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The effect of cadmium in the root architecture of Cucumis sativus L. seedlings was determined. Primary root length and lateral root density of C. sativus L. seedlings exposed to 10, 20, 30, 50 and 100 ppm concentrations of Cd2+ was monitoring. The results show that at high concentrations of Cd occurs a lower growth in primary root length, where 50 and 100 ppm of Cd concentrations inhibit the primary root elongation. On the other hand, lateral root density formed increased when seedlings were exposed to higher concentrations of Cd2+. In 100 ppm treatment the highest lateral root density (19.2) was observed almost five times higher than control (4.0). The C. sativus L. root architecture is most affected at 50 and 100 ppm of Cd2+

La población local puede tener un papel clave para concretar el concepto de desarrollo regional sustentable de las Áreas Naturales Protegidas. En este sentido, el objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar el papel que tienen las comunidades locales en el cuidado de los recursos naturales de la Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra del Abra Tanchipa (RBSAT). Como población de estudio se eligió una comunidad con área de influencia mayor sobre esta reserva. Para ello, se llevó a cabo una investigación de tipo social basada en un método de tipo cualitativo utilizando las entrevistas, encuestas estructuradas y la organización de grupos focales como forma de recolección de datos a través de un muestreo no probabilístico. Los resultados de este estudio mostraron que la participación de la comunidad en la gestión y administración de los recursos es la clave para lograr la funcionalidad y conservación de la RBSAT.

Antimicrobial resistance is a great concern in public health. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain new compounds to treat diseases caused by bacteria. Medicinal plants are an alternative to search natural compounds to improve human health, including antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobials compounds. Costus pulverulentus (Costaceae) C. Presl is a plant used traditionally in Huasteca Potosina to treat bacterial infections. However, the compounds involved in this activity remain poorly understood. To determine the antibacterial activity of C. pulverulentus, an ethanolic extract was obtained. Plant stem was macerated in ethanol and then was fractionated with hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, acetone, ethanol, and methanol. Ethanolic extract and derived fractions were tested against bacteria by the disk-diffusion agar method. The results showed that the ethanolic extract of C. pulverulentus exerted activity against Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 and Bacillus sp. at 10 and 30 μg/disk, whereas only the methanolic fraction showed similar activity to complete extract. Fraction 8 obtained from methanolic fraction showed inhibitory activity against Bacillus sp., S. aureus, and S. aureus Oxacillin resistant. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry characterization of active fraction 8 showed that it contains vanillic acid and pcoumaric acid suggesting that they are involved in the antibacterial activity of C. pulverulentus.

Laelia anceps subsp. anceps es una especie de la familia Orchidaceae que presenta altas tasas de extracción y comercio ilegal en diversos estados de la República Mexicana, además requiere de condiciones nutricionales específicas debido a sus características de desarrollo y distribución. Por lo cual, el objetivo de la presente investigación fue establecer un protocolo de micropropagación in vitro comparando el efecto de la citocinina 6-bencilaminopurina (BAP) y el nitrato de potasio (KNO3). Para ello, se cultivaron semillas estériles en medio MS sin reguladores de crecimiento vegetal. Posterior a la germinación, se indujo en las vitroplantas la formación de brotes y raíces en medio MS, suplementado con 0, 2.5, 5.0 y 10 mg L-1 de BAP o 0, 2.5, 5.0 y 10 mg L-1 de KNO3. Los resultados mostraron que la adición de BAP mejoró el proceso de propagación en todos los tratamientos analizados, en tanto que, la adición de 10 mg L-1 de KNO3 indujo los mejores resultados al producir 11.4 ± 0.6 raíces las cuales desarrollaron velamen, una estructura radicular que favorece la absorción de agua. Estos resultados sugieren que a mayor concentración de KNO3 podrían mejorar los resultados de propagación en esta orquídea.ABSTRACTLaelia anceps subsp. anceps is a species of the Orchidaceae family that presents high rates of illegal extraction and trade in several states of the Mexican Republic, and also requires specific nutritional conditions due to its development and distribution characteristics. Therefore, the aim of the present investigation was to establish an in vitro micropropagation protocol comparing the effect of the cytokinin 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and potassium nitrate (KNO3). For this, sterile seeds were grown in MS medium without plant growth regulators. After germination, formation of shoots and roots in MS medium was induced in vitroplants supplemented with 0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10 mg L-1 of BAP or 0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10 mg L-1 of KNO3. The results showed that the addition of BAP improved the propagation process in all the treatments analyzed, while the addition of 10 mg L-1 of KNO3 induced the best results by producing 11.4 ± 0.6 roots with the developed of sail, a structure root that favors the water absorption. These results suggest that higher concentration of KNO3 could improve the propagation results in this orchid.

Fractionated extraction of the leaves of Artemisia ludoviciana subsp. mexicana was performed, using hexane, dichloromethane and methanol, to obtain compounds of different polarity. Essential oils, aqueous decoction and hydroalcoholic extract were also obtained. Phytochemical profile was determined for each extract based on coloration and precipitation tests. Extracts were evaluated against three enterobacteria using the plate microdilution method. Chemical analysis revealed that dichloromethane fraction has a greater variety of compounds than hexane and methanolic fractions. The content of compounds of dichloromethane fraction correlates with the highest antimicrobial activity observed, suggesting that metabolites responsible for antimicrobial effect are intermediate polarity. Regarding extracts, ethanolic extract exerts a better effect than the decoction, while the essential oil shows the same antibacterial effect at low concentrations. Results demonstrate that A. ludoviciana subsp. mexicana has a great variety of compounds, which, according to their nature, can be eluted with solvents of different polarity. These compounds contribute to the antibacterial effect attributed to this plant.

Medicinal plants represent as an alternative treatment to various diseases, and their use is increasingly prevalent throughout the world. Due to the large number of plant species with medicinal properties, some sciences have emerged such as medicinal herbalism, which has allowed the wide development of traditional medicine in some countries. The traditional uses attributed to each medicinal plant depend on where the plant is consumed and the social groups that use them. In this chapter a review on medicinal plants is presented as well as their application at a global level. The information was obtained from databases and scientific sources. In addition, a case study in a locality with an indigenous population in the state of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, is presented, in which a qualitative study was conducted on the traditional use of medicinal plants at the precise sale places of said plants. The collection of the data was carried out through structured interviews, which allowed to document the knowledge and main traditional uses attributed to medicinal plants. The information presented here can be useful for initiating ethnobotanical studies in places where there is greater traditional knowledge about medicinal plants.

The increase in the human population is an important challenge to the food security in the world. Each year there are fewer areas in the planet destined for agriculture, in addition to soil erosion, and the threat of highly destructive phytopathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, it is very important to develop agro-industrial and biotechnological strategies friendly with the environment, to avoid the use of chemical fertilizers that affect and alter the ecosystems ecology, composition and diversity, as well as human health. An alternative is the use of macrophytes as green manure because of the biological importance of these plants. Macrophytes are aquatic plants with floating or submerged growth and respond to a wide variety of environmental conditions. This review summarizes the information obtained, by scientific sources about the factors affecting the distribution of macrophytes and brief description of their general aspects, the biotechnological applications of macrophytes (applications as organic biofertilizers or green manure), and a case study about macrophytes as phytoremediators. The information here described will be useful for to design strategies in agriculture on the use of organic fertilizers.

La vainilla es una orquídea de importancia económica en México y el mundo. Entre las principales zonas de México donde se produce esta orquídea se encuentra la región Huasteca en el estado de San Luis Potosí. Recientemente se observó en plantas de vainilla cultivadas en esta región, la presencia de síntomas como clorosis, necrosis y marchitamiento general. Considerando que dichos síntomas son característicos de infecciones causadas por hongos patógenos, en este trabajo se planteó el objetivo de identificar los hongos asociados a dichas plantas. Para ello se colectaron hojas, tallos y frutos de plantas con síntomas; los cuales se lavaron, cortaron, y colocaron sobre medio PDA. Bajo estas condiciones se obtuvieron colonias fúngicas que fueron usadas para obtener aislados monospóricos, los cuales fueron identificados mediante microcultivos y mediante la amplificación y secuenciación de las regiones génicas conocidas como Espaciadores Transcritos Internos (ITS). Dichas secuencias fueron analizadas mediante BLAST en NCBI. Los hongos aislados mostraron características morfológicas del género Fusarium: micelio color violeta, coloración amarillo-marrón en el medio de cultivo, desarrollo de clamidosporas, macroconidios y microconidios. Las secuencias ITS mostraron una cobertura del 100% y una similitud del 99.5% con el aislado de Fusarium oxysporum O309 (MT032690.1), confirmando la presencia de Fusarium en las plantas analizadas. Interesantemente, este es el primer reporte del aislamiento e identificación de Fusarium en plantas de vainilla cultivadas en el estado de S.L.P.

Recalcitrant pollutants mainly come from industrial processes such as mineral extraction, metal casting and coating, discharge of effluents, and nuclear fuel generation. These pollutants are introduced into food chain resulting in their accumulation in human body. Even at low concentration they pose serious health effects. A low-cost biotechnological alternative for remediation of recalcitrant pollutants is phytoremediation. Plants are capable of degrading, immobilizing, stabilizing, and extracting toxic elements from soil, sediment, or water environs. Furthermore, this chapter summarizes the information obtained by scientific sources about the use of plants for cleaning up of recalcitrant pollutants from disturbed environs. Reviews of 80 plants used in remediation of heavy metals and 13 to remove organic compounds have been discussed in this chapter. In addition a case study pertaining to phytoremediation potential of Typha latifolia was discussed in lucid manner. The study revealed that T. latifolia is a hyperaccumulator for Pb and removes other heavy metals at good rate in disturbed environs. Therefore, the present investigation suggests that plants are capable of degrading toxic substances and should be employed for restoration of contaminated environs.

Orchidaceae is the most extensive family of flowering plants. There are approximately 30,000 - 35,000 species, belonging to 850 genera, dispersed in almost all the ecosystems on earth, except in polar zones and extreme deserts. In Mexico, there are more than 1,200 species distribuited in approximately 170 genera, of which 40% are endemic to the country. In this review, aspects related to geographical distribution, ecology, conservation, biotechnological applications and uses of orchids growing in Mexico are discussed. The geographical zones where their ecological niches are located are described and the zones that belong to priority conservation areas in Mexico are highlighted. In addition, all works on Mexican orchids related to micropropagation, medicinal uses, beneficial applications for humans, and microorganism-host interaction are discussed. In summary, this study provides perspectives for new studies and research focused on the use, propagation and conservation of Mexican endemic orchids.

Self-medication during pregnancy represents a serious threat for mother and child health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and the factors associated with self-medication among Mexican women living in the central region of Mexico. This is a descriptive interview-study of 1798 pregnant women or women who were pregnant no more than 3 years ago, when the interview was carried out. Data analysis was carried out with chi-square analysis and odds ratio. The prevalence of self-medication (allopathic drugs, medicinal plants, and other products, including vitamins, food supplements, among others) was 21.9%. The factors associated (p

Ethnopharmacological relevance The use of medicinal plants in Mexico has been documented since pre-Hispanic times. Nevertheless, the level of use of medicinal plants by health professionals in Mexico remains to be explored. Aim of the study To evaluate the use, acceptance and prescription of medicinal plants by health professionals in 9 of the states of Mexico. Materials and methods Direct and indirect interviews, regarding the use and acceptance of medicinal plants, with health professionals (n=1614), including nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and odontologists from nine states in Mexico were performed from January 2015 to July 2016. The interviews were analyzed with the factor the informant consensus (FIC). Results The information obtained indicated that 46% of those interviewed feel patients should not use medicinal plants as an alternative therapy. Moreover, 54% of health professionals, and 49% of the physicians have used medicinal plants as an alternative therapy for several diseases. Twenty eight percent of health professionals, and 26% of the physicians, have recommended or prescribed medicinal plants to their patients, whereas 73% of health professionals were in agreement with receiving academic information regarding the use and prescription of medicinal plants. A total of 77 plant species used for medicinal purposes, belonging to 40 botanical families were reported by the interviewed. The results of the FIC showed that the categories of diseases of the digestive system (FIC=0.901) and diseases of the respiratory system (FIC=0.898) had the greatest agreement. Conclusions This study shows that medicinal plants are used for primary health care in Mexico by health professionals.

Several countries have adopted water as a human right which implies access to safe water sources for human consumption, among other conditions. Mexico has adopted this human right as well; however, there are still many actions that must be implemented before achieving drinking water and sanitation coverage as stated in the sustainable development objectives. In this paper, the situation related to access to safe water sources for human use and consumption was analyzed for the state of San Luis Potosi in its four geographic regions: Altiplano, Center, Media, and Huasteca. Each of these regions has unique characteristics, for example, the Altiplano region is arid and its water sources are mostly groundwater, while Huasteca is a humid region and its sources are mostly surface water. For this work, each municipality of the state was visited, users and authorities were interviewed, documentary information was collected, and an analysis of this information was carried out to identify the problems most frequently encountered in each region, which are highlighted in this document. It was concluded that it is necessary to encourage a regionalized management plan in the state of San Luis Potosi for this resource in order to minimize the main problems related to the quality of water supply to protect the health of the population.

Recientemente, el uso de plantas medicinales en Mexico y en todo el mundo se ha incrementado. Sin embargo, con el fin de garantizar el uso seguro en de las plantas medicinales, es necesario cuantificar su contenido de metales pesados. En Mexico existe poca informacion sobre el contenido de elementos toxicos en las plantas medicinales, y estas son consumidas directamente sin realizar un analisis previo de metales pesados. En este estudio se cuantifico la concentracion de dos elementos toxicos: cadmio y plomo (Cd y Pb) y de un micronutriente: fierro (Fe), en tres plantas medicinales (Justicia spicigera, Arnica montana y Hamelia pantens) colectadas de tres sitios diferentes de dos municipios de la Huasteca Potosina, Mexico. El Cd y Pb son dos elementos toxicos sin ninguna funcion biologica conocida, que pueden causar severos danos al introducirse en la cadena alimenticia, mientras que el hierro es un elemento esencial. Sin embargo, el hierro es un elemento mayoritario que puede formar oxidos y atrapar elementos traza como el Pb y Cd, y favorecer la bioacumulacion de estos elementos en las plantas. Ademas, en la Huasteca Potosina, las tres plantas medicinales en estudio son usadas para el tratamiento empirico en la deficiencia de hierro. Por lo anterior, fue importante estudiar la concentracion de los tres elementos en ambas plantas medicinales. Los resultados de este analisis mostraron que el 50% y el 22% de los preparados de plantas medicinales contienen valores mas altos que los considerados como seguros para Cd y Pb, respectivamente. Ademas, se confirma que estas tres plantas medicinales podrian ser una fuente importante de Fe. Con esto se sugiere que la recoleccion de plantas medicinales se debe realizar en sitios libres de elementos toxicos potencialmente peligrosos

Hairdressing salons offer a wide range of services including treatments for hair and skin. However, these activities result in the production of residues that are improperly discharged into drainage, generating a negative impact on the environment. This study provides results of a first stage in a project regarding the analysis of waste disposal in hairdressing salons in the municipality of Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Information gathering was conducted through a field work study by surveys given to workers in hairdressing salons in Ciudad Valles. The information presented in this study indicates that in hairdressing salons in Ciudad Valles there is no management plan for the management of waste that could be severely impacting the environment. The information presented here will be the basis for identifying priority areas for intervention, developing new research projects and setting new environmental policies. In addition, the results presented here can be extrapolated to many rural and urban areas all over Mexico.

The consumption of medicinal plants has notably increased over the past two decades. People consider herbal products as safe because of their natural origin, without taking into consideration whether these plants contain a toxic principle. This represents a serious health problem. A bibliographic search was carried out using published scientific material on native plants from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, which describe the ethnobotanical and toxicological information of medicinal plants empirically considered to be toxic. A total of 216 medicinal plants belonging to 77 families have been reported as toxic. Of these plants, 76 had been studied, and 140 plants lacked studies regarding their toxicological effects. The toxicity of 16 plants species has been reported in clinical cases, particularly in children. From these plants, deaths have been reported with the consumption ofChenopodium ambrosioides,Argemone mexicana, andThevetia peruviana. In most of the cases, the principle of the plant responsible for the toxicity is unknown. There is limited information about the toxicity of medicinal plants used in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. More toxicological studies are necessary to contribute information about the safe use of the medicinal plants cited in this review.

Ethnopharmacological importance Medicinal plants have been a source of medicinal compounds since ancient times. This study documented the use of plant species in traditional medicine in the municipality of Aquismon, San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Materials and methods Direct interviews were performed with inhabitants from Aquismon. The interviews were analyzed with two quantitative tools: (a) the informant consensus factor (ICF) that estimates the level of agreement about which medicinal plants may be used for each category and (b) the relative importance (RI) that determines the extent of potential utilization of each species. Results A total of 73 plant species with medicinal purposes, belonging to 37 families and used to treat 52 illnesses and 2 cultural filiations were reported by interviewees. Nineteen mixtures with medicinal plants were reported by the interviewers. Matricaria recutita was the most used plant for combinations (five mixtures). The results of the ICF showed that diseases of the digestive and respiratory systems had the greatest agreement. The most versatile species according to their RI are Ruta graveolens , Tagetes erecta , Ocimum basilicum and Erigeron karwinskianus. Conclusion This study demonstrates that plant species play an important role in healing practices and magical–religious rituals among inhabitants from Huasteca Potosina. Further studies with medicinal flora, including mixtures, from Aquismon are required for the experimental validation of their traditional uses.