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Due to rapid urbanization and industrial growth, groundwater globally is continuously deteriorating, posing significant health risks to humans. This study employed a comprehensive methodology to analyze groundwater in the Western Banat Plain (Serbia). Using Piper and Gibbs plots, hydrogeochemistry was assessed, while the entropy‐weighted water quality index (EWQI) was used to evaluate groundwater quality. Pollution sources were identified using positive matrix factorization (PMF) accompanied by Pearson correlation and hierarchical cluster analysis, while Monte Carlo simulation assessed health risks associated with groundwater consumption. Results showed that groundwater, mainly Ca–Mg–HCO3 type, is mostly suitable for drinking. Geogenic pollution, agricultural activities, and sewage were major pollution sources. Consumption of contaminated groundwater poses serious non‐carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks. Additionally, arsenic from geogenic source was found to be the main health risks contributor, considering its worryingly elevated concentration, ranging up to 364 μg/L. These findings will be valuable for decision‐makers and researchers in managing groundwater vulnerability. Practitioner Points: Groundwater is severely contaminated with As in the northern part of the study area.The predominant hydrochemical type of groundwater in the area is Ca–Mg–HCO3.The PMF method apportioned three groundwater pollution sources.Monte Carlo identified rock dissolution as the primary health risk contributor.Health risks and mortality in the study area are positively correlated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic insecticides have been the primary approach in controlling Aedes aegypti; however, their indiscriminate use has led to the development of resistance and toxicity to non-target animals. In contrast, essential oils (EOs) are alternatives for vector control. This study investigated the mechanism of larvicidal action of the EO and β-caryophyllene from Piper tuberculatum against A. aegypti larvae, as well as evaluated the toxicity of both on non-target animals. The EO extracted from P. tuberculatum leaves was majority constituted of β-caryophyllene (54.8%). Both demonstrated larvicidal activity (LC50 of 48.61 and 57.20 ppm, p < 0.05), acetylcholinesterase inhibition (IC50 of 57.78 and 71.97 ppm), and an increase in the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in larvae after exposure to the EO and β-caryophyllene. Furthermore, EO and β-caryophyllene demonstrate no toxicity to non-target animals Toxorhynchites haemorrhoidalis, Anisops bouvieri, and Diplonychus indicus (100% of survival rate), while the insecticide α-cypermethrin was highly toxic (100% of death). The results demonstrate that the EO from P. tuberculatum and β-caryophyllene are important larvicidal agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of irrigation water, assess the ion concentration in irrigation water and their source of origin and irrigation water suitability. For this purpose, water samples from surface and groundwater sources were collected and used to analyzed various physico-chemical properties pH, EC, TDS, TH, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, HCO3−, Cl−, SO42− during pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon seasons. Quality of irrigation water was evaluated through SAR, RSC, Na%, KR, MHR, PS, PI, RSBC and also calculated the IWQI for appropriateness of the irrigation water. For the evaluation of hydro-geochemical process Piper, Gibbs, correlations and other bivariate plots were used. The spatio-temporal map was also prepared with the use of IDW method by ArcGIS 10.4 software. The surface water was found with Na+ > Mg2+ > Ca2+ > K+ in pre-monsoon, and Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+ in both monsoon and post-monsoon period and groundwater with cation Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+ in pre-monsoon, Ca2+ > Na+ > Mg2+ > K+ in monsoon and Na+ > Mg2+ > Ca2+ > K+ in post-monsoon season. While, anion was dominated with HCO3− > SO42− > Cl− in both surface and groundwater samples during all seasons. The Ca (Mg)- HCO3−type water was found in the study area which was originated through silicate weathering of rock–water interaction, evaporate dissolution, ion exchange phenomena and secondary contribution from anthropogenic activities. The KR, MHR, Na%, RSC, PS and RSBC were reported to exceed limit in few surface and groundwater samples. However, almost 75% surface water samples and 30% groundwater samples were having more risk to use as irrigation water and observed unsuitable for irrigation use based on IWQI. As, results the present study indicated that the surface water was more contaminated than groundwater which was primarily controlled by geogenic process and also associated with anthropogenic sources under recently weathered soil conditions. Thus, the current study suggests safely use of irrigation water with strategic measure and improve the sustainable agriculture production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Side impact crashes are one of the most dangerous impact scenarios that a child can suffer. Studies by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have shown that the head and Thorax regions are affected severely. The objective of this work is to perform a numerical evaluation of the oblique pole-side test considering the FMVSS 214-P standard to estimate the Head, Neck, and Thorax injuries for a six-year-old child positioned in the rear seat without any Child Restraint System, two configurations were performed for the oblique pole-side impact: a nearside and a far-side positioning configuration. A six-year-old Human Body Model (HBM) denominated Scalable PIPER Child Model, and the Ford Explorer 2003 were used to perform the test in the LS DYNA® software to assess the biomechanics involved in the crash scenarios. The approach considered a comparative case study with the baseline of the six-year-old child PIPER model to ensure that the positioning adjustment has not affected the mesh quality and interior components for the PIPER child model. The outcomes obtained in case 1 show that the modified PIPER child model has slight outcomes at the shoulder and pelvis zone due to the differences in the body positioning and not by the mesh or the interior interaction between the components. The outcomes obtained in case 2 reflect that the nearside setup obtained the higher measurements for the child occupant. The Ac3ms for Head at nearside test to overcome the Side Criteria established by the Assessment Protocol Child Occupant Protection by Euro NCAP, the kinematics behavior demonstrates the importance of researching children in side crashes to enhance child security, especially in the oblique pole side impact.

IntroductionThe study of surface water quality control in water resources and environment management programs is very important. Surface water is one of the most important water sources that have crucial impact on agricultural, industrial, drinking and electricity production activities. Due to insufficient water sources with good quality and the increase in population growth rate and as a result of the increase in demand, the study of water quality parameters is very important. The Water Quality Index (WQI) serves as a prominent indicator in classifying surface water quality. Moreover, in recent years, the TOPSIS method has gained traction for evaluating water quality. This approach, known for its simplicity, is increasingly utilized in prioritizing river water and assessing its quality. Through this index, various components of water quality are condensed into a single numerical value, effectively expressing overall water quality. To ascertain the weight index, Shannon's entropy method was employed. Furthermore, to assess water suitability for drinking, agriculture, and industrial purposes, Schuler, Wilcox, and Piper diagrams were utilized. These diagrams provide valuable insights into the quality of water, aiding in decision-making processes regarding its utilization across different sectors. Therefore, the results of this study also confirmed the effectiveness of the TOPSIS method in identifying contaminated stations.Materials and MethodsThis research focuses on evaluating the water quality of three stations within the Aji Chai river watershed on an annual basis. These stations are identified as Arzanag, Akhola, and Markid. The assessment spans the years 2003 to 2021 and aims to classify water quality for both drinking and agricultural purposes. Utilizing the standards set forth by the World Health Organization, the surface water quality index of the Aji Chai basin is investigated to ascertain its suitability for drinking purposes. Shannon's entropy theory was used to prevent expert judgments in determining the weight of each parameter. TOPSIS method was used to classify eleven qualities including TDS, EC, pH, HCO3-, Cl-, , Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+ , K+ and TH. In all the three stations water quality were ranked, based on TOPSIS numerical values. Also, in order to check the quality of drinking, agricultural and industrial water, Schuler, Wilcox and Piper diagrams were used. Results and DiscussionThe initial findings from the %RE error analysis revealed that throughout the entire statistical period (2003-2021), the %RE values were consistently close to zero, with the majority being positive. This suggests that the total number of cations surpasses the total number. In terms of the Shannon water quality index, the results indicate that Markid station exhibited the highest index value at 945.92, while Arzanag station displayed the lowest value at 127.365 among the surveyed stations. The results of the water quality index showed that Arzanag and Akhola stations are in an average condition (100 < EWQI < 150) and Markid station is in a very poor condition (EWQI > 200). According to Schuler's diagram, it was found that the water of Arzanag station is in the average level in terms of water quality, which is in a good position in terms of quality compared to the other two stations, while the water of Akhola station is in a good position. In the range of poor quality, Markid water was undrinkable, which ranked worst among the three stations. According to the Wilcox diagram, it was found that the water quality of Markid is very poor, which is even outside the boundary of the Wilcox diagram, while the water of Arzanag station was ranked 1st in terms of quality. Arzanag water is in C4S2 class in terms of quality. Finally, the water class of Akhola station was placed in the C4S4 class (in the Wilcox chart), which shows very low water quality. According to the TOPSIS method, the first priority in terms of water quality pollution belonged to Markid station. Two other stations, including Akhola and Arzanag, were ranked second and third in this respect. Therefore, the most important station in this basin is Markid station. ConclusionThe results of Shannon water quality index showed that among the stations, the highest index value is related to Markid station with a value of 945.92 and the lowest one is related to Arzanag station with a value of 127.365. According to Schoeller diagram, it was found that the water quality of Arzanag station is average, compared to the other two stations, it was in the right place and the water of Akhola station was in the range of poor quality. The quality of Markid water was found to be undrinkable, which was the worst one among all the three stations. The range of TOPSIS values in different stations is between 0.054 and 0.894, which belonged to the Arzanag and Markid stations, respective ly. According to the results of the Arzanag station, the best water quality condition and the Markid station were assigned the worst water quality condition among all the three stations.

Premise: Many plastomes of autotrophic Piperales have been reported to date, describing a variety of differences. Most studies focused only on a few species or a single genus, and extensive, comparative analyses have not been done. Here, we reviewed publicly available plastome reconstructions for autotrophic Piperales, reanalyzed publicly available raw data, and provided new sequence data for all previously missing genera. Comparative plastome genomics of >100 autotrophic Piperales were performed. Methods: We performed de novo assemblies to reconstruct the plastomes of newly generated sequence data. We used Sanger sequencing and read mapping to verify the assemblies and to bridge assembly gaps. Furthermore, we reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships as a foundation for comparative plastome genomics. Results: We identified a plethora of assembly and annotation issues in published plastome data, which, if unattended, will lead to an artificial increase of diversity. We were able to detect patterns of missing and incorrect feature annotation and determined that the inverted repeat (IR) boundaries were the major source for erroneous assembly. Accounting for the aforementioned issues, we discovered relatively stable junctions of the IRs and the small single‐copy region (SSC), whereas the majority of plastome variations among Piperales stems from fluctuations of the boundaries of the IR and the large single‐copy (LSC) region. Conclusions: This study of all available plastomes of autotrophic Piperales, expanded by new data for previously missing genera, highlights the IR‐LSC junctions as a potential marker for discrimination of various taxonomic levels. Our data indicates a pseudogene‐like status for cemA and ycf15 in various Piperales. Based on a review of published data, we conclude that incorrect IR‐SSC boundary identification is the major source for erroneous plastome assembly. We propose a gold standard for assembly and annotation of high‐quality plastomes based on de novo assembly methods and appropriate references for gene annotation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hyperdiverse geometrid genus Eois Hübner, estimated to encompass more than 1,000 species, is among the most species-rich genera in all of Lepidoptera. While the genus has attracted considerable attention from ecologists and evolutionary biologists in recent decades, limited progress has been made on its alpha taxonomy. This contribution focuses on the Olivacea clade, whose monophyly has been recognized previously through molecular analyses. We attempt to define the clade from a morphological perspective and recognize the following species based on morphology and genomic data: E. olivacea (Felder & Rogenhofer); E. pseudolivacea Doan, sp. nov.; E. auruda (Dognin), stat. rev.; E. beebei (Fletcher, 1952), stat. rev.; E. boliviensis (Dognin), stat. rev.; and E. parumsimii Doan, sp. nov. Descriptions and illustrations of the immature stages of E. pseudolivacea reared from Piper (Piperaceae) in Ecuador are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The study of surface water quality control in water resources and environment management programs is very important. Surface water is one of the most important water sources that have crucial impact on agricultural, industrial, drinking and electricity production activities. Due to insufficient water sources with good quality and the increase in population growth rate and as a result of the increase in demand, the study of water quality parameters is very important. The Water Quality Index (WQI) serves as a prominent indicator in classifying surface water quality. Moreover, in recent years, the TOPSIS method has gained traction for evaluating water quality. This approach, known for its simplicity, is increasingly utilized in prioritizing river water and assessing its quality. Through this index, various components of water quality are condensed into a single numerical value, effectively expressing overall water quality. To ascertain the weight index, Shannon's entropy method was employed. Furthermore, to assess water suitability for drinking, agriculture, and industrial purposes, Schuler, Wilcox, and Piper diagrams were utilized. These diagrams provide valuable insights into the quality of water, aiding in decision-making processes regarding its utilization across different sectors. Therefore, the results of this study also confirmed the effectiveness of the TOPSIS method in identifying contaminated stations. Materials and Methods This research focuses on evaluating the water quality of three stations within the Aji Chai river watershed on an annual basis. These stations are identified as Arzanag, Akhola, and Markid. The assessment spans the years 2003 to 2021 and aims to classify water quality for both drinking and agricultural purposes. Utilizing the standards set forth by the World Health Organization, the surface water quality index of the Aji Chai basin is investigated to ascertain its suitability for drinking purposes. Shannon's entropy theory was used to prevent expert judgments in determining the weight of each parameter. TOPSIS method was used to classify eleven qualities including TDS, EC, pH, HCO3-, Cl-, SO42-, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+ and TH. In all the three stations water quality were ranked, based on TOPSIS numerical values. Also, in order to check the quality of drinking, agricultural and industrial water, Schuler, Wilcox and Piper diagrams were used. Results and Discussion The initial findings from the %RE error analysis revealed that throughout the entire statistical period (2003 -2021), the %RE values were consistently close to zero, with the majority being positive. This suggests that the total number of cations surpasses the total number. In terms of the Shannon water quality index, the results indicate that Markid station exhibited the highest index value at 945.92, while Arzanag station displayed the lowest value at 127.365 among the surveyed stations. The results of the water quality index showed that Arzanag and Akhola stations are in an average condition (100 < EWQI < 150) and Markid station is in a very poor condition (EWQI > 200). According to Schuler's diagram, it was found that the water of Arzanag station is in the average level in terms of water quality, which is in a good position in terms of quality compared to the other two stations, while the water of Akhola station is in a good position. In the range of poor quality, Markid water was undrinkable, which ranked worst among the three stations. According to the Wilcox diagram, it was found that the water quality of Markid is very poor, which is even outside the boundary of the Wilcox diagram, while the water of Arzanag station was ranked 1st in terms of quality. Arzanag water is in C4S2 class in terms of quality. Finally, the water class of Akhola station was placed in the C4S4 class (in the Wilcox chart), which shows very low water quality. According to the TOPSIS method, the first priority in terms of water quality pollution belonged to Markid station. Two other stations, including Akhola and Arzanag, were ranked second and third in this respect. Therefore, the most important station in this basin is Markid station. Conclusion The results of Shannon water quality index showed that among the stations, the highest index value is related to Markid station with a value of 945.92 and the lowest one is related to Arzanag station with a value of 127.365. According to Schoeller diagram, it was found that the water quality of Arzanag station is average, compared to the other two stations, it was in the right place and the water of Akhola station was in the range of poor quality. The quality of Markid water was found to be undrinkable, which was the worst one among all the three stations. The range of TOPSIS values in different stations is between 0.054 and 0.894, which belonged to the Arzanag and Markid stations, respective ly. According to the results of the Arzanag station, the best water quality condition and the Markid station were assigned the worst water quality condition among all the three stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparative study on the basis of detailed morphological characters of four species of Piper L., viz. - Piper betle L., Piper nigrum L., Piper longum L. and Piper retrofractum Vahl., from southern districts of West Bengal, India was performed to draw a systematic conclusion. Both qualitative and quantitative morphological traits were considered. The usefulness of potential morphometric features was identified. Principle Component Analysis (PCA) and Multivariate Cluster Analysis (UPGMA) were used in establishing a systematic interrelationship among the taxa under study. In this study, potential morphometric traits were identified which were valuable in classifying these taxa. This study found highest level of similarity between P. longum L. and P. retrofractum Vahl., whereas, Pnigrum L. has least affinity with other three taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Declines in biodiversity generated by anthropogenic stressors at both species and population levels can alter emergent processes instrumental to ecosystem function and resilience. As such, understanding the role of biodiversity in ecosystem function and its response to climate perturbation is increasingly important, especially in tropical systems where responses to changes in biodiversity are less predictable and more challenging to assess experimentally. Using large-scale transplant experiments conducted at five neotropical sites, we documented the impacts of changes in intraspecific and interspecific plant richness in the genus Piper on insect herbivory, insect richness, and ecosystem resilience to perturbations in water availability. We found that reductions of both intraspecific and interspecific Piper diversity had measurable and site-specific effects on herbivory, herbivorous insect richness, and plant mortality. The responses of these ecosystem-relevant processes to reduced intraspecific Piper richness were often similar in magnitude to the effects of reduced interspecific richness. Increased water availability reduced herbivory by 4.2% overall, and the response of herbivorous insect richness and herbivory to water availability were altered by both intra- and interspecific richness in a site-dependent manner. Our results underscore the role of intraspecific and interspecific richness as foundations of ecosystem function and the importance of community and location-specific contingencies in controlling function in complex tropical systems.

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Objetivo. Evaluar la actividad inhibitoria in vitro de los extractos de Plantago major «llantén» y Piper aduncum «matico» sobre Fosfolipasa A2 (PLA2) del veneno de la serpiente Lachesis muta muta. Materiales y métodos. Esta investigación fue de tipo explicativa con diseño experimental. Se recolectaron hojas de P. major y P. aduncum en la provincia de Huarochirí en Lima, Perú. Se prepararon extractos alcohólicos diluidos en agua destilada y se realizaron los ensayos fitoquímicos, la cuantificación de fenoles y flavonoides, la cromatografía de capa fina (CCF) en celulosa y la actividad enzimática con PLA2. Se analizó la capacidad de inhibir la PLA2 con los extractos en estudio y sus fracciones. Para el análisis estadístico se utilizó la prueba de Kruskal Wallis y comparaciones múltiples de Bonferroni. Resultados. Tanto en P. major como en P. aduncum se identificó cualitativamente la presencia de fenoles, flavonoides y taninos; además, P. aduncum presentó saponinas. La inhibición de la actividad de la PLA2 del veneno por el extracto total de P. major fue del 45,3%, y sus fracciones mostraron valores de inhibición: LLF-1 con 31,1%, LLF-2 con 66,3% y LLF-3 con 65,5%. En P. aduncum, los valores de inhibición para el extracto total fueron de 86,9%, y sus fracciones presentaron inhibiciones: MF-1 con 34,3%, MF-2 con 67,1% y MF-3 con 54,9%. El análisis estadístico demostró diferencias significativas en la inhibición de la PLA2 (p=0,009) por los extractos. Conclusión. Los ensayos realizados demostraron una asociación entre el efecto antiinflamatorio de los extractos y la inhibición de la PLA2.

Cancer is a worldwide health problem with high mortality in children and adults, making searching for novel bioactive compounds with potential use in cancer treatment essential. Piplartine, also known as piperlongumine, is an alkamide isolated from Piper longum Linn, with relevant therapeutic potential. Therefore, this review covered research on the antitumor activity of piplartine, and the studies reported herein confirm the antitumor properties of piplartine and highlight its possible application as an anticancer agent against various types of tumors. The evidence found serves as a reference for advancing mechanistic research on this metabolite and preparing synthetic derivatives or analogs with better antitumor activity in order to develop new drug candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water that is safe to drink is a basic requirement for good health. Groundwater’s usefulness for drinking and irrigation is widely understood. This research provides a comprehensive analysis of the hydro-chemical properties of groundwater to comprehend the spatiotemporal quality of drinking and irrigation water in South Bengal (India’s West Bengal state), with a study area of 58,713.07 km2. The condition of drinking and irrigation water was examined at fifty-one groundwater stations during a nine-year period from 2011 to 2019. This study uses thirteen chemical parameters to determine the water's appropriateness for drinking and irrigation (Ca, Cl, F, Mg, NO3, pH, K, Na, SO4, TDS, CaCO3, SAR, and MH). The water quality index (WQI) was determined using these characteristics and the suggested threshold specified by the BIS and WHO standards. The combined WQI categories of ‘poor’, ‘very poor’, and ‘not fit for drinking’ water covered 54.9% of the study area, and the SAR, magnesium hazard, and Wilcox diagrams were used to check the robustness of irrigation water. According to Pearson’s correlation, the western and southern parts of South Bengal were found to be unsuitable for irrigation in general. According to the water suitability index (WSI) results, 39.43% of sample stations were classified as excellent, while 32.39% were classified as ‘unsuitable, permissible to uncertain, and doubtful to unsuitable’ for drinking and irrigation. The result of Pearson’s correlation showed that water quality quantified as doubtful to unsuitable for drinking and irrigation was mostly found in the southern coastal districts. The overall condition shows that the northern districts are less affected by sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and magnesium hazard (MH). The ion domination in drinking water was evaluated through a Piper plot. The ionic composition of the water affects its chemical quality. Thus it is important to analyze the ionic composition to understand the water quality. The dominant anion type was Ca2+, while a few stations had Na+ and K+ dominancy. The dominance of calcium and magnesium in South Bengal is evident from the analysis, categorizing the water as hard water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Giuseppe Raddi collected in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from November 1817 to June 1818. He published 12 new names in the family Piperaceae in an article that appeared in 1828. Raddi's article has not been cited in specialized literature and these names were never properly studied. In the present study, these names are typified, and their identity is clarified. Five new combinations are here presented, namely Peperomia callitrichoides, P. catesbaeifolia, P. cylindrica, P. gracillima, and P. plantaginifolia. The new name Piper raddianum is published, honoring him and his botanical accomplishments. In addition, the names Piper scutatum, Piper scolopendrifolium, Piper truncatum, Piper fluminense, Steffensia ampla (≡ Piper amplum), Piper variabile, Piper catesbaeafolium, Piper cylindricum, Piper pumilum, Peperomia martiana, and Piper gracillimum are here lectotypified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To evaluate the in vitro inhibitory activity of Plantago major "llantén" and Piper aduncum "matico" extracts on phospholipase A2 (PLA2) from the venom of the snake Lachesis muta muta. Materials and methods. We carried out an explanatory study with experimental design. Leaves of P. major and P. aduncum were collected in the province of Huarochirí in Lima, Peru. Then, we prepared alcoholic extracts diluted in distilled water and conducted phytochemical assays, quantification of phenols and flavonoids, thin layer chromatography (TLC) on cellulose and enzymatic activity with PLA2. The ability to inhibit PLA2 with the extracts under study and their fractions was analyzed. The Kruskal Wallis test and Bonferroni multiple comparisons were used during statistical analysis. Results. Phenols, flavonoids and tannins were qualitatively identified in both P. major and P. aduncum; in addition, P. aduncum presented saponins. The inhibition of PLA2 activity of the venom by the total extract of P. major was 45.3%, and its fractions showed the following inhibition values: 31.1% for LLF-1, 66.3% for LLF-2 and 65.5% for LLF-3. The inhibition values for the total extract of P. aduncum were 86.9%, and its fractions showed the following inhibition rates: 34.3% for MF-1, 67.1% for MF-2 and 54.9% for MF-3. Statistical analysis showed significant differences in the inhibition of PLA2 (p=0.009) by the extracts. Conclusion. The tests demonstrated an association between the anti-inflammatory effect of the extracts and PLA2 inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain aging is one of the unavoidable aspects of geriatric life. As one ages, changes such as the shrinking of certain parts (particularly the frontal cortex, which is vital to learning and other complex mental activities) of the brain may occur. Consequently, communications between neurons are less effective, and blood flow to the brain could also decrease. Efforts made at the biological level for repair become inadequate, leading to the accumulation of β-amyloid peptide in the brain faster than its probable degradation mechanism, resulting in cognitive malfunction. Subsequent clinical usage of drugs in battling related brain-aging ailments has been associated with several undesirable side effects. However, recent research has investigated the potential use of natural compounds from food in combating such occurrences. This review provides information about the use of Piper guineense (black pepper) as a possible agent in managing brain aging because of its implications for practical brain function. P. guineense contains an alkaloid (piperine) reported to be an antioxidant, anti-depressant, and central nervous system stimulant. This alkaloid and other related compounds are neuroprotective agents that reduce lipid oxidation and inhibit tangles in the brain tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High prevalence of parasitic or bacterial infectious diseases in some world areas is due tomultiple reasons, including a lack of an appropriate health policy, challenging logistics and poverty. The support to research and development of new medicines to fight infectious diseases is one of the sustainable development goals promoted by World Health Organization (WHO). In this sense, the traditional medicinal knowledge substantiated by ethnopharmacology is a valuable starting point for drug discovery. This work aims at the scientific validation of the traditional use of Piper species ("Cordoncillos") as firsthand anti-infectious medicines. For this purpose, we adapted a computational statistical model to correlate the LCMS chemical profiles of 54 extracts from 19 Piper species to their corresponding anti-infectious assay results based on 37 microbial or parasites strains. We mainly identified two groups of bioactive compounds (called features as they are considered at the analytical level and are not formally isolated). Group 1 is composed of 11 features being highly correlated to an inhibiting activity on 21 bacteria (principally Gram-positive strains), one fungus (C. albicans), and one parasite (Trypanosoma brucei gambiense). The group 2 is composed of 9 features having a clear selectivity on Leishmania (all strains, both axenic and intramacrophagic). Bioactive features in group 1 were identified principally in the extracts of Piper strigosum and P. xanthostachyum. In group 2, bioactive features were distributed in the extracts of 14 Piper species. This multiplexed approach provided a broad picture of the metabolome as well as a map of compounds putatively associated to bioactivity. To our knowledge, the implementation of this type of metabolomics tools aimed at identifying bioactive compounds has not been used so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Piper guineense (African black pepper) is a widely consumed spice in some parts of Central and Western Africa, especially Nigeria, due to its nutritional and medicinal properties. This study investigated biochemical effects of extract of P. guineense seeds on lipid profile, renal function parameters, and antioxidant status of Cavia porcellus. Methods: Forty guinea pigs (weighing 200–300g) were equally divided into a control group and three experimental groups. Animals in the control group received 1 mL of distilled water daily for 28 days, while animals in the experimental groups 1, 2, and 3 received 0.5 mL of distilled water along with 10, 20, and 20 mg/100 g body weight powered seeds daily for 28 days. Results: Phytochemical studies revealed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, and calcium. The median lethal oral dose of the aqueous extract of P. guineense seeds was greater than 5,000 mg/kg, indicating a high degree of safety. The extract at dose of 30 mg/100 g body weight had the most beneficial effects on lipid profile, renal function parameters, and antioxidant status of guinea pigs when compared with other groups. Conclusion: Given the beneficial effects of P. guineense on lipid profile and renal function parameters, the plant can be incorporated in daily diets to ensure receiving adequate amount of essential vitamins, phytochemicals, and other nutrients present in the plant.

The enzyme PAL (phenylalanine ammonia lyase) mediates the key entry point to the general phenylpropanoid pathway, which is involved in the lignification process and in the formation of a myriad of secondary compounds in plants that show a variety of biological activities. Soluble fractions containing PAL extracted from Piper and Peperomia species had the optimal catalytic activity analyzed by statistical design model. This analysis revealed that the best conversion of L-phenylalanine to trans-cinnamic acid was pH 9.3 and 58 °C after 25 h, corroborating interesting thermal stability. Additionally, the pre-purification of PAL using ammonium sulfate precipitation (25-55%) increased its specific activity, approximately 133% in P. aduncum and more than 900% in P. crassinervium. The content of lignin was higher for P. tuberculatum (25.71%), while only a small amount of lignin was observed in Peperomia blanda (11.95%). It is interesting to note that Peperomia plants are succulent and without significant amounts of lignin. However, the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway is apparently addressed to produce predominantly tetrahydrofuran lignans with biological interest.

Cancer is a principal cause of death in the world, and providing a better quality of life and reducing mortality through effective pharmacological treatment remains a challenge. Among malignant tumor types, squamous cell carcinoma-esophageal cancer (EC) is usually located in the mouth, with approximately 90% located mainly on the tongue and floor of the mouth. Piplartine is an alkamide found in certain species of the genus Piper and presents many pharmacological properties including antitumor activity. In the present study, the cytotoxic potential of a collection of piplartine analogs against human oral SCC9 carcinoma cells was evaluated. The analogs were prepared via Fischer esterification reactions, alkyl and aryl halide esterification, and a coupling reaction with PyBOP using the natural compound 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid as a starting material. The products were structurally characterized using 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, and high-resolution mass spectrometry for the unpublished compounds. The compound 4-methoxy-benzyl 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate (9) presented an IC50 of 46.21 µM, high selectively (SI > 16), and caused apoptosis in SCC9 cancer cells. The molecular modeling study suggested a multi-target mechanism of action for the antitumor activity of compound 9 with CRM1 as the main target receptor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasmosis is a tropical and neglected disease caused by the parasitic protozoa Toxplasma gondii. Conventional treatment with sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine plus folinic acid, has some drawbacks, such as inefficacy in the chronic phase, toxic side effects, and potential cases of resistance have been observed. In this study, the activity of essential oils (EOs) from three Piper species and their main constituents, including α-Pinene (Piper lindbergii and P. cernuum), β-Pinene (P. cernuum), and dillapiole (P. aduncum), were evaluated against tachyzoites of T. gondii. α-Pinene was more active [(IC50 0.3265 (0.2958 to 0.3604) μg/mL)] against tachyzoites than P. lindbergii EO [0.8387 (0.6492 to 1.084) μg/mL]. Both α-Pinene and P. lindbergii EO exhibited low cytotoxicity against NHDF cells, with CC50 41.37 (37.64 to 45.09) µg/mL and 83.80 (75.42 to 91.34) µg/mL, respectively, suggesting they could be of potential use against toxoplasmosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High prevalence of parasitic or bacterial infectious diseases in some world areas is due to multiple reasons, including a lack of an appropriate health policy, challenging logistics and poverty. The support to research and development of new medicines to fight infectious diseases is one of the sustainable development goals promoted by World Health Organization (WHO). In this sense, the traditional medicinal knowledge substantiated by ethnopharmacology is a valuable starting point for drug discovery. This work aims at the scientific validation of the traditional use of Piper species (“Cordoncillos”) as firsthand anti-infectious medicines. For this purpose, we adapted a computational statistical model to correlate the LCMS chemical profiles of 54 extracts from 19 Piper species to their corresponding anti-infectious assay results based on 37 microbial or parasites strains. We mainly identified two groups of bioactive compounds (called features as they are considered at the analytical level and are not formally isolated). Group 1 is composed of 11 features being highly correlated to an inhibiting activity on 21 bacteria (principally Gram-positive strains), one fungus (C. albicans), and one parasite (Trypanosoma brucei gambiense). The group 2 is composed of 9 features having a clear selectivity on Leishmania (all strains, both axenic and intramacrophagic). Bioactive features in group 1 were identified principally in the extracts of Piper strigosum and P. xanthostachyum. In group 2, bioactive features were distributed in the extracts of 14 Piper species. This multiplexed approach provided a broad picture of the metabolome as well as a map of compounds putatively associated to bioactivity. To our knowledge, the implementation of this type of metabolomics tools aimed at identifying bioactive compounds has not been used so far.

Various indices are used to assess the suitability of water quality for drinking and agricultural uses. The aim of this study is to investigate the water quality of rivers in Beheshtabad watershed for irrigation purposes. Some water quality parameters were measured in 4 selected stations monthly during spring and summer 2013 and 2019 with using the standard methods. Then, SAR, RSC, SSP, KR, PI and MAR indices were calculated. According to the results, the water quality of the stations was in good condition in terms of PI with values less than 80 mg/l, was in good condition in terms of KR with values less than one and in terms of SSP with values less than 200. The water of the studied rivers was hard in terms of total hardness, sweet in terms of total dissolved solids, and had a good condition in terms of permeability index, residual sodium carbonate, soluble sodium percentage, Kelly’s Ratio, magnesium adsorption ratio indices. According to water quality indices, water quality did not change in 2019 compared to 2013. According to the Wilcox diagram, the water of these rivers were in class C2S1, suitable for agricultural use, and according to the Piper diagram were located in Bicarbonate-Magnesium-Calcium group, in the category of water with temporary hardness. In general, evaluation of water quality of these rivers showed that the water of these rivers did not have limitation in terms of agriculture and were almost acceptable and suitable for irrigation.

Abstract Several Piper species accumulate piperamides as secondary metabolites, and although they have relevant biological importance, many details of their biosynthetic pathways have not yet been described experimentally. Experiments involving enzymatic reactions and labeled precursor feeding were performed using the species Piper tuberculatum and Piper arboreum. The activities of the phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) enzymes, which are involved in the general phenylpropanoid pathway, were monitored by the conversion of the amino acid L-phenylalanine to cinnamic acid. The activity of the 4-hydroxylase (C4H) enzyme was also observed in P. tuberculatum by converting cinnamic acid to p-coumaric acid. L-[UL-14C]-phenylalanine was fed into the leaves of P. tuberculatum and incorporated into piperine (1), 4,5-dihydropiperine (2), fagaramide (4), trans-piplartine (7), and dihydropiplartine (9). In P. arboreum, it was only incorporated into the piperamide 4,5-dihydropiperiline (3). L-[UL-14C]-lysine was successfully incorporated into the 4,5-dihydropiperine piperidine group (2), dihydropyridinone, and trans- (7) and cis-piplartine (8). These data corroborate the proposal of mixed biosynthetic origin of piperamides with the aromatic moiety originating from cinnamic acid (shikimic acid pathway) and key amide construction with amino acids as precursors.

This study explores possible challenges for child occupants in reclined seating positions, applying current protection systems. Using PIPER 6 y in frontal impacts, the aim was to investigate the effect of restraint parameters in reclined seating positions, in addition to an upright position, varying booster design, shoulder belt outlet, and pretensioner activation. Eighteen full frontal impacts were simulated using the PIPER 6 y human body model restrained on a booster in a front passenger seat. The type of booster, pretensioner activation and shoulder belt outlet were varied with the vehicle seat in 'upright position' (25°) and 'reclined position' (40°). Three booster principles were used: booster seat (BoosterA), booster cushion (BoosterB) and representing properties of a vehicle built-in booster cushion (BoosterC). The two shoulder belt outlets include 'nominal D-ring' and 'rearward D-ring´. Overall, activation of the pretensioner reduced the overall body displacement as well as the head and neck response in both seating positions. Submarining occurred only in the case of BoosterB in 'reclined position' without pretensioner. Some differences were observed for the lap belt interaction with pelvis in the non-submarining simulations. Greater pelvis displacement was observed in 'reclined position' as compared to 'upright position'. In both seating positions, greatest pelvis displacement was observed for BoosterB, due to relatively more forward initial lap belt position. While both provided favorable initial lap belt to pelvis contact, BoosterC offered more efficient lap belt restraint than BoosterA, since the lap belt remained lower on the pelvis and the vertical movement of the pelvis was more limited compared to BoosterA. When in 'reclined position', the 'rearward D-ring' position enabled earlier coupling of the torso due to initial shoulder belt to shoulder contact, resulting in lower head and neck responses as well as shorter head displacement compared to 'nominal D-ring' Submarining can be addressed in reclined seating positions using current booster design in combination with a seatbelt pretensioner. Lap belt routing was influenced by booster design and reclined seating, affecting the overall kinematics and responses of the PIPER 6 y. This study highlights the importance of including the whole context of child occupant protection when investigating reclined seating, such as the interaction and compatibility of booster, vehicle seat and seatbelt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The quality of groundwater samples around Igando area, Lagos State, Nigeria was investigated with the aim of detecting possible influence of dumpsites on nearby aquifers. Thirty-seven (37) groundwater samples were evaluated for their suitability in drinking and agricultural purposes. Physical parameters were determined in situ using portable multi-meter. Flame absorption was used to determine the concentrations of major cations while ion chromatography and titrimetry was used for anions’ concentration. Bacteriological test was conducted using multiple tube technique. Results of in-situ physical parameters revealed pH range of 7.01–7.79, EC range of 20–880 μS/cm while TDS range from 13–590 mg/L. Laboratory analyses showed Ca2+ concentration ranging 1.60–72.80 mg/L and HCO3 − ranging 19.52–204.96 mg/L as the dominant ions. None of the ions’ concentrations exceed the WHO drinking limit. Water Quality Index (WQI) classification showed that all samples fall within good to excellent water categories. The majority of the samples are suitable for irrigation using indices such as Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), Kelly’s ratio (KR), and Magnesium Hazard (MH). Bacteriological analyses revealed low total bacterial count and E-coli absence making the samples safe for drinking. Piper diagram indicated two main water-facies (Ca–HCO3 and the Mixed Ca–Mg–Cl). Gibbs’s plots showed that the samples are primarily influenced by rock weathering, while precipitation also contributed. Chloro-Alkaline Index confirmed direct ion-exchange process. Cluster analyses revealed four groups: the first revealed influence of groundwater by anthropogenic activities in the study area, the second and third revealed lithological origin of ions in the water while group 4 indicated pH low influence on the dissolved ions in the waters. The groundwater quality can be said to be fair-good, thus suggestive of minimal interactions between the dumpsites and the groundwater in the area at the time of testing.

With more than 2000 species, Piper is regarded as having high medicinal, cosmetic, and edible value. There also remain some taxonomic and evolutionary uncertainties about the genus. This study performed chloroplast genome sequencing of eight poorly studied Piper species and a comparative analysis with black pepper (Piper nigrum). All examined species were highly similar in gene content, with 79 protein-coding genes, 24 tRNAs, and four rRNAs. They also harbored significant structural differences: The number of SSRs ranged from 63 to 87, over 10,000 SNPs were detected, and over 1,000 indels were found. The spatial distribution of structural differences was uneven, with the IR and LSC being relatively more conserved and the SSC region highly variable. Such structural variations of the chloroplast genome can help in evaluating the phylogenetic relationships between species, deciding some hard-to-distinguish evolutionary relationships, or eliminating improper markers. The SSC region may be evolving at high speed, and some species showed a high degree of sequence variation in the SSC region, which seriously affected marker sequence detection. Conversely, CDS sequences tended to lack variation, and some CDSs can serve as ideal markers for phylogenetic reconstruction. All told, this study provides an effective strategy for selecting chloroplast markers, analyzing difficult-to-distinguish phylogenetic relationships and avoiding the taxonomic errors caused by high degree of sequence variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Piper guineense (African black pepper) is a widely consumed spice in some parts of Central and Western Africa, especially Nigeria, due to its nutritional and medicinal properties. This study investigated biochemical effects of extract of P. guineense seeds on lipid profile, renal function parameters, and antioxidant status of Cavia porcellus. Methods: Forty guinea pigs (weighing 200–300g) were equally divided into a control group and three experimental groups. Animals in the control group received 1 mL of distilled water daily for 28 days, while animals in the experimental groups 1, 2, and 3 received 0.5 mL of distilled water along with 10, 20, and 20 mg/100 g body weight powered seeds daily for 28 days. Results: Phytochemical studies revealed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, and calcium. The median lethal oral dose of the aqueous extract of P. guineense seeds was greater than 5,000 mg/kg, indicating a high degree of safety. The extract at dose of 30 mg/100 g body weight had the most beneficial effects on lipid profile, renal function parameters, and antioxidant status of guinea pigs when compared with other groups. Conclusion: Given the beneficial effects of P. guineense on lipid profile and renal function parameters, the plant can be incorporated in daily diets to ensure receiving adequate amount of essential vitamins, phytochemicals, and other nutrients present in the plant [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical composition of essential oils (EOs) from ten Peruvian Piper species (Piper coruscans, Pc; P. tuberculatum, Pt; P. casapiense, Pcs; P. obliquum, Po; P. dumosum, Pd; P. anonifolium, Pa; P. reticulatum, Pr; P. soledadense, Ps; P. sancti-felicis, Psf and P. mituense, Pm) has been studied, along with their antifungal and phytotoxic activities. These EOs contained β-bisabolene/nerolidol (Pc), β-bisabolene/δ-cadinene/caryophyllene (Pt), caryophyllene oxide (Pcs), bicyclogermacrene/10-epi-Elemol (Po), bicyclogermacrene/germacrene-D/apiol (Pd), caryophyllene/germacrene-D (Pa), germacrene-D (Pr), limonene/apiol (Ps), apiol (Psf), and apiol/bicyclogermacrene (Pm) as major components, and some are described here for the first time (Ps, Pcs, Pm). A composition-based dendrogram of these Piper species showed four major groups (G1: Pc and Pt, G2: Pcs, Po, Pd, Pa, and Pr, G3: Ps, and G4: Psf and Pm). The spore germination effects (Aspergillus niger, Botrytis cinerea, and Alternaria alternate) and phytotoxicity (Lolium perenne and Lactuca sativa) of these EOs were studied. Most of these Piper essential oils showed important activity against phytopathogenic fungi (except G1), especially against B. cinerea. Similarly, most of the essential oils were phytotoxic against L. perenne (except G1), with P. sancti-felicis (G4), P. casapiense (G2), and P. reticulatum (G2) being the most effective. Caryophyllene oxide, β-caryophyllene, β-pinene, limonene, α-humulene, and apiol were evaluated against B. cinerea, with the most effective compounds being β-pinene, apiol, and limonene. This work demonstrates the species-dependent potential of essential oils from Peruvian Piper species as fungicidal and herbicidal agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais) is a very destructive pest of stored maize, accounting for about 15 - 25 % of loss, and sometimes 100% in severe infestation. Synthetic pesticide is often the first step of control, which is often costly, scarce, detrimental to the environment and human health. As a result, more environmentally friend options like the use of botanicals are encouraged, in line with the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals. The purpose of this study was to assess how fast to kill and how hazardous are four medicinal plant powders on maize weevil. The study was conducted in June-July, 2020 in the Food Science laboratory of Catholic University of Cameroon, Bamenda. Plant powders of pawpaw Carica papaya seeds, cypress Cupressus macrocarpa leaves, piper Piper nigrum seeds and a control (no-input) were assessed. Mortality was observed every 48 hr for 192 hr (8 days). The data was subjected to survival analysis using SPSS ver. 23. The proportion of Event (mortality) and Censored (no mortality) at varied amongst treatment with Event in piper significantly higher ((X² = 26.2, df = 7, P < 0.001) than Censored, and the reverse was the case for the other treatments. Only the piper treatment had 50% lethal time (LT50) of 144 hr. The Kaplan-Meier survival probability curve of piper had many sharp drops unlike the flat curves for control and pawpaw. Hazard ratios were 0.553, 2.47and 0.819 for pawpaw, piper and cypress, respectively. We proposed the possibility of exploring the angle formed between the line linking both ends of the survival curve and the horizontal line linking the end of the survival curve and the y-axis to assess the degree of hazardousness. The findings of this study revealed that piper powder killed the maize weevil very fast and was also the most hazardous treatment. We strongly recommend the integration of piper seed powder in the management of stored maize in order to prolong the shelve life, and maintain the quality and quantity of stored maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphological and microscopy were combined with DNA-barcoding, together with rapid TLC for the characterization of Piper betle (PB), P. nigrum (PN), P. retrofractum (PR), P. sarmentosum (PS), and P. wallichii (PW), five medicinal Piper plants announced in the Thai Herbal Pharmacopoeia (THP). The authentic plants collected from various locations and voucher Piper products bought from commercial sites in Thailand were studied. The reproductive parts of authentic plants were subjected to ensure their morphological characters. Using sequencing analysis and genetic divergence for analyzing discriminatory performance, ITS2 was selected from eight candidate DNA markers to authenticate the origin of Piper crude drugs together with microscopic and TLC profiles for examining their characters, admixtures, adulterants, and substituents. PB and PR exhibited unique characters of the species, with no admixture, adulteration, and substitution. PN showed no variable characters of morphology and genetics. However, the microscopy could illustrate some commercial products of PN sold in Thailand have been adulterated with rice starch and roasted rice. In the herbal trade, PS has been sold in the form of mixed leaf, root, and stem more than the isolated part, but there is no variable character of the species. PW has shown more than one character of species explained by microscopic, chemical components, and genetic data. In conclusion, the conventional and molecular pharmacognostic data combined with chemical profile of authentic five Piper plants could be applied to indicate the plant origin and clarify the situations of admixture, adulteration, and substitution of the commercial Piper products launched in Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phytopathogen Fusarium oxysporum produces considerable losses in economically important crops, making alternative control measures urgently required. Piper plants are widely distributed in tropical regions, and they are also known to produce metabolites with biological activity against infectious agents. As part of our continuous search for antifungals, 18 Piper -derived ethanolic extracts were evaluated by their in vitro effect on F oxysporum mycelial growth inhibition. The total content of phenol and flavonoid measurements and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry analysis served as the chemical characterization of the investigated extracts. Piper pulchrum, Piper barcoense, and Piper tuberculatum exhibited the highest mycelial growth inhibition (>74%). The integration of chemical fingerprints and bioactivity datasets led to recognizing 4 bioactive candidates among extracts through single- Y orthogonal partial least squares regression and univariate statistics. These candidates were 2 amides (1,3), an alkyl lactone (2), and a prenylated benzoquinone (4), subsequently isolated and identified by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These isolated compounds exhibited reasonable antifungal activity (IC50 < 50 µM). The findings indicated that the correlative association is advantageous for identifying bioactive metabolites within active extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of groundwater samples around Igando area, Lagos State, Nigeria was investigated with the aim of detecting possible influence of dumpsites on nearby aquifers. Thirty-seven (37) groundwater samples were evaluated for their suitability in drinking and agricultural purposes. Physical parameters were determined in situ using portable multi-meter. Flame absorption was used to determine the concentrations of major cations while ion chromatography and titrimetry was used for anions' concentration. Bacteriological test was conducted using multiple tube technique. Results of in-situ physical parameters revealed pH range of 7.01–7.79, EC range of 20–880 μS/cm while TDS range from 13–590 mg/L. Laboratory analyses showed Ca2+ concentration ranging 1.60–72.80 mg/L and HCO3− ranging 19.52–204.96 mg/L as the dominant ions. None of the ions' concentrations exceed the WHO drinking limit. Water Quality Index (WQI) classification showed that all samples fall within good to excellent water categories. The majority of the samples are suitable for irrigation using indices such as Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), Kelly's ratio (KR), and Magnesium Hazard (MH). Bacteriological analyses revealed low total bacterial count and E-coli absence making the samples safe for drinking. Piper diagram indicated two main water-facies (Ca–HCO3 and the Mixed Ca–Mg–Cl). Gibbs's plots showed that the samples are primarily influenced by rock weathering, while precipitation also contributed. Chloro-Alkaline Index confirmed direct ion-exchange process. Cluster analyses revealed four groups: the first revealed influence of groundwater by anthropogenic activities in the study area, the second and third revealed lithological origin of ions in the water while group 4 indicated pH low influence on the dissolved ions in the waters. The groundwater quality can be said to be fair-good, thus suggestive of minimal interactions between the dumpsites and the groundwater in the area at the time of testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four undescribed amide alkaloids hongkongensines A-C and 1-(1-oxo-6-hydroxy-2 E ,4 E -dodecadienyl)-piperidine, five known amide alkaloids, and three known neolignans were isolated from the aerial part of Piper hongkongense. The planar structures of these compounds were determined by detailed analyses of HR-ESI-MS and NMR data. The absolute configurations of hongkongensines A-C were elucidated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and ECD calculations. Moreover, the inhibitory activities of PCSK9 expression in vitro for all compounds were assessed by PCSK9 AlphaLISA screening. Kadsurenone (10) displayed a significant inhibitory activity at 5 μM with an inhibition rate of 51.98%, compared with 55.55% of berberine (BBR 5 μM). [Display omitted] • Four undescribed amide alkaloids were isolated from Piper hongkongense. • Their absolute configurations were elucidated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and ECD calculations. • Hongkongensine C (3) is a chlorine-containing natural product. • Kadsurenone (10) displayed a significant inhibitory activity of PCSK9 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is a principal cause of death in the world, and providing a better quality of life and reducing mortality through effective pharmacological treatment remains a challenge. Among malignant tumor types, squamous cell carcinoma-esophageal cancer (EC) is usually located in the mouth, with approximately 90% located mainly on the tongue and floor of the mouth. Piplartine is an alkamide found in certain species of the genus Piper and presents many pharmacological properties including antitumor activity. In the present study, the cytotoxic potential of a collection of piplartine analogs against human oral SCC9 carcinoma cells was evaluated. The analogs were prepared via Fischer esterification reactions, alkyl and aryl halide esterification, and a coupling reaction with PyBOP using the natural compound 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid as a starting material. The products were structurally characterized using 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, and high-resolution mass spectrometry for the unpublished compounds. The compound 4-methoxy-benzyl 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate (9) presented an IC50 of 46.21 µM, high selectively (SI > 16), and caused apoptosis in SCC9 cancer cells. The molecular modeling study suggested a multi-target mechanism of action for the antitumor activity of compound 9 with CRM1 as the main target receptor.

Toxoplasmosis is a tropical and neglected disease caused by the parasitic protozoa Toxplasma gondii. Conventional treatment with sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine plus folinic acid, has some drawbacks, such as inefficacy in the chronic phase, toxic side effects, and potential cases of resistance have been observed. In this study, the activity of essential oils (EOs) from three Piper species and their main constituents, including α-Pinene (Piper lindbergii and P. cernuum), β-Pinene (P. cernuum), and dillapiole (P. aduncum), were evaluated against tachyzoites of T. gondii. α-Pinene was more active [(IC50 0.3265 (0.2958 to 0.3604) μg/mL)] against tachyzoites than P. lindbergii EO [0.8387 (0.6492 to 1.084) μg/mL]. Both α-Pinene and P. lindbergii EO exhibited low cytotoxicity against NHDF cells, with CC50 41.37 (37.64 to 45.09) µg/mL and 83.80 (75.42 to 91.34) µg/mL, respectively, suggesting they could be of potential use against toxoplasmosis.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of head and neck malignancy. Research on essential oils (EOs) has shown important cytotoxic and anti-tumor properties, among others. Piperaceae species are rich in EOs and here we highlight Piper rivinoides Kunth. We investigated the crude EOs from P. rivinoides, their pure major constituents and an enriched fraction with the main EO compounds (EF) as cytotoxic and selective OSCC agents. EOs presented as main compounds (-)-α-pinene, (-)-β-pinene and limonene. EOs showed an IC50 lower than all isolated compounds, except for (-)-β-pinene in OSCC cells. The (-)-β-pinene induced cell death with apoptotic characteristics. Commercial standards showed greater selectivity than EOs, and (-)-β-pinene was the most selective among them. EF showed higher selectivity compared to crude EOs and carboplatin, turning it into a good candidate as an anticancer fraction. These results are important for the possible development of new treatments for OSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: One of the most important crises that most countries are currently facing is the issue of reducing the quality of water resources. Reducing groundwater resources and increasing pollution, reduced the potential for using groundwater for various uses. One of the main reasons for the decline in groundwater quality is the impact of agricultural drainage due to the excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides. Also, industries that in many cases have contaminated groundwater with chemical and hydrocarbon contaminants. In addition to these factors, the disposal of sewage in cities and villages through absorbent wells made up of viruses and bacteria also contributes to contaminants. Groundwater quality monitoring program can ensure the proper quality of water resources for different uses. Without monitoring, continuous reporting on the quality of the water supply, its evolution, planning for optimal allocation for different uses, assessing the impact of new developments, and designing and implementing management plans is not feasible. Identification of homogeneous regions in terms of groundwater quality in Golestan province of northern Iran using Fuzzy Clustering Method combination with genetic algorithm (GA-FCM) was performed on 14 parameters in a 5-year-time step in 2006, 2011 and 2016. Materials and Methods: To determine the homogeneous regions for each year, the optimal number of clusters was initially obtained. After data clustering in Matlab software, the results of clustering were evaluated qualitatively with Schuler and Wilcox diagrams. For better representation of homogeneous regions, classification maps for the study area were presented. Results: The results showed that the optimum numbers of clusters in 2006, 2011, and 2016 were 6, 5, and 6, respectively. Analysis of groundwater quality classification maps showed that in 2006, cluster no. 6, including 2.7% of the studied wells located within the city of Kalaleh, is poor in terms of drinking and farming groundwater quality. Also, based on the results, it can be seen that 36.8% of the wells across the province were in good condition in terms of quality of drinking and agricultural parameters in 2011. Likewise, 33.33% of the wells are in a moderate condition in terms of drinking quality, and the status of their groundwater has improved in terms of quality since 2006. Also, the results of NSGA-FCM in 2016 showed that most of the parameters (5.55% of the wells in the province) in the cluster 3 have a moderate quality. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that the groundwater quality in the province in 2016 is lower than in 2011, so appropriate management plans should be adopted. Moreover, it was observed that the fuzzy clustering method is a suitable method for assessing and identification of critical region of the quality of groundwater resources, since it considers the uncertainty conditions in the classes of the classification system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants produce an enormous diversity of secondary metabolites, but the evolutionary mechanisms that maintain this diversity are still unclear. The interaction diversity hypothesis suggests that complex chemical phenotypes are maintained because different metabolites benefit plants in different pairwise interactions with a diversity of other organisms. In this synthesis, we extend the interaction diversity hypothesis to consider that fruits, as potential hotspots of interactions with both antagonists and mutualists, are likely important incubators of phytochemical diversity. We provide a case study focused on the Neotropical shrub Piper reticulatum that demonstrates: 1) secondary metabolites in fruits have complex and cascading effects for shaping the outcome of both mutualistic and antagonistic fruit–frugivore interactions, and; 2) fruits can harbor substantially higher levels of phytochemical diversity than leaves, even though leaves have been the primary focus of plant chemical ecology research for decades. We then suggest a number of research priorities for integrating chemical ecology with fruit–frugivore interaction research and make specific, testable predictions for patterns that should emerge if fruit interaction diversity has helped shape phytochemical diversity. Testing these predictions in a range of systems will provide new insight into the mechanisms driving frugivory and seed dispersal and shape an improved, whole‐plant perspective on plant chemical trait evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The secondary metabolism of Piper species is known to produce a myriad of natural products from various biosynthetic pathways which, represent a rich source of previously uncharacterized chemical compounds. The determination of gene expression profiles in multiple tissue/organ samples could provide valuable clues towards understanding the potential biological functions of chemical changes in these plants. Studies on gene expression by RT-qPCR require particularly careful selection of suitable reference genes as a control for normalization. Here, we provide a study for the identification of reliable reference genes in P. arboreum , P. gaudichaudianum , P. malacophyllum , and P. tuberculatum , at two different life stages: 2-month-old seedlings and adult plants. To do this, annotated sequences were recovered from transcriptome datasets of the above listed Piper spp. These sequences were subjected to expression analysis using RT-qPCR, followed by analysis using the geNorm and NormFinder algorithms. A set of five genes were identified showing stable expression: ACT7 (Actin-7), Cyclophilin (Peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase), EF1α (Elongation factor 1-alpha), RNABP (RNA-binding protein), and UBCE (Ubiquitin conjugating enzyme). The universality of these genes was then validated using two target genes, ADC (arginine decarboxylase) and SAMDC (S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase), which are involved in the biosynthesis of polyamines. We showed that normalization genes varied according to Piper spp., and we provide a list of recommended pairs of the best combination for each species. This study provides the first set of suitable candidate genes for gene expression studies in the four Piper spp. assayed, and the findings will facilitate subsequent transcriptomic and functional gene research. • Nineteen transcripts candidate reference genes (RGs) were identified and validated in four Piper spp. • Two different life stages of the Piper spp. studied were analyzed with two statistical algorithms. • A set of five genes were identified which showed stable expression: ACT7 , Cyclophilin , EF1α , RNABP , and UBCE. • This work will facilitate RT-qPCR studies of genes related to metabolic pathways of interest in Piper spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piperine and piperidine are the two major alkaloids extracted from black pepper (Piper nigrum); piperidine is a heterocyclic moiety that has the molecular formula (CH2)5NH. Over the years, many therapeutic properties including anticancer potential of these two compounds have been observed. Piperine has therapeutic potential against cancers such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, gliomal cancer, lung cancer, oral squamous, chronic pancreatitis, prostate cancer, rectal cancer, cervical cancer, and leukemia. Whereas, piperidine acts as a potential clinical agent against cancers, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, and ovarian cancer, when treated alone or in combination with some novel drugs. Several crucial signalling pathways essential for the establishment of cancers such as STAT-3, NF-κB, PI3k/Aκt, JNK/p38-MAPK, TGF-ß/SMAD, Smac/DIABLO, p-IκB etc., are regulated by these two phytochemicals. Both of these phytochemicals lead to inhibition of cell migration and help in cell cycle arrest to inhibit survivability of cancer cells. The current review highlights the pharmaceutical relevance of both piperine and piperidine against different types of cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Piper vicosanum (Piperaceae) is a species used in folk medicine mainly due to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. However, the data available about its safety are still insufficient. Purpose: This study evaluated the toxicological profile and reproductive impacts in male rats treated with the ethanolic extract from Piper vicosanum leaves (EEPV) during a 28-day treatment. Methods: Male Wistar rats received ethanol extract of EEPV (0, 100, 200, or 300 mg/kg) by gavage for 28 consecutive days. Results: Males treated with EEPV did not exhibit clinical signs of toxicity during the treatment. Although hematological parameters were unaltered, a decrease in AST, total proteins, alkaline phosphatase and creatinine levels was observed in the treated animals. However, no evidence of histological changes was found in the liver and kidney. EEPV also induced an increase of abnormal sperm in males. Conclusion: The prolonged use of ethanolic extract of Piper vicosanum leaves affected biochemical and sperm parameters, showing that care should be taken when it is used for prolonged periods. Further studies, including a 90-day toxicity assay, should be performed.

Piperine and piperidine are the two major alkaloids extracted from black pepper (Piper nigrum); piperidine is a heterocyclic moiety that has the molecular formula (CH2)5NH. Over the years, many therapeutic properties including anticancer potential of these two compounds have been observed. Piperine has therapeutic potential against cancers such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, gliomal cancer, lung cancer, oral squamous, chronic pancreatitis, prostate cancer, rectal cancer, cervical cancer, and leukemia. Whereas, piperidine acts as a potential clinical agent against cancers, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, and ovarian cancer, when treated alone or in combination with some novel drugs. Several crucial signalling pathways essential for the establishment of cancers such as STAT-3, NF-κB, PI3k/Aκt, JNK/p38-MAPK, TGF-ß/SMAD, Smac/DIABLO, p-IκB etc., are regulated by these two phytochemicals. Both of these phytochemicals lead to inhibition of cell migration and help in cell cycle arrest to inhibit survivability of cancer cells. The current review highlights the pharmaceutical relevance of both piperine and piperidine against different types of cancers.

The genus Piper, belonging to the family Piperaceae, includes approximately 2000 species of plants. Many of them are producers of essential oils. Species of this genus are popularly used for the treatment of chronic diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, and osteoporosis. In the Amazon, they are used to treat infections caused by parasites. This work describes information from the most recent articles on the chemical composition and biological activities of essential oils of Piper species collected in the Amazon, guiding researchers for future studies. The essential oils derived from Amazonian Piper species have major components that have demonstrated larvicidal activity, such as dillapiole, and others that may have antioxidant and anticholinesterase properties, such as γ-terpinene, p-cymene and α-terpinene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]