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Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) is the only crop that contains D-chiro-inositol (DCI) in significant contents in vegetative tissues and its a-D-galactosyl derivatives in seeds. Besides DCI, buckwheat tissues contain small contents of D-pinitol (PIN) and myo-inositol (MIN) and their a-D-galactosyl derivatives. D-chiro-inositol is a health-promoting cyclitol of increasing importance in the treatment of some human diseases. However, changes in DCI content in stems, leaves and maturing buckwheat seeds during plant vegetation and under desiccation were not known. The present study analyzed the concentration of cyclitols and their galactosides in the stems, leaves and seeds of plants harvested on 79th, 94th and 123th days after sowing (DAS) and after desiccation at ambient temperature (23° ±2°C). D-chiro-inositol content in stems and leaves increased with vegetation, while the opposite trend was found in developing and maturing seeds. In the seeds, the accumulation of mono-galactosyl DCI derivatives increased, but at the same time, the content of mono-galactosyl PIN and MIN derivatives decreased. The desiccation process drastically increased the content of di-galactosyl derivatives of DCI and MIN in the seeds. The obtained results suggest a protective role of DCI and MIN di-galactosides against desiccation stress in buckwheat tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulation of anthocyanins in detached leaves and in excised stems of Kalanchoë blossfeldiana kept under natural light conditions in the presence or absence of methyl jasmonate (JA-Me) was investigated. When the abaxial surface of detached leaves was held lower than the adaxial surface (the normal or natural position) under natural light conditions, anthocyanins were not accumulated on the abaxial side of the leaves. In contrast, when the adaxial surface of detached leaves was held lower than the abaxial surface (inverted position), anthocyanins were highly accumulated on the abaxial side of the leaves. These phenomena were independent of the growth stage of K. blossfeldiana as well as photoperiod. Application of JA-Me in lanolin paste significantly inhibited anthocyanin accumulation induced on the abaxial side of detached leaves held in an inverted position in a dose-dependent manner. Anthocyanin accumulation in the excised stem in response to natural light was also significantly inhibited by JA-Me in lanolin paste. Possible mechanisms of anthocyanin accumulation on the abaxial side of detached K. blossfeldiana leaves held in an inverted position under natural light conditions and the inhibitory effect of JA-Me on this process are described. The accompanying changes in the content of primary metabolites and histological analyses were also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exposition of 7-day-old pea seedlings to dehydration induced sudden changes in the concentration of monosaccharides and sucrose in epicotyl and roots tissues. During 24 h of dehydration, the concentration of glucose and, to a lesser extent, fructose in seedling tissues decreased. The accumulation of sucrose was observed in roots after 4 h and in epicotyls after 8 h of stress. Epicotyls and roots also began to accumulate galactinol and raffinose after 8 h of stress, when small changes in the water content of tissues occurred. The accumulation of galactinol and raffinose progressed parallel to water withdrawal from tissues, but after seedling rehydration both galactosides disappeared. The synthesis of galactinol and raffinose by an early induction (during the first hour of treatment) of galactinol synthase (PsGolS) and raffinose synthase (PsRS) gene expression as well as a later increase in the activity of both enzymes was noted. Signals possibly triggering the induction of PsGolS and PsRS gene expression and accumulation of galactinol and raffinose in seedlings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conditions for determining the antioxidant properties of cyclitols (d-pinitol, l-quebrachitol, myo-, l-chiro-, and d-chiro-inositol), selected flavanones (hesperetin, naringenin, eriodictyol, and liquiritigenin) and glutathione by spectrophotometric methods—CUPRAC and with DPPH radical, and by a chromatographic method DPPH-UHPLC-UV, have been identified. Interactions of the tested compounds and their impact on the ox-red properties were investigated. The RSA (%) of the compounds tested was determined. Very low antioxidative properties of cyclitols, compared with flavanones and glutathione alone, were revealed. However, a significant increase in the determined antioxidative properties of glutathione by methyl-ether derivatives of cyclitols (d-pinitol and l-quebrachitol) was demonstrated for the first time. Thus, cyclitols seem to be a good candidate for creating drugs for the treatment of many diseases associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]