanthes crispa (L.) Blume (S. crispa) is a folklore medicinal plant of the genus Strobilanthes (Acanthaceae), traditionally used in Malaysia and Indonesia to treat various diseases such as breast and uterine cancers, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, gastrointestinal and kidney diseases, typhoid, jaundice, piles, high cholesterol, and ulcers. Several studies have shown that S. crispa contains a variety of phytochemicals, including terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, sulfur-containing, steroids, chlorophylls, benzofuran, fatty acids, and other simple metabolites. Furthermore, based on its traditional uses, S. crispa has demonstrated a wide range of in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activities. These activities include antihyperglycemic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, wound healing, anticancer, anti-trypanosomal, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, anti-urolithiatic, anti-angiogenic, and vasorelaxant activity. The paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the current understanding of traditional use, toxicity, phytochemicals, and pharmacological studies of S. crispa, thereby validating its ethnopharmacological applications and exploring possible research opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the objective of studying the influence of elicitors on the growth, yield, and quality of kalmegh, we carried out an investigation for two consecutive years. Nine treatments with three replications were laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD). Chitosan (CHT), yeast extract (YE), jasmone acid (JA), and salicylic acid (SA)were evaluated at different concentrations. The CHT treatment at 1000 ppm exhibited the tallest plant height (73.91 cm) and the highest number of secondary branches (29.07) at the time of harvest. The primary branches and number of leaves per plant were highest with the CHT treatment at 1000 ppm (26.36; 88.32), and were not significantly different with the SA treatment at 200 ppm (26.28; 81.51). The plant spread was the highest with the SAtreatment at 200 ppm (35.46 cm2) and was not significantly different with the CHT treatment at 1000 ppm (35.11 cm2). The CHT and SA sprays did not result in significant changes in yield parameters, but the highest fresh (42.34 g) and dry (18.30) herbage yields per plant were exhibited with the SA treatment at 200 ppm. The highest total chlorophyll (4.459 mg g−1) and total andrographolide (3.494%) contents were recorded after treatment with the SA spray at 200 ppm. A significant and positive improvement in the growth, yield, and quality of kalmegh was noticed with the salicylic acid spray treatment at 200 ppm 30 and 60 days after sowing (DAS), signifying its benefits for the cultivation of kalmegh in terms of high productivity, quality, and better returns for farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to determine the antioxidant properties of leaves extracts of 24 Acanthaceae species: Asystasia guttata, Ballochia amoena, Barleria aculeata, B. orbicularis, B. parviflora, B. prionitis, B. ventricosa, Blepharis cayaniense, B. maderaspatensis, Crossandra, johanninae, Dicliptera effusa, D. paniculata, D. verticillata, Ecbolium gymnostachyum, Hypoestes pubescens, H. triflora, Justicia caerulea, J. heterocarpa, J. odora, Megalochalmyas violacea, Phaulopsis imbricata, Trichocalyx orbicular, Ruellia grandiflora and R. paulayana. The radical scavenging activities of 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, ferric-reducing antioxidant power, and total phenolic compounds of species were determined using the Folin-Ciocalteau reagent. Blepharis cayaniense has the highest phenolic compounds (995.5 mg of gallic acid per g of sample) while Hypoestes pubescens, and Ruellia paulayana (10 mg/mL gallic acid equivalent) have the lowest concentration of phenolic acid but less radical scavenging activities (DPPH) and reducing ferric power. Only Trichocalyx orbiculatus has the highest concentration in phenolic content, radical-scavenging activities, and reducing power. Interestingly, the antioxidant activities of different Acanthaceae species exhibit unique medicinal properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the identification of a new synonym for Barleria prionitis subsp. pubiflora based on morphological variations observed across different habitats in India. Topics include the comparison of morphological characteristics between different populations of Barleria prionitis, the recognition of Barleria sahyadrica as a synonym of B. prionitis subsp. pubiflora due to overlapping traits, and the importance of careful taxonomic examination to avoid misidentification.

The three remaining untypified Linnaean binomials in the genus Barleria, described based on material from India, are lectotypified: B. buxifolia, B. hystrix and B. longifolia. The confusion over the taxonomic identity of B. buxifolia is discussed and the need for an epitype indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acanthaceae is an eurypalinous and pollen morphology has been used in species delimitation and as a support to new taxa recognition. The aim of the present study is to provide new pollen descriptions for the Brazilian species of Dyschoriste (7 spp.) and Hygrophila (4 spp.). We analysed the pollen under light and scanning electronic microscopy. Pollen grains of D. erythrorhiza, D. eulinae, D. glandulifera, D. vinacea, H. acutangula, and H. paraibana are described here for the first time. Dyschoriste species has pollen grains medium to large, isopolar, prolate spheroidal, subprolate to prolate, circular, subcircular, and subtriangular amb, 3-colporate and 13–20-pseudocolpate and the exine is psilate-microechinate to perforate-microechinate. Hygrophila species has pollen grains small to medium, isopolar, oblate spheroidal, subcircular to subquadrangular amb, 4-colporate and 15–21-pseudocolpate and exine is perforate-reticulate. Palynological characters of high taxonomic relevance were: pollen size; pollen shape; length of colpi; endoaperture shape; sexine and nexine thickness; sexine ornamentation; number of pseudocolpi. From our results, a new combination is proposed, D. glandulifera, based on both pollen and macro morphology traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Andrographis paniculata (family Acanthaceae) is known as Kalmegh, one of the traditionally used important medicinal plant contains several biologically active phytochemical including andrographolide. A. paniculata is broadly used by healthcare practitioners in India and also used in different traditional medicinal system. In this study, the leaves of A. paniculata were collected from West Medinipur, East Medinipur, South 24 Parganas, Purulia and Hooghly district of West Bengal, India. This study aiming towards validation and development of a simple, precise and reproducible reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) methods for quantification of andrographolide in A. paniculata extracts. The validated RP-HPLC and HPTLC study confirmed that different concentrations of andrographolide content present in the plant samples, which are collected from above different districts of West Bengal, India. The amounts of andrographolide were found to be 2.71% (w/w), 3.19% (w/w), 1.83% (w/w), 1.73% (w/w) and 2.94% (w/w) in RP-HPLC study and 2.13% (w/w), 2.51% (w/w), 1.01% (w/w), 1.25% (w/w) and 2.15% (w/w) in HPTLC study. This precise, reproducible, accurate and specific method can be used for the quantification of andrographolide in kalmegh, as per the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) guidelines recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Few studies of angiosperms have focused on androecial evolution in conjunction with evolutionary shifts in corolla morphology and pollinator relationships. The Western Hemisphere clade of Justiciinae (Acanthaceae) presents the rare opportunity to examine remarkable diversity in staminal morphology. We took a phylogenetically informed approach to examine staminal diversity in this hypervariable group and asked whether differences in anther thecae separation is associated with phylogenetically informed patterns of variation in corolla morphology. We further discuss evidence for associations between anther diversity and pollinators in this lineage. Methods For the Dianthera / Sarotheca / Plagiacanthus (DSP) clade of Western Hemisphere Justiciinae, we characterized floral diversity based on a series of corolla measurements and using a model-based clustering approach. We then tested for correlations between anther thecae separation and corolla traits, and for shifts in trait evolution, including evidence for convergence. Key Results There is evolutionary vagility in corolla and anther traits across the DSP clade with little signal of phylogenetic constraint. Floral morphology clusters into four distinct groups that are, in turn, strongly associated with anther thecae separation, a novel result in Acanthaceae and, to our knowledge, across flowering plants. These cluster groups are marked by floral traits that strongly point to associations with pollinating animals. Specifically, species that are known or likely to be hummingbird pollinated have stamens with parallel thecae, whereas those that are likely bee or fly pollinated have stamens with offset, divergent thecae. Conclusions Our results suggest that anther thecae separation is likely under selection in concert with other corolla characters. Significant morphological shifts detected by our analyses corresponded to putative shifts from insect to hummingbird pollination. Results from this study support the hypothesis that floral structures function in an integrated manner and are likely subject to selection as a suite. Further, these changes can be hypothesized to represent adaptive evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of plants for medicinal purposes continues to expand rapidly across the world. Up to 80% of the world’s population is estimated to rely heavily on herbal medicines for their primary health care. Graptophyllum pictum leaves (GPL) have long been used as herbal medicine for several diseases or health conditions. However, until now, there have been only limited studies regarding laboratory experiments and the pharmacological effects of GPL. Purpose: To summarize the phytopharmacology aspect of GPL used for medical and dental purposes. Review: Based on the 36 articles included, GPL is widely used in medicine and dentistry, such as for treatment of hemorrhoids, periodontitis, and candidiasis, due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antifungal properties. However, the current research study designs are still in vitro and in vivo experiments. Continuing experiments and clinical tests are needed to explore the essential use of the GPL. Conclusion: GPL can be used for medical and dental purposes due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acanthaceous plants have emerged as important therapeutic plants on a global scale, producing biologically active chemical compounds with larvicidal, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic properties. In traditional Thai medicine, the crude extracts of these plants, including Clinacanthus nutans, Justicia gendarussa, and Rhinacanthus nasutus, have been used to detoxify bug bites and some skin illnesses caused by fungus and viruses. This study argued for investigating acanthaceous plant extracts for alternate advantages such as anti-inflammation. The presence of anti-inflammatory components in extracts was examined using HPLC in order to evaluate their potential. Lupeol, a prospective anti-inflammatory triterpene found in medicinal plants, was employed as a chemical marker. The anti-inflammatory activities of extracts containing the active chemical were studied utilizing protein denaturation and inhibition of nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 cells stimulated with LPS. Also, the extract of combined active plants was assessed. Lupeol was detected in the tested extracts in quantities ranging from 0.25 to 1.22% w/w. It was found in the highest concentration in the extract of Clinacanthus nutans and in the lowest concentration in the extract of Justicia gendarussa. All extracts of plants containing the active ingredient exhibited anti-inflammatory effects. Their IC50 values ranged between 0.87 and 29.28 mg/mL. The extract made from a combination of plants that contained lupeol demonstrated the most potent anti-inflammatory effect, with a 0.6-fold difference when compared to diclofenac. This research implied that investigating acanthaceous plant extracts containing this active agent might be more beneficial in the design of herbal recipes with anti-inflammatory characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A taxonomic treatment of Crabbea in South Africa is presented. • Updated genus and species descriptions are given, along with new delimitations. • Accurate distribution maps as well as ecological and habitat information is presented. • A new identification key is constructed. • Two taxa are reinstated to species level and three taxa are subsumed, thus, recognising five species of Crabbea in South Africa. The taxonomy of the South African species of Crabbea Harv. (Acanthaceae: Barlerieae) is reviewed and the following five species are recognised: C. acaulis N.E.Br., C. galpinii C.B.Clarke, C. nana (Nees) Nees, C. pedunculata N.E.Br. and C. velutina S.Moore. We subsume C. angustifolia Nees , C, hirsuta Harv. , C. cirsioides (Nees) Nees and C. ovalifolia Ficalho and Hiern under C. nana. All species are fully described and illustrated, with complete nomenclature, distribution maps and an identification key. One neotype and four lectotypes are designated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ethyl acetate leaf extract from Odontonema strictum has been reported to have potent antihypertensive activity by inhibiting coronary artery contractions in porcine heart. However, the phytochemistry of the active fraction was unknown. Here we report, for the first time, the isolation and characterization of four known α-pyrones from the active fraction. The antioxidant activity of umuravumbolide (IC50 = 55.7±0.027 µg/mL), deacetylumuravumbolide (IC50 = 0.24±0.0002 µg/mL), dideacetylboronolide (IC50 = 149±0 µg/mL) and deacetylboronolide (IC50 = 24±0 µg/mL) was evaluated in vitro against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals. Ascorbic acid was used as a positive control (IC50 = 1.73x10--3±0.3 µg/mL). The presence of 6-substituted 5,6-dihydro-α-pyrones and phenylpropanoid glucosides in the active fraction was suggested to be responsible for the antihypertensive activity. This is the first time that the antioxidant potential of these phytochemicals has been evaluated, and the results indicate that O. strictum has potential as an herbal medicine. Thus, further chemotaxonomic studies among the genera Odontonema and Tetradenia, a known source of α-pyrones, are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An account of the genus Acanthus in Greece is presented. Descriptions of the species with notes on ecology and geographical distribution, illustrations, maps and a key to the taxa are provided. Acanthus greuterianus is reduced to synonymy of A. caroli-alexandri. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lepidagathis Wild., a pantropical genus belonging to the tribe Barlerieae, contains ∼147 species. Considerable morphological work has been done on Lepidagathis, but some taxonomical doubts and contrasting interpretations still persist. Molecular analysis is the best tool to resolve the taxonomic doubts, but few nucleotide sequence data are available to date on Lepidagathis. Recently, some phylogenetic and morphological studies have proposed the inclusion of Teliostachya and Lophostachys in Lepidagathis. This work constitutes the first phylogenetic analysis of some Lepidagathis species based on chloroplast and nuclear regions. Both Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic analyses divide studied Lepidagathis species into two main clades, i.e. Clade A and B and place the Indian endemic Lepidagathis in Clade A with strong support. Phylogeny based on combined data resolve Lepidagathis, Barleria, and Crabbea lineages with stronger support than nrITS and cpDNA phylogenies. This phylogenetic study supports previous systematic revisions about the inclusion of Lophostachys and Acanthura species in Lepidagathis as well as the inclusion of Golaea and Acanthostelma into Crabbea species. In conclusion, this study constitutes a baseline molecular phylogeny for Lepidagathis and, in particular, contributes to the knowledge of the genetic diversity of Indian representatives of the genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hygrophila auriculata (Schumach) Heine is a tropical herb from the Acanthaceae family. Owing to its traditional and folklore medicinal properties and in numerous preclinical investigations, this plant has been shown to have a variety of pharmacological effects. Firstly, the leaves were subjected to ethanol-based extraction, followed by preliminary phytochemical screening. After calculating the safe dose of EHAE extract using the acute oral toxicity OECD 420 guideline, it was revealed that at a maximum dose of EHAE of 2000 mg/kg BW and showing no signs of toxicity or mortality, the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg BW were chosen for the study. For each disease model, a group of six animals was allocated. Intriguingly, results from all three models indicated a significant and dosedependent reduction of serum biomarkers upon EHAE administration. Further in vitro antioxidant activity was also carried out for the extract. The results showed a significant elevation of antioxidant markers at both doses, showing strong antioxidant activity. The present investigation identified that EHAE extract exhibited a promising protective effect against drug-induced nephrotoxicity in rodents. In this line, our current effort is a preliminary one to investigate the leaves of this herb against nephrotoxicity using albino Wister rats in different drug-induced animal models such as cisplatin, gentamycin, and paracetamol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]