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Polyphenols are ubiquitous plant metabolites that demonstrate biological activities essential to plant–environment interactions. They are of interest to plant food consumers, as well as to the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. The class of the plant metabolites comprises both widespread (chlorogenic acids, luteolin, quercetin) and unique compounds of diverse chemical structures but of the common biosynthetic origin. Polyphenols next to sesquiterpenoids are regarded as the major class of the Inuleae-Inulinae metabolites responsible for the pharmacological activity of medicinal plants from the subtribe (Blumea spp., Dittrichia spp., Inula spp., Pulicaria spp. and others). Recent decades have brought a rapid development of molecular and analytical techniques which resulted in better understanding of the taxonomic relationships within the Inuleae tribe and in a plethora of data concerning the chemical constituents of the Inuleae-Inulinae. The current taxonomical classification has introduced changes in the well-established botanical names and rearranged the genera based on molecular plant genetic studies. The newly created chemical data together with the earlier phytochemical studies may provide some complementary information on biochemical relationships within the subtribe. Moreover, they may at least partly explain pharmacological activities of the plant preparations traditionally used in therapy. The current review aimed to systematize the knowledge on the polyphenols of the Inulae-Inulinae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phytoconstituent analyses have been undertaken for the first time from the different plant parts of Inula grandiflora Willd. collected from two habitats (open dry slopes and moist places) of Govind Pashu Vihar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarakhand, India. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity have been estimated from the methanolic extracts. Ten phenols and five flavonoids were quantified in the different parts using High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Photodiode Array Detection (HPLC-PDA) method. Among the plant parts, the trend of accumulation of total phenols and flavonoids was as follows: roots > flowers > stems > leaves in both populations. It has been observed that Kalkati Dhar germplasm has the highest phenolic content in the roots (16.42 ± 0.12 mg g−1 DW), while accession collected from Renugaad has the highest flavonoid content in the flowers (4.34 ± 0.024 mg g−1 DW). Eight bioactive compounds (caffeic acid, resorcinol, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, veratric acid, myristicin, coumarin, and quercetin) were found dominant in the Kalkati Dhar germplasm (3200 m asl, high altitude). Significantly, seven compounds, viz; vanillic acid, vanillin, cinnamic acid, epicatechin, catechol, luteolin, and rutin, were found predominate in the Renugaad germplasm (2750 m asl, low altitude). Overall, root part accumulates most of the bioactive polyphenolic compounds as compared to the aerial parts; therefore, it has the highest antioxidant potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance: The important genus Inula contains more than 100 species and is widespread in the temperate regions of Asia, Africa, and Europe. Numerous Inula species have an ethnobotanical background and are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Aim of the study: This review is a comprehensive study of the more practical therapeutic uses of Inula spp. and their phytochemical compounds in terms of their pharmacological activities, mainly neuroprotective effects. Traditional uses of the genus are described by focusing of TCM. Pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, and ecological impacts, and their importance in food science, are elaborated upon as well. The pharmacokinetic profile, safety, and toxicity of this genus are also described. Materials and methods: Literature in this review was searched in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using the keywords “Inula”, “neuro*”, “Alzheimer's disease”, “neuroinflammation”, “seizure”, “epilepsy”, “headache”, “nociception”, “pain”, “insomnia”, “neurotoxicity”, “depression”, “glioblastoma”, and “traumatic brain injury”. Results: This study will provide insight into the neuropharmacological applications of Inula spp. by focusing on the attributed mechanisms of action. The genus Inula has promising protective effects against Alzheimer's disease, neuroinflammation, seizures, insomnia, headaches, neurotoxicity attributed to oxidative damage, depression, nociception, traumatic brain injury, neuromuscular dysfunction, glioblastoma, and primary amoebic meningoencephalitis by targeting various mechanisms and signaling pathways. Conclusion: Due to the acceptable oral bioavailability, blood-brain barrier permeability, and low toxicity of Inula spp. they can be considered promising alternative neuroprotective agents. However more clinical studies are needed in this regard.

In this study, genetic relationship of ISSR markers of seven endemic Inula species distributed in Turkey was carried out. Plant samples were collected from different regions of Turkey in 2013 and gDNA was obtained by DNA isolation from green leaves. Genetic relationship between species was determined using 12 ISSR primers. PCR products were run on agarose gel electrophoresis and visualized under UV light. All gel images were examined and the presence and absence of polymorphic bands were scored as 0 and 1. A total of 85 bands were obtained from the primers. Of these, 74 polymorphic and 11 monomorphic bands were obtained. The total polymorphism rate was found to be approximately 87.05%. The phylogenetic tree and genetic distances between species were calculated using the PAUP 0 4.0b10 analysis program. According to the distance matrix, the genetic distance was found between the closest Inula helenium subsp. orgyalis and Inula helenium subsp. vanensis (0.29851), while the farthest between Inula sarana and Inula macrocephala (0.56000) species. The phylogenetic tree was obtained using the UPGMA algorithm, and the tree consisted of two groups. The results were compared with the morphological, palynological nrDNA and cpDNA results of the past. Our findings supported previous studies.

Dental caries and oral infections result from various causes, and the germs responsible for these diseases show an increase in resistance towards the standard antibiotics used in treatment due to the inappropriate and indiscriminate use of these antibiotics. Research has directed towards making use of natural products to treat these infections. In this paper, a study was conducted to prepare nanoparticles of hydroxyapatite based on pure chemical materials. The prepared particles were characterized using XRD, FTIR, and AFM techniques, tests confirmed the formation of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles 80 nm. Active compounds were extracted from the Syrian Inula plant using an ethanol solvent. The active compounds present in the extract were identified using gas chromatography technology. Equipped with a GC-MASS mass spectrometer. The plant extract was loaded onto the prepared hydroxyapatite particles. The main bacterial species causing dental caries were obtained from Aleppo University laboratories. The sensitivity of the tested germs to a group of standard antibiotics and the prepared hydroxyapatite nanoparticles modified with the plant extract were studied. The results proved the effectiveness of the prepared particles against the studied germs. It exceeded the effectiveness of all studied antibiotics. • In this paper, nanoparticles of hydroxyapatite were prepared, then modified by Syrian Inula extracted. • Effectiveness of modified nano hydroxyapatite were studied against bacteria of dental caries, then compared with standard antibiotics. • Results proved the effectiveness of modified nano hydroxyapatite against the studied germs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nanotechnology is considered one of the best advanced technologies in treatment through its ability to transport effective drugs and compounds and release them more effectively. MgO nanoparticles showed antimicrobial properties against both Gram-negative and Grampositive bacteria in vitro, including Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, as Vibrio cholera bacteria was selected during the period when the epidemic began to appear in Syria, with the presence of several people showing symptoms of diarrhea in the city of Aleppo. Methods: In this research, Nano magnesium oxide particles were prepared by sol-gel method, then the active compounds were extracted from the Syrian Inula plant using ethanol as a solvent. next step was load the plant extract on the surface of the prepared magnesium oxide particles. The antibacterial activity of the new product was studied against the bacteria that cause cholera. Results: Its effectiveness was compared with the effectiveness of 7 different antibiotics, and it outperformed all of them, noting that the studied isolate was resistant to three of them. Conclusion: The combination of nanoparticles with the natural extract is more effective in fighting bacteria, because each of them works in a different way and affects differently, so the combination of the two technologies gives greater effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the leaf and stem anatomy and micromorphology of 17 Inula, Dittrichia, Limbarda and Pulicaria taxa native to the Balkan region, aiming to identify additional characters that may help to define the taxa within this group.The taxa analysed were all previously placed in different sections within Inula, but have later been segregated into separate genera. According to the latest molecular phylogenetic analyses, as well as morphological and karyological data, Inula sect. Corvisartia, including the type species of the genus (I. helenium), should be segregated from the remaining Inula species as a separate genus. However, data on the anatomical and micromorphological structure of the vegetative organs of the analyzed taxa have been sparse and incomplete, and previous analyses were carried out on a small number of taxa, with less emphasis on comparisons. We studied more than 50 qualitative and quantitative characters that were analyzed and measured using dissecting, compound and scanning electron microscopes and the data were statistically processed. The results show that certain characters are useful for separating individual taxa, but their grouping does not follow the current taxonomic classification. However, I. helenium is clearly distinguished from the remaining taxa, which supports its separation as a separate genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical study of the chloroform extract of the aerial parts of Inula germanica L., I. ensifolia L., I. conyza (Griess.) DC. and I. salicina L. led to the identification of 33 terpenoids. β- and α-amyrin, lupeol, taraxasterol, ψ-taraxasterol and their 3-O-acetates and 3-O-palmitates were identified by GC/MS. In addition, the structures of 3-O-palmitates of mainaladiol, arnidiol, faradiol and 16-hydroxylupeol were confirmed by NMR. ent-Kaur-16-en-19- -oic acid and its 15α-(3-methylpentanoyloxy) and 15α-(3-methylbutanoyloxy) derivatives were isolated from I. conyza. Ten closely related sesquiterpene lactones (germacranolides and melampolides) were found in I. germanica and their structural identification was performed by spectral analyses. I. ensifolia and I. salicina were free of sesquiterpene lactones and diterpenoids. All triterpenoids and diterpenoids, grazielia acid, desacetylovatifolin and 8-(2-methylbutanoyloxy)- 1(10),4,11(13)-germacrutrien-6,12-olide-14-oic acid are described for the first time in the studied species. The principal component analysis was used to find a relationship between thе investigated up to now Inula species, growing in Bulgaria.

The pollen morphology of eight endemic species of the genus Inula L. (Asteraceae) – I. helenium subsp. orgyalis (Boiss.) Grierson, I. helenium subsp. vanensis Grierson, I. macrocephala Boiss. & Kotschy ex Boiss., I. discoidea Boiss., I. sarana Boiss., I. fragilis Boiss. & Hausskn., I. anatolica Boiss. and I. sechmenii Hartvig & Strid – distributed in Turkey was studied with light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. We found that the pollen of these Inula taxa are prolate-spheroidal in shape (except in Inula discoidea), with the polar axis ranging from 19.18 to 33.14 µm and the equatorial diameter ranging from 18.54 to 32.92 µm. The pollen grains are tricolporate and their ornamentation is echinate. The exine thickness ranges from 0.87 to 2.07 µm. As this study demonstrates, results of Principal Component Analysis are revealed that some of the pollen characters, such as spine length and width, are significant morphological characters for taxonomic discrimination of the eight endemic Inula taxa. According to cluster analysis, two main groups of examined taxa are constituted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study offers insights into the inventory of the Inula genus stored in the „Al. Bedlie" Herbarium, as well as a short characterization of the most important taxa. 174 vouchers have been analyzed, resulting in 25 different taxa (17 accepted species, 2 intraspecific units, 2 hybrids and 4 non-validated taxa). Special attention should be given to I. bifrons a species with a rare distribution across the country. The most notable contribution in preserving this genus was made by the botanist C.C. Georgescu. All pressed plant specimens were in very well conservation conditions making them a possible subject for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the ability of Dittrichia viscosa to extract cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) from agarized substrates with moderately low levels of contamination. This plant species spontaneously colonizes contaminated soils and has already been recognized as suitable for metal phytoremediation. D. viscosa retains As mainly in the roots and translocates it in limited amount to the aerial parts. We compared D. viscosa subpopulations to other plant species (Solalun lycopersicum L., Nicotiana tabacum L. and Daucus carota L.) and observed that their minor cultural needs not always accompanied higher phytoextraction performances. Different subpopulations exhibited different behavior. Based on the results obtained on the analyzed plants, we suggest that D. viscosa is a promising candidate for the phytoextraction of Cd and As from soils with relatively low contamination, cautioning that specific genetic improvements have to be pursued in order to prepare D. viscosa for widespread adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Inula belongs to family Asteraceae and it is medicinally important because it possesses cytotoxic, anticancer, hepatoprotective, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this research was to explore antioxidant and anti-urease activities of fifteen Inula taxa in Turkey. Ethanol extracts of Inula taxa were obtained by Soxhlet extraction. Antioxidant activity was determined through total antioxidant activity, total phenolic content and copper reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) analyses. The highest total phenolic content and total antioxidant capacity were found in I. orientalis (158.54±0.002 µg GAE/mL) and I. macrocephala (189.16±0.002 µg AAE/mL). CUPRAC activity increases with the increasing concentration of the extracts and the standard. Moreover, all the tested plants exhibited better anti-urease activity than standard thiourea except for I. anatolica and I. thapsoides subsp. thapsoides. Results obtained from this study demonstrate that Inula species might be utilized as a probable natural source in the pharmaceutical and food industries but further and more specific studies are needed to determine active antioxidative and anti-urease compounds in the extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of Inula viscosa L. water extract (IVE) on HCT 116 has been examined, and the change in the expression of miRNAs. Phenolic compounds of IVE were determined as µg/g extract using by HPLC-DAD. Quantitative determination of apoptosis, cell viability, IC50 values and miRNAs of the cells were determined during 24, and 48 hours. IVE contain coumarin, rosmarinic acid and chlorogenic acid. According to the findings of our study, the expression of miR-21 and miR-135a1 was upregulated, and miR-145 was downregulated in HCT 116 cells (Control). Additionally, IVE was found to have significant potential in regulating miRNAs, downregulating miR-21, miR-31 and miR-135a1, and upregulating miR-145 in HCT-116 cells. All these results show that the anticancer effect of IVE via regulating miRNAs' expression has been demonstrated for the first time, and may be candidate biomarkers in colorectal cancer.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Pulmonary injury and fibrosis can be caused by various factors because of their inflammatory nature, both can lead to serious clinical consequences. Inula japonica Thunb. is used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of lung diseases. However, the effect and mechanism of action of the essential oil of I. japonica (EOI) on pulmonary injury and fibrosis are not well understood., Aim of the Study: To investigate the therapeutic effects of EOI on mice with bleomycin (BLM)-induced acute pulmonary injury and chronic fibrosis formation, as well as its potential mechanism., Materials and Methods: A short-term mouse model of pulmonary injury was established by intratracheal injection of BLM to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of EOI, and a long-term model of pulmonary fibrosis was used to explore the anti-fibrosis effect of EOI. High-dose EOI (200 mg/kg) was administered intragastrically, and low-dose (50 mg/kg) was administered by intratracheal injection. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to identify the ingredients in EOI, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was performed for the preparation of EOI compounds. Western blot and real-time qPCR were used to verify the effects of EOI and its active composition on inflammation, oxidative stress and fibrosis signaling pathway., Results: Treatment with EOI significantly reduced the inflammation and oxidative stress by reducing the levels of inflammatory and oxidative cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and malondialdehyde in BLM-treated mice with acute pulmonary injury. EOI treatment could also suppress the formation of fibrous tissue in mice with BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis through inhibiting TGF-β/Smad and PI3K/Akt pathways. Chromatographic analysis and preparation suggested that fatty acid and phenol derivatives are present in EOI. Based on cellular inflammation and fibrosis models, the phenolic compounds in EOI can represent the anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects of EOI by regulating pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic cytokines such as NO, TNF-α, IL-6, TGF-β1, and α-SMA., Conclusion: EOI ameliorated BLM-induced pulmonary injury and fibrosis in mice by inhibiting the inflammatory response and regulating the redox equilibrium, as well as by mediating TGFβ/Smad and PI3K/Akt, which suggested that EOI has potential to treat pulmonary diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No conflict of interest exists in the submission of this manuscript, and manuscript is read and approved by all authors for publication., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The flowers of Inula japonica (Inulae Flos) can be used to treat cough and asthma and remove phlegm in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)., Aim of the Study: Our research aimed to obtain active components with the inhibition of inflammation and MUC5AC production to alleviate asthma symptoms from I. japonica., Materials and Methods: These compounds were separated from the MeOH extract of Inulae Flos by column chromatography over silica gel, AB-8 macroporous resin column, MPLC, and semipreparative HPLC. Their structures were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic data analysis, ECD calculations, and chemical methods. NO production was determined to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity in RAW 264.7 cells. The expression of MUC5AC, IL-1β, and IL-4 were measured in NCI-H292 cells by qRT-PCR. The anti-asthma activity assessments in vivo were performed through H & E and PAS staining, pulmonary function analysis, and cytokines determination by qRT-PCR or ELISA. The expression levels of PI3K, p-PI3K, AKT, p-AKT, MEK, p-MKE, ERK, p-MEK, and IL-1β were analyzed through western blotting., Results: One undescribed 1,10-seco-eudesmanolide derivative (1), two previously unreported 1,10-seco-eudesmanolide glycosides (2 and 3), and thirty-two known compounds (4-35) were obtained from Inulae Flos. Compound 11 had the most inhibitory effect against LPS-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. Meanwhile, compound 11 also attenuated the increase in MUC5AC, IL-1β, and IL-4 mRNA expression in NCI-H292 cells. The results of the animal experiment confirmed that compound 11 significantly ameliorated OVA-induced asthma in a murine model of allergic asthma demonstrated by elevated pulmonary function, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and mucus production. In addition, compound 11 significantly inhibited the levels of OVA-specific IgE in serum, of IL-4 and IL-6 in BALF, and of MUC5AC, IL-1β , IL-4, IL-5, IL-6 and IL-13 in lung tissue. Finally, compound 11 suppressed PI3K/AKT/MEK/ERK signaling pathway in lung tissue of mice., Conclusion: This study indicated that compound 11 might be a potential therapeutic candidate ameliorating airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion via PI3K/AKT/MEK/ERK signaling pathway in allergic asthma., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The increasing importance of fungal infections has fueled the search for new beneficial alternatives substance from plant extracts. The current study investigates the antifungal and antibiofilm activity of Inula viscosa (L.) Aiton and Globularia alypum (L.) leaves extracts against Candida both in vitro and in vivo. The inhibition of planktonic and sessile Candida albicans and Candida glabrata growth using both leaf extracts are evaluated. Moreover; an in vivo infection model using Galleria mellonella larvae; infected and treated with the extracts are performed. All extracts show fungicidal activity; with a minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) ranging from 128 to 512 µg mL -1 against the two selected strains of Candida. In particular, the best results are obtained with methanolic extract of I. viscosa and G. alypum with an MFC value of 128 µg mL -1 . The extracts are capable to prevent 90% of biofilm development at minor concentrations ranging from 100.71 ± 2.49 µg mL -1 to 380.4 ± 0.92 µg mL -1 . In vivo, tests on Galleria mellonella larvae show that the extracts increase the survival of the larvae infected with Candida. The attained results reveal that I. viscosa and G. alypum extracts may be considered as new antifungal agents and biofilm inhibiting agents for the pharmaceutical and agro-food field., (© 2023 The Authors. Advanced Biology published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Nowadays, advanced extraction techniques and highly sensitive metabolic profiling methods are effectively employed to get new information on plant chemical constituents. Among them wild medicinal plants or their parts, with large and ancient use in folk medicine, are investigated for their potential functional use and cultivation. In this context, Inula viscosa leaves engaged our attention. A simple experimental design, based on Soxhlet extraction and chromatographic fractionation, allowed us to obtain the investigated polyphenol fraction (IvE). UHPLC-HRMS analyses revealed shikimoyl depsides of caffeic acid and unusual dihydrobenzofuran lignans as main secondary metabolites. These compounds, together with cinchonain-type phenols, and hydroxycinnamoyl flavonol glycosides, are reported for the first time in inula. Overall, forty-three secondary metabolites were identified. The extract exerted a remarkable antiradical activity towards DPPH* and ABTS+*. Furthermore, it was able to inhibit cell viability and mitochondrial redox activity of neuroblastoma, hepatoblastoma and colon carcinoma cells, whereas it did not affect cell density of HaCaT cells immortalized human keratinocytes. As detected by the oxidantsensing probe 20,70-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate, the inhibitory responses seemed to be related to IvE-induced increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). The obtained results highlighted that inula leaves, nowadays even undervalued and unexplored, could be considered a renewable source of nutraceutical compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Phytochemical and biological studies were performed on Greek endemic Inula species. • One new and seven known compounds from I. candida subsp. decalvans were identified. • Sixteen metabolites from I. candida subsp. candida were identified. • The antimicrobial activity against human pathogenic bacteria and fungi was evaluated. • The antiproliferative effect of the new lactone was evaluated. In the framework of phytochemical studies on Greek endemic Inula species, Inula candida subsp. candida and Inula candida subsp. decalvans have been analyzed. The aerial parts were extracted with increasing polarity solvents and sixteen secondary metabolites from I. candida subsp. candida and eight from I. candida subsp. decalvans were isolated. From I. candida subsp. decalvans a sesquiterpene lactone (3aS,8aR)-6-methyl-3-methylidene-7-(3-oxobutyl)-3a,4,5,8a-tetrahydro-2H-cyclohepta[ b ]furan-2,8(3 H)dione (1), was determined as a new natural product, additionally to five known triterpenes: β -amyrin (2), dammaradienol (3), dammaradienyl acetate (4), epifriedelanol (5), stigmasterol (6) and two known lactones: inusoniolide (7) and tomentosine (8). The chemical investigation of I. candida subsp. candida resulted in the isolation of ten known triterpenes: β -amyrin (2), stigmasterol (6), β -sitosterol (9), α -amyrone (10), α -amyrin (11), friedelin (12), lupenone (13), 3 β -acetoxy-24-hydroxydammara-20,25-diene (14), 3 β -acetoxy-25-hydroxydammara-20,23-diene (15), 3 β -acetoxy-24-oxo-dammara-20,25-diene (16), as well as five lactones: inusoniolide (7), 4- O -dihydroinusoniolide (17), 9 β -(3-hydroxyisovaleryloxy) parthenolide (18), 9 β -hydroxyparthenolide (19), 9 β -(3-hydroxy-2-methylbutyryloxy) parthenolide (20), together with the phenolic aldehyde: vanillin (21). The crude extracts and the isolated compounds were also evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against a panel of selected human pathogenic bacteria and fungi showing that the new lactone (1) and 9 β -hydroxyparthenolide (19) showed the strongest activity against the tested bacteria (MIC 3•10−2–5•10−1 μg/ml), while (1) and tomentosin (8) appeared as the most active against the assayed fungi (MIC 2,5•10−2–12•10−2 μg/ml). The antiproliferative effect for the new lactone was also evaluated in vitro against the human non-small-cell bronchopulmonary carcinoma cell line NSCLC-N6 and the epidermoid lung cancer cell line A549. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global demand to cure ailments is a growing need. Inula genus extensively holds hundreds of species in warmer regions of Europe and Asia. It is being well-known for its phytochemical and pharmacological applications in industry thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial interests. However, growth and production of Inula in the cuttingedge industry is commonly influenced by salt stress except for the halophyte species such as the Inula crithmoides. Salt tolerance level by means of changes in osmoregulation and antioxidant systems in an herbaceous perennial Inula plant has been biochemically evaluated here. Both salt stress treatments caused photosynthetic pigments' degradation, increase in the leaf levels of osmolytes, and induction of oxidative stress indicated by the malondialdehyde (MDA). Higher hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) amount was recorded in high salt concentration than low salt. High salinity caused an increase in ascorbate (ASC) and glutathione (GSH) contents besides target enzymes of Inula leaves. NaCl tolerance of Inula also was found comprehensible through the higher concentrations of proline and to a lesser extent, total soluble sugar. Salt tolerance mechanisms of this rich bioresourse needs to be further studied in detail for herbal medicines in pharma sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forty‐five populations of Pentanema corresponding to seven species included in the Pentanema conyzae clade have been studied using AFLP fingerprinting. The results show that allopolyploidization could have been involved in the diversification of this group, specifically in species P. langeanum and P. maletii. Molecular data confirm the presence of P. britannicum in the Iberian Peninsula and key steps are provided to identify the species that are morphologically the most challenging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Inula complex (Asteraceae: Inulinae) is a monophyletic group which comprises eight genera distributed in Eurasia and Africa: Amblyocarpum, Carpesium, Chrysophthalmum, Inula, Pentanema, Rhanteriopsis, Telekia, and Varthemia. With the aim to shed light on the circumscription of these genera, phylogenetic analyses were performed with 293 new DNA sequences (ITS region from nrDNA and three plastid spacers from cpDNA: rps16-trnQ, rpl32-trnL, ndhF-rpl32). It is concluded that both Inula and Pentanema are paraphyletic and that generic delimitations within the Inula complex need to be revised. Based on the results of the analyses, together with morphological and karyological data, we argue that the best solution is a new circumscription of the genus Pentanema including an amended description and 24 new combinations of former Inula species. Resurrection of the names Codonocephalum, Monactinocephalus and Vicoa is proposed to preserve the monophyly of the genera included in the Inula complex. Incongruences between nrDNA and cpDNA are documented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and the purpose of the study: The amount of elder people who suffer from Alzheimer disease is continuously increasing every year. Cholinesterase inhibitors have shown to be effective in alleviating the symptoms of the disease, thus opening a field of research for these treatments. Herbal products, owning a reputation as effective agents in many biological studies are now drawing attention for inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, in other words, Alzheimer disease. In the present study, the ability of three sesquiterpene lactones from Inula oculus-christi and I. aucheriana to inhibit AChE has been evaluated through Ellman assay.Materials and Methods: Gaillardin and pulchellin C were obtained from I. oculus-christi and britannin from I. aucheriana by chromatographic methods. They were dissolved in methanol in concentration of 3 mg/mL and the AChEI activity of the compounds was determined by Ellman method using Acethylthiocholine iodide as the substrate and 5, 5′-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid as the reagent, in 96-well plates at 405 nm.Results: AChEI activity of the examined compounds was obtained as 67.0, 25.2 and 10.9% in concentration of 300 µg/L for gaillardin, britannin and pulchellin C, respectively.Conclusion: Among the three sesquiterpene lactones, gaillardin with 67% inhibition of AChE could be considered a good candidate for future Alzheimer studies.

An imbalance in the production of reactive oxygen species in the body can cause an increase of oxidative stress that leads to oxidative damage to cells and tissues, which culminates in the development or aggravation of some chronic diseases, such as inflammation, diabetes mellitus, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. Secondary metabolites from Inula species can play an important role in the prevention and treatment of the oxidative stress-related diseases mentioned above. The databases Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science and the combining terms Inula, antioxidant and secondary metabolites were used in the research for this review. More than 120 articles are reviewed, highlighting the most active compounds with special emphasis on the elucidation of their antioxidative-stress mechanism of action, which increases the knowledge about their potential in the fight against inflammation, cancer, neurodegeneration, and diabetes. Alantolactone is the most polyvalent compound, reporting interesting EC50 values for several bioactivities, while 1-O-acetylbritannilactone can be pointed out as a promising lead compound for the development of analogues with interesting properties. The Inula genus is a good bet as source of structurally diverse compounds with antioxidant activity that can act via different mechanisms to fight several oxidative stress-related human diseases, being useful for development of new drugs.

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In this study we investigated the size-dependent reproductive pattern of Inula racemosa and I. royleana (Asteraceae) growing at different reaches in the environs of the Kashmir Himalaya. Size effects on reproductive pattern were evaluated by determining the size-dependency of flowering probability and reproductive effort. The results showed that the probability of flowering increased significantly with the size of the plant in all populations, indicating that individuals do not flower until they reach a threshold size and considerable between-site differences were found in the slope and the intercept of the regression between plant size and flower production. In I. racemosa, populations at high altitudes had significantly lower threshold sizes for reproduction and showed sharp increase in flowering probability with plant size, compared to other populations at lower altitudes. However, no pattern in size-dependent flower production was found relative to the altitude in I. royleana, as flower production at some sites, at high altitudes, increased more steeply with plant size than at other sites. For both taxa, reproductive effort decreased allometrically as adults grew, as can be interpreted from the allometric relationship between reproductive and vegetative biomass. Further studies are required to determine whether population differentiation in size-dependent reproductive pattern is maintained by selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was designed to examine in-vitro antidiabetic activities of different extracts of flowers, leaves and roots of Inula helenium ssp. turcoracemosa , I. montbretiana , I. peacockiana , I thapsoides ssp. thapsoides and I. viscosa extracts. I. viscosa and I. montbretiana flower, I. thapsoides and I. viscosa leaf and I. helenium root methanol extracts exhibited remarkable α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Additionally, α-amylase inhibitory activities of the extracts were moderate at only 3000 μg/mL. Based on the results of in-vitro antidiabetic activity tests; antioxidant activities, total phenol and flavonoid contents of the most promising extracts were evaluated. To identify compounds responsible for the antidiabetic activity, major compounds of Inula species were analyzed for their in-vitro enzyme inhibitory activity. Quercetin, luteolin and rutin exhibited a significant inhibition on α-glucosidase at 10 mM concentrations. Consequently, Inula species could potentially be used by diabetic patients for their antidiabetic and antioxidant activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inula helenium L. subsp. orgyalis (Boiss.) Grierson and Inula ensifolia L. were investigated anatomically and micromorphologically. The secretory cavities in the leaves and stem of both investigated taxa were located in the neighbourhood of the vascular bundles and in the rhizomes in the secondary cortex. The leaf mesophylls of investigated Inula taxa were homogeneous. Stomata were anomocytic in two species. The distribution and density of the eglandular and glandular trichomes provide information of taxonomical significance. Moreover, the cypselas of I. helenium L. subsp. orgyalis were homomorphic, whereas in I. ensifolia cypselas were heteromorphic. Additionally, the number of ribs, the shape of carpopodium and stylopodium were diagnostic taxonomic characters between the two taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysaccharides, an important class of carbohydrate polymers, are considered as one of the sources of drug molecules. To discover bioactive polysaccharides as potential agents against cancer, a homogeneous polysaccharide (IJP70-1) has been purified from the flowers of Inula japonica, which is a traditional medicinal plant used for various medical indications. IJP70-1 with a molecular weight of 1.019 × 10 5  Da was mainly composed of →5)-α-l-Araf-(1→, →2,5)-α-l-Araf-(1→, →3,5)-α-l-Araf-(1→, →2,3,5)-α-l-Araf-(1→, →6)-α-d-Glcp-(1→, →3,6)-α-d-Galp-(1→, and t-α-l-Araf. Apart from the characteristics and structure elucidated by various techniques, the in vivo antitumor activity of IJP70-1 was assayed using zebrafish models. In the subsequent mechanism investigation, it was found that the in vivo antitumor activity of IJP70-1 was not cytotoxic mechanism caused, but related to the activation of the immune system and inhibition of angiogenesis by interacting with the proteins toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4), programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The chemical and biological studies have shown that the homogeneous polysaccharide IJP70-1 has the potential to be developed into an anticancer agent., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)